A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE Etc
A Cautionary Tale
by Sue Taylor
(Republished, with permission, Saluki Or Gazelle Club Magazine 1997)

Like most dog people I have, over the years, come across various health problems in my dogs. I was, therefore, not unduly alarmed when Sirtan began scratching at his ear. Examination revealed a very 'mucky' ear, so, out came the Surolan which I had in the dogs' medicine chest. Sure enough, within a few days, I was able to clean up the ear and felt that the problem was sorted.

However, a month or so later, Sirtan was again scratching and had a very dirty ear. Back to the Surolan and cotton buds. This time the problem seemed to linger but, having had a Saluki with an ongoing ear problem, I was still not worried.

At this point I was almost at the end of the Surolan, which incidentally, had been lurking in the medicine chest for a number of years. I continued putting in a few drops every day and cleaning around the inside of the ear with cotton buds. Sirtan was not scratching or showing any signs of discomfort so I assumed that all was in hand. How wrong can you be??

I was awoken, in the early hours of the morning, by Sirtan staggering around the room as if drunk. He was blundering into furniture, and seemed to have little or no control over his back legs. A phone call to the emergency vet confirmed my worst fears. Yes - it sounded like some sort of stroke or fit. Keep him quiet and bring him to the Surgery first thing in the morning. I spent a miserable few hours going through the events of the previous day Sirtan had been fine, had his usual walk and run with the other dogs, eaten a substantial meal, had his evening biscuit and retired to sleep on my bed as normal. There had been no accident or injury. He's a fit little dog of just 2'/2 years. He's recently undergone an intensive heart check as part of Dr Brownlee's programme. There is no history in his breeding of any abnormalities whatsoever. In short, there was no reason why he should be so stricken.

At about 7 in the morning Sirtan wanted his customary trip to the garden so, with me supporting his rear end we made the journey. He performed his usual morning ablutions and passed a perfectly normal motion even though having to be supported. This reassured me slightly as I felt it proved his muscles were still working properly. I was further reassured by him behaving just as he does every day - a quick check of the garden to make sure the neighbours' cat is not in residence, a trip to the front room window to ensure that everything is OK at the front of the house, back upstairs to make sure that 'his' two bitches are awake and alright. All this done as usual, but with me supporting his rear legs which seemed to have developed a life or rather 'non-life' of their own. He was in no pain and not even unduly distressed. He responded to my voice and looked alert and bright-eyed. He just couldn't walk without reeling around like a drunken sailor.

At 9 o'clock we were first in the Vet's Surgery. Sirtan still could not walk without being supported and his front legs had now started splaying in a most disconcerting manner. I asked the Vet to first check his ear as I had begun to feel this was where the problem lay John had spoken to Chris Lewis who had then conferred with his colleagues and they also felt that the ear problem had some relevance to the present situation. Sure enough, the ear was so infected and full of wax deep down that the Vet was unable to see the end of the ear canal. The Vet got a fresh tube of Surolan and proceeded to administer it properly ie far, far more than I had been using, far deeper into the ear, and mopping out with great wads of cotton wool - not the half dozen cotton buds that I had been using. An intensive course of anti-biotics and also anti- inflammatory pills were prescribed. Also two injections were administered. The Vet did not have my conviction that the problem was due to an ear infection and we touched on a couple of things that it might be - both of which are too horrific to go into here. Thankfully, it was the ear that was causing the problem. By 6 o'clock in the evening Sirtan was walking about, albeit unsteadily, but under his own steam. I think we caught things in time but that was more luck than judgement.

By using my sketchy knowledge of ear problems and their treatment I could have caused Sirtan to need an operation under anaesthetic to clean out his ear. By negligence (which is what it was) I could have damaged a beautiful, healthy Saluki irreparably.

Needless to say I have learned three lessons. One - except in an emergency do not use prescribed treatments without Veterinary advice. Two - don't hoard out-of-date medicines thinking "they may come in useful". Three - go to the Vet for advice. Do not think that because something worked for one dog it will for another.

1, probably more than most, have to watch my pennies and I know that in many cases Vets' fees are exorbitant but, at the end of the day, it is your Saluki which comes first.

(Copyright(c), Sue Taylor, Saluki Or Gazelle Club Magazine 1997)

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