sick Berner

[Joan N Robinson]

I have a friend, not on this list, who has a problem - and possibly someone on this list can help

Spirit is 4 years old, an Aseptic Meningitis survivor who was getting along fine until about a year ago when he started dropping weight for no apparent reason. In the past 6 months he has lost about 20 pounds. The local vet exhausted their ideas & referred to Va Tech - where MANY tests, including exploratory surgery & multiple biopsies provided NO answers! No cancer (the good news!) Nothing wrong with anything that they can tell - but the dog Will Not Eat - anything - unless he is being given steroids to make him hungry enough to eat - so he is 'wasting away' before their eyes - and No One can figure out why!
He is happy - not depressed or unhappy about some major change in his life - same home since he was 8 weeks old & the only change has been to keep him in the house more than he used to be because he has lost so much coat (because of the lack of nutrition, they thing) not that they aren't trying to provide that nutrition! they are! he just won't eat it! He was (in my opinion) overweight at 120# a year ago, and is now at 94# and, in his owner's words, a 'rack of bones' -
He is currently on prednizone (sp?), so is eating some now - but obviously this is not a 'long term fix' -

Ok guys - ideas? suggestions? recommendations?
this owner as gone far beyond 'reasonable limits' to provide for this boy -and is very frustrated at not being able to determine what is wrong with him! At this point, some vets are saying 'well, this is a Bernese Mt Dog, and we may never know why he is sick / dies - because he is a BMD!'

Thanks!
Joan Robinson