Ok so we have a plan. I don't know if this is right or not but I feel like as long as she is still fighting, I have to fight with her. Spoke with Dr. B. He is confident in four options in order of possibility - asper, chlamydia, PDD, or microbacterium (I have no real idea about this last one or if that is even what he said - we were both on cell phones, so I couldn't really hear him). All are treatable except the last - that is fatal and calls for euthanization as it is communicable to humans and resistant to antibiotics. I think his first plan is asper. He feels she has two things going on, a major illness (one of those four) and then had a secondary infection. The initial antibiotic the first vet used was "the big guns" and likely knocked out the secondary issue, hence the quick, very substantial improvement in her weight and condition. She responded quickly and strongly to the injections - going from 142 to 170 within the 2 weeks. She couldn't hold it though, so we obviously have not found the right drug, right time limit, or right dosage for the underlying cause. He wants me to bring her with me on Monday to take a new x-ray, run current bloodwork, feed her, hydrate her, and start the drugs he decides on, likely the doxy she should have had in the first or at least second round when Newf gave me her asper experience and I asked for treatment. He said everything you guys have said about doxy being THE drug of choice and was not sure either why it was not used for Peep. Unless something else shows up to point him in a different direction he has a plan and a very concrete idea of what he suspects and how he wants to proceed. I felt much better about talking to him as he explained things, listened to me and seemed to be confident in what he wants to do. Nothing is guaranteed, and at this point anything has become very chronic so will be that much harder to get rid of. He has had very good luck treating PDD and providing substantial time and quality of life.
I don't want to put her through a lot of stress for nothing, but it is completely clear she will not get better on her own. I either treat her or put her down. He has given me an estimate that is affordable for all three days and everything he plans on doing. She will be at his clinic from Monday afternoon until Wednesday morning, so he will have time to run any tests, get results, start treatment and see how she responds before I take her 3 hours away again. The plan then is to get any meds from the vets here I live with, with strict instructions from him. If she is to get weekly doxy injections like Murlin did, it is not feasible to drive her 6 hours every week, so we would do it here. I did all of her initial injections, so we should be fine. I didn't expect a definitive "it is ... and we will treat it successfully with ..." but he is so much more confident in what he thinks and wants to do, I don't see how I can not try. It is not fair to her to linger like this much longer with no plan. She has some good time during the days, but mainly only sleeps and eats. She has had some really bad days lately as well. He said bring any favorite toys, but she doesnt even care about them now
I welcome any opinions, but please realize this is a really hard decision and I just want what's best for her. If he thinks she is too sick and treatment isn't promising we will quit on Monday and find out what beat us. If not then we will fight like h*ll and hope she is as tough as I think she is.
Thanks Nancy, Dana and Ginger. Monday can't come soon enough. She was 139 this am. I have never seen that before - never below 142. She seems pretty good today though. And BONUS - she made it to her birthday!!! Teeny tiny Peep is 9 today 
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Tara!!
So glad you are bring her down here to Dr. B. and he is going to keep her to check her out! Keeping her in my prayers and Calming energy for you....have a safe trip and let us know how things are!
