Max...my whole world

Someone out there needs to make a website like webmd.com for animals. Max was diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia today. I brought him in to my vet clinic last week because he's been having balance issues for the past two months. I had lulled myself into a false sense of security because the issues started after he jumped off the couch and yelped. He was listing to the left and falling over when excited for the next 2 days and then appeared to be on the mend. I assumed that he had possibly sprained something or pinched something and that it was just taking a while to heal. Max wasn't, and still isn't, exhibiting any pain signs so I figured it was no big deal. Then on the 4th of July, we were over at a friend's house hanging out in the backyard. Max was walking around like a drunken sailor! My friend said that the ground is uneven, but he was really struggling to stay upright...poor thing. The next day at home he seemed totally fine...well, not totally fine, but markedly improved. So I put off the vet again. I guess I was in denial that anything was really wrong with him...still going back to the couch-jumping incident. So, I finally brought him in to get checked out last Wednesday. My vet said that she couldn't feel anything wrong with his legs, knees, or hips and that we would need some x-rays done to see if maybe there was something that had been wrong and hadn't healed properly. I figured x-rays would be necessary because I hadn't been able to find anything physically wrong either. She then dropped the "neurological" bomb on me, letting me know what could be causing his symptoms if it wasn't orthopaedic. Sigh. I started crying the moment she uttered that word. It's a bad word. X-rays came back negative. She did films of his spine and pelvis and couldn't find anything abnormal. She also had observed some head bobbing action. I think he's always done this, but she said it was leading her to think it was probably neurological. There was that word again. Then she says she's going to refer me to the University of Minnesota Vet Medical Center. Gulp. What the hell?? Apparently the only veterinary neurologist in the state works there, but still. Being referred to a university medical center freaked me out a bit. I went to see the doctor today and he took one look at Max and knew it was cerebellar ataxia. He seriously barely even did an exam...it was weird. There was a vet student that did the whole physical exam first and then reported her findings to the neurologist who then walked in, kind of played around with Max a little (that's what it looked like) and then looked at the vet student (not at me) and kind of half-whispered "It's Cerebellar". As if I weren't even in the room. It pissed me off, but instead of being indignant, I started to cry. They finally stopped discussing Max with each other and noticed that I was sitting there with tears rolling down my cheeks. Not very good bedside manner indeed! Anyway...being the good little Obsessive-Compulsive that I am, I've been internet-researching the disorders that my vet had brought up last week. Cerebellar ataxia was one of them and I had considered it the worst case scenario. So when the neurologist said "It's Cerebellar", I knew exactly what he was talking about and I was devastated. He, on the other hand, didn't seem all that concerned. He said that it was kind of weird that he has had an acute onset and that he doesn't know what's causing it (without tests being run). His symptoms are very subtle...neither the student nor the resident or intern figured it out. He just has this slightly unsteady, wobbly walk and a slight intention tremor (head bob) which doesn't happen all the time, but is there. I'm noticing it a lot more now that I know what I'm looking for. It's kind of like a Parkinson's type tremor occuring mostly when he tries to lick faces. There are actually MANY things that could be causing it. Not the least of which is the fact that he had his Rabies booster the week before all this business started. Coincidence? Can't rule it out. So he gives me three options: 1. Do nothing (yeah right) and see if he gets worse. 2. MRI, blood work, possible spinal tap. Expensive and maybe not neccessary. 3. Start him on Prednisone (steroid) and see if he improves. If he starts to improve during the 1st week of treatment it essentially means that he has an inflammation of the cerebellum and that it will hopefully go away. I chose option 3...and I think that's what the neurologist thought I should do. Why else would he have given me that option last instead of the MRI? To me, the MRI, etc is the opposite extreme of doing nothing so it should have been stated last. I guess that's just me? Anyway...I'm about to try to get Max to ingest the most disgusting tasting medication I know. I had to take Prednisone for a couple of days after having an allergic reaction to my allergy shot (go figure) and it tastes HORRIBLE. Wish me luck!! I will keep the blog updated on his status.