Ashki – new thread

[admin]

Tamara

Fantastic! He’s doing so well! What lovely news :) It’s great that you are able to do some work at home, that really helps. Jury service? I’ve always thought that could be very interesting, but it’s a scary prospect too. I hope it will go alright and won’t be too stressful.

Well done Mr Ashki! Big cuddles for you!

Mary and Mable x

[Tamara]

Hi everyone, wanted to give you all an update on Ashki. This past week was one year since his diagnosis. He is stable in the mid-30s and feeling very very good, silly and energetic and very happy. His fur is finally starting to grow back where it was shaved in July when they removed his hemangioma. It’s grown back on his leg, it’s his side that has taken this long to grow back. These drugs certainly have strange and varied side effects! We are concerned about his kidneys, his latest chemistry showed that his albumin is dropping so we’re going to do a UPC this week to see how his glomerulonephritis is doing.

I have been busy with work, it’s a relief to have an income again, especially with the expenses related to this disease. I’ll just be putting off my retirement a bit longer than planned.

Sending you all much love and big hugs. I’m so very grateful for your support and help, I would have lost my mind without you. Please give your 4-leggeds some scritchies from me.

Mary, Ashki says thank you very much for the wonderful cuddles. :)
tamara and ashki xoxoxo

[admin]

Hiya dear Tamara

It’s soooo lovely to hear from you & to know Ashki is a such a happy boy. Great to hear his PCV is good now too. How did the kidney testing go for the glomerulonephritis? My goodness, this disease costs a lot of money & takes a lot of our time. You have been absolutely brilliant, Tamara – no one could ever do more than you have for their dog. You two deserve some nice, steady times after such a long battle.

Worzel’s coat took an age to grow back, as you know – the long-term wound he had on his leg has never grown hair back on it. I’m not surprised as it didn’t heal up at all before we got him off the pred. Bizarrely, sometimes the skin is pinkish, sometimes it’s almost black. As you say, these drugs are life saving, but have some very odd side effects! I don’t really care what colour his leg is, as long he’s OK. Baldy bits are a small price to pay.

I hope your new job is working out well – sending loads of love & cuddles from me & the boys

Sheena, Worzel & Ollie too! xoxoxox

[Vally]

Very good, silly, energetic and happy. We don’t need anything else.

Love Vally & Bingo
xxx

[Tamara]

Hi Sheena, Vally, and all –
Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond, overwhelmed with work, it’s my new status quo. Which is much better than a year ago when I was overwhelmed and panicked and terrified with IMHA! I have very very good news… Ashki’s hematocrit is low normal!!!! 39.8! His UPC came back at 3 (which is very good considering everything) but we’re a little worried he may have a low grade UTI so now we’re waiting for the results of a culture from a sterile draw.

Next we will either drop the pred a smidge (go from 30mg/day to alternating 25 one day, 30 one day), dropping the cyclo to once daily, or dropping the mycophenolate to every third day. I’m thinking wait and see how his culture comes out and then decide what to do.

He’s doing really well, went for a swim on his long line today and then dug three very large holes. Rolling on his back and kicking his legs in the air, playing with his toys, keeping an eye on the neighborhood. Happy sigh.

Much love to you all —
tamara and ashki

[admin]

Hey Tamara

This is just the BEST news – you have made my weekend, dear friend. Ashki is one amazing boy & you have worked so hard to get him into normal levels. Whoooppeeeeee! I am so happy for you. Hearing he is enjoying life so much is wonderful.

Let’s hope he doesn’t have a UTI – but hey ho, some antibiotics will sort that if necessary.

I would personally want to get the pred as low as possible too – it’s life-saving, but the side effects – well, we all know it makes them prone to UTIs & other infections. Wishing you all the luck in the world with the reduction. Being a very cautious person, I would only drop one thing at a time – if something untoward comes up, you know what’s caused it. If you have changed 2 or 3 things, it could be any of them that have caused the problem. I quite understand you want to reduce the other drugs too, but maybe one thing at a time is the “safer” way. Just my opinion of course!

Much love, hugs & doggy kisses from all of us to both of you
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xoxoxox

[Tamara]

Hi Sheena, yes, sorry, I wasn’t clear, we would only do one of those at a time! The other changes I want to make (also only change one thing at a time of these, and do them separately from changing meds) are I want to travel with him (nothing crazy, just a few days to start off with), have him able to run off leash with other dogs, and transition him to raw feeding. I think he would like it best if he got to run off leash with other dogs sooner rather than later.

Thanks so much, dear friend. I know you understand everything this means – all the hard work, sleepless nights, worrying, etc.

Big hugs and lots of love —
tamara and ashki xoxoxo

[admin]

Hi Tamara

Probably me not understanding, not you! One thing at a time is goooood. I can’t wait to hear how much fun Ashki has running around with some doggie pals – that will be smashing for him. You can start to relax a little now – things are looking good. But I know you’ll never stop worrying, just like the rest of us.

Love, hugs, scritchies too
Sheena & the boys xxxxx