Support Louie’s Neurology Exam & Possible Additional Testing

Our Griffon community suggested starting this fundraiser to help with Louie's upcoming medical expenses. It’s hard for me to ask for help, but Louie is like a son to me, and I’m doing everything I can for him. He’s scheduled for a neurology appointment on February 27th, with an initial consultation fee of $250, which we can cover without issue. However, we’re unsure if additional testing will be needed. If an MRI is recommended, as mentioned during scheduling, it could cost between $4,500 and $5,000.

At this point, we don’t know what to expect, but we want to be transparent and ready for any situation. If the funds raised are not needed, we will return the donations to everyone who contributed. Please make sure to include your full name and Instagram handle if possible, so I can send the refund via Venmo or Apple Cash if necessary.

Your support means the world to us and Louie. Thank you for your generosity! I’ll provide further details below for anyone interested.

**Appointment #1:**

On 1/30, Louie began showing signs of imbalance and favoring his hind legs, so we got him an appointment for 2/1. After X-rays, the vet confirmed he has arthritis and hip dysplasia, which we already knew about the hip dysplasia. He was prescribed Galliprant, an anti-inflammatory, and advised to take a fish oil supplement. Unfortunately, the tech wasn’t very knowledgeable, and Louie didn’t seem too fond of her either—he usually loves the vet techs. When we asked which fish oil to get, her answer was vague, and she wasn’t sure about the correct dosage. Due to the uncertainty and lack of professionalism, I decided to wait on starting his Galliprant until I could confirm there were no interactions with his other medication. We scheduled a follow-up consultation to go over his X-rays, ask questions, and get more information. I felt it could be more than just arthritis.

**Appointment #2 & #3:**

By his consult on 2/4, Louie was showing new symptoms—right head tilt, frequent head shaking, and worsening balance issues. The tech was amazing, reviewing everything thoroughly and recommending a fish oil supplement called 1-TDC, which Louie started. She also suspected an ear infection. Since the doctor wasn’t available, we scheduled another appointment for 2/5 with the same doctor who saw him initially. They did an ear swab, confirming the infection, along with an eye pressure test, tear production test, and bloodwork to check his thyroid levels. Louie was prescribed Prednisone (steroid), acid reducer, and ear drops. The doctor also noted his right eye was unresponsive and performed a brief neurological test, which was mostly fine, except for the unresponsive eyelid. All of his eye tests came back normal, the thyroid would take a few days to a week for results.

**Appointment #4:**

On 2/12, we were waiting for Louie's thyroid bloodwork results, but the doctor called the lab and found that they never received his sample. We were asked to bring him back in for a new blood draw. During this appointment, the tech did an ear swab and mentioned that there wasn’t much to test. She suggested the issue might be an inner ear infection, which we had suspected given Louie's symptoms. Originally, we were told it was a mild ear infection, although we felt otherwise.

**Appointment #5:**

A day or two before his 2/21 follow-up, Louie finished his ear drops and steroid. Over the week and a half of medication, his symptoms improved—his right eyebrow started moving, and he would occasionally half-blink. However, as we began weaning him off the steroid, his imbalance returned. At the appointment, his thyroid levels were normal, and his ear swab came back negative, meaning the infection was gone. The doctor rechecked his eye and remained concerned about his unresponsive right eyelid. She refilled his steroid, though she stressed it’s not a long-term solution. She referred us to a neurologist since she couldn’t determine the cause of the eye issue, mentioning that while it’s possible it stemmed from the ear infection, she’d never seen that before. We were unsure of the next steps, but today we received a call to schedule his neurology appointment for 2/27.

Here we are, still waiting for answers. It’s been a long and frustrating month, and we’re eager to understand what’s going on. We’re hoping and praying it’s something minor that can be treated with medication or easily addressed. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this if you’ve made it this far. I wanted to share the details for those who were curious.