As I mentioned in the beginning of January, Dunn started having trouble walking a straight line. He looked like a drunken sailor, stumbling and walking into things. A visit to the vet revealed he had infections in both ears and was put on antibiotics. Inner ear infections do result in dizziness and falling. Unfortunately, the diagnosis wasn't that simple. When there was no improvement with the antibiotic, the diagnosis became either meningitis or a brain tumor. The treatment was to put him on steroids. If it was meningitis the steroids would fix it. If it was a brain tumor, the steroids would help but only temporarily. The latter proved to be true. We saw a 50% improvement in his condition for about 2 weeks and then he resumed his rapid decline.
In retrospect, his symptoms started a lot earlier, but weren't constant or consistent and I never put them together.
At Thanksgiving dinner, his rear legs seem to collapse under him while he was just standing in the kitchen, and he fell. He looked dazed and confused and it took him several days to return to his perky self.
Dunn's Christmas photo shows what I now recognize as the tell tale "head tilt" of a brain tumor, although at the time he was getting around just fine.
Dunn was an amazingly well-mannered, sweet and athletic dog. Such a perfect combination. He will always hold a special place in my heart as the best trail buddy ever.
