Off We Go to Scarborough..But Not to the Fair!

Scout has been referred to the Maine Vetrinarian Referral Center, Emergency and Specialty Animal Hospital in Scarborough, ME.  His new specialist there will be Dr. Danielle Eifler.  Dr Eifler has years of school and knowledge and I feel confident Scout will have the best Specialist available to diagnose and plan a course of action for his problem.

Dr.Eifler
Dr. Eifler’s love for animals began at an early age and though her goal to become a veterinarian was deeply ingrained even then, it wasn’t until her family dog, a German Shepherd named Max became afflicted with a devastating neurologic condition called degenerative myelopathy, that she realized her desire to specialize in veterinary neurology. During her neurology residency at the University of Missouri, she was fortunate enough to work with the researchers who discovered the gene associated with this disease which will aid in the diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy.

Dr. Eifler is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, Canada in 1997 and attained her DVM from the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island in 2001. She then completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at The Western College of Veterinary medicine in Saskatoon in 2002 followed by an Emergency and Critical Fellowship at Michigan State University in 2003. Dr. Eifler then spent two years in small animal private practice and was also involved in research for hereditary canine ophthalmologic diseases. Dr. Eifler completed her Neurology / Neurosurgery residency at the University of Missouri in 2008 and attained status as a diplomate of the ACVIM, Specialty of Neurology at this time.

Dr. Eifler is pleased to be part of the MVRC Neurology Group, the only specialty center in the Northeast to offer a team of 3 board certified veterinary neurologists. She is especially happy to be living in the Portland area which allows her to enjoy some of her favorite past times such as skiing, hiking, kayaking, yoga, and going for walks on the beach with her fiancé Nathan and their German Shepherd, Fiji. Dr. Eifler also has three wonderful (and slightly spoiled) cats named Scully, Pippin, and Little Cat.

Our appointment is at 11:00am tomorrow morning and is a two hour drive from our house!  I think Scout and I have to both put our sleeping caps on tonight early!   Scout cannot have anything to eat and must come in fasting with water only for 10hrs before his appointment.  I believe they will be doing a blood workup for him. 

We are now so close to finding out what the future holds for Scout, I am excited and in a way a little afraid of the knowing.  I try everyday to think positively because I will not let him down.  There is only way and that is for this little guy to run and walk with all the other dogs.  But sometimes, a small little doubt can sneak in just enough to scare me.

I'm so glad for Scout, it must be the same way Mothers feel with handicapped children.  Scout cannot understand how bad his situation is, he just knows he is a little different sometimes.  The legs just don't move like he wants them to..  It is a Blessing not to have to explain and share my worry!

For all of those who are following Scout's blog and checking in with me...thank you so very much for your continued support and Blessings.  I know your well wishes, thoughts and concerns have helped to carry Scout.  He is not just my little boy, he is everyone's little boy.  I'm so happy to have so many others who constantly wait and listen to the endless stories of his struggles and successes!

I will try to post as soon as I can the update for Scout after his consultation. 

Vet records, xrays and referral in hand...

I've received the reports from both vets who have seen Scout now.. Dr Herrmann took the xrays on my first visit to him.  I received his report in the mail, along with the report written by him.  I have also requested a referral from Scout's new vet here in town, Dr Smith.  She has referred him to the Maine Vetrinary Referral Center, Specialty and Emergency Hospital.  They specialize in neurosurgery for dogs.

Both vets here conclude it is a congenital birth defect.  The hardest part for me is to find out, it can be life threatening and a sudden death in severe cases.  I am so glad, Scout is as young as he is and full of energy.  I do keep a continuous watch on him to make sure he does not jump down from anywhere and is not underfoot to the larger dogs.

We will be calling the Maine Hospital sometime this week to make an appointment for Scout.  Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers that he has a good diagnosis for recovery..

Scout is in fantastic spirits lately with the warm weather...he loves to be outside, he loves to run away from you.  If he could run, he would be a runner, no doubt about it.  This little guy is all over the front yard.  I have to watch him like a hawk!  It seems he can be in one place one moment and across the yard in a split second!  He's very good though...he won't come back if I just call him..If I reach him, and tell him to come back, he immediately turns around and comes back to his area!

He is stronger everyday and it seems like he has finally gotten to his ideal weight.  He does not feel like skin and bone.  I would be willing to bet he is at least 9lbs now.  He is ideal and now I will have the problem to keep him from gaining more weight...he cannot get any heavier to make it harder for him to walk.

I would like to thank all the people who do keep up with Scout's progression.  You are an amazing group of people.  I'm sure if Scout could talk, he would be able to tell us how much he feels the Love from all of you!