The Mystery Continues

Roxanne's condition continues to baffle all of us.  Her x-ray results from last week were negative.  While her right hip shows appropriate signs of aging, none of it should cause the severe lameness she is experiencing.

We thought that she may have a vector-borne illness caught during our travels, such as Lyme's disease.  This morning we learned that all of her blood panels came back negative.  The good news, however, is that Rox is responding well to the most often prescribed antibiotic for Lyme's disease, Doxycycline.  While she has only been on the antibiotic since Thursday, she is more alert.  She is actually sleeping on her back again (her preferred position), is walking a bit further, and is playing a little for the first time in months... all positive signs.

Roxanne feels well enough to snooze "belly up" AND guard
the front door... all at the same time!

We feel so blessed.  Precious friends have called in other friends to help with a diagnosis.  Our vet continues to look for new possibilities.  Rox appears to have a neurological issue or infectious disease... but what?  Could the blood results for a tick-borne disease have been a false negative?  Does she have some other vector-borne disease such as Leishmania?  Thankfully, she isn't exhibiting signs of the real killer, degenerative myelopathy.  Our quest for an answer continues.

The new blood tests will take a full seven days.  Without some firm evidence, however, it looks like our next adventure may well be a trip to Texas A&M University.  Their veterinary school is one of the finest in the nation.  Perhaps they can ferret out her symptoms and come up with a diagnosis.

Please continue to pray for Roxanne.  We'll keep you posted.

In a Holding Pattern

Ruffingitx3 has a man down.  Our beautiful Roxanne is suffering with severe hip problems.  Last September we made a 7-mile hike together.  By October she was limping severely.  Since then she has slowed from walking several miles each day to several blocks.  This morning, she could hardly stand.

Roxanne

As of today, plans for another trip to Alaska have been cancelled.  Depending on her x-ray results next week, we may plan a revised trip... perhaps to Idaho or Oregon's tidal pools.  We'll keep you posted.  Regardless, our hero marines have given us our motto... Semper fi... always faithful.  For the past twelve years, Roxanne has been faithful to us.  We certainly plan to do the same for her.

We have a prayer request... for our girl.  May God bless each of you and Roxanne.