Bad case of calcinosis cutis

[admin]

Hi Devin

I’m really sorry I’ve been silent – as a cat owner I am a total newcomer to the CC, but am very pleased to read that Jackson is doing so much better.

Welcome to Cheri and Chloe too :)

Mary and Mable x

[Devin]

I am back with an update! We have some really good news and some less good new. We got his bloodwork back and his PCV is up to 42.8! His liver values, while still high, are drastically reduced from last check. I am so pleased by this news! And the DMSO seems to be working really well, I have started with very small areas on his neck and he has had no reactions as far as I can tell. The skin where I have applied it is soft and smooth now. I just hope the hair grows back or he will be a bald little boy!

Less than great news is that while his neck is clearing up with the DMSO and antibiotics, he now has multiple spots on his lower back and butt/tail. His poor little nub tail is almost all bald and he is still smelly :(

But he has been in great spirits lately and that, along with his bloodwork getting better, is all that matters to me! I hope you and all your babies are doing well!

[Vally]

Hey Devin that is just the very best of news, both his bloods and his liver. Is there any talk of further reducing the prednisone? That may help with his poor skin.

Love Vally & Bingo

[admin]

Hi Devin
Fantastic news all round! As Vally says, reducing the pred (when you can safely do that) will really help the calcinosis cutis & the liver enzymes. I’m so happy to read about Jackson’s PCV too. I bet you couldn’t care less about him being a bit smelly anyway, as long as he’s a happy boy!
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxx

[Devin]

Yes we are reducing his Pred to 5mg once a day. Then hopefully after his next round of blood work in about 3-4 weeks we can go to every other day, then hopefully take him off! You are so right Sheena, I couldn’t care less about the smell, I still cuddle my baby every night and am so happy he feels better.

Thanks!!
Devin and Jackson

[admin]

Hi Devin

Wonderful to hear that Jackson is doing so well.

Keep up the good work, Jackson!

Mary and Mable x

[Devin]

Sorry it has taken so long to come back with an update, I have been so busy the past month. About a week after decreasing Jacksons Pred to 5mg once a day, he suddenly began vomiting and stopped eating. I have started a job at a vets office and I was able to take him with me to work where we did bloodwork and discovered he was having an Addisonian crisis where his cortisol levels were dangerously low. He had become dehydrated and had stopped eating for a solid week. We started him on IV fluids and increased his Pred back up to 20mg a day. It was a very scary week, he got so skinny from not eating, but he pulled through! Since then he has been acting like a completely different dog, like the dog we first rescued. He has bee playful and peppy. It has been such a relief to see him feeling better again. I am so thankful to be working in such a great veterinary office with his new doctor, she is so sweet and loving with him.

We sent of a full CBC/Chem profile and should have the results tomorrow. If his HCT is holding steady like it has, we will consider VERY SLOWLY dropping his Pred dosage again while praying he doesn’t have another crisis. We stopped the DMSO when he got sick as a precaution and started him on Clavamox as it seemed the Cipro had stopped working for him. His skin is looking amazing, no more open sores and he doesn’t smell anymore! He has lost all the hair on his neck and back, but we are hoping it will grow back in time. I just wanted to come back and give you all an update. I hope you all are doing well and your babies are too!

Devin & Jackson

[Vally]

Hi Devin, Wow how terrifying for you. I’m so glad Jackson came through it and you have your boy happy again with better skin AND he doesn’t smell any more.

Good luck on the bloods results tomorrow. Let us know how he’s done.

Love Vally and Bingo.

[admin]

Hi Devin

I’m really sorry I’ve been silent – as a cat owner I am a total newcomer to the CC, but am very pleased to read that Jackson is doing so much better.

Welcome to Cheri and Chloe too :)

Mary and Mable x

[Devin]

I am back with an update! We have some really good news and some less good new. We got his bloodwork back and his PCV is up to 42.8! His liver values, while still high, are drastically reduced from last check. I am so pleased by this news! And the DMSO seems to be working really well, I have started with very small areas on his neck and he has had no reactions as far as I can tell. The skin where I have applied it is soft and smooth now. I just hope the hair grows back or he will be a bald little boy!

Less than great news is that while his neck is clearing up with the DMSO and antibiotics, he now has multiple spots on his lower back and butt/tail. His poor little nub tail is almost all bald and he is still smelly :(

But he has been in great spirits lately and that, along with his bloodwork getting better, is all that matters to me! I hope you and all your babies are doing well!

[Vally]

Hey Devin that is just the very best of news, both his bloods and his liver. Is there any talk of further reducing the prednisone? That may help with his poor skin.

Love Vally & Bingo

[admin]

Hi Devin
Fantastic news all round! As Vally says, reducing the pred (when you can safely do that) will really help the calcinosis cutis & the liver enzymes. I’m so happy to read about Jackson’s PCV too. I bet you couldn’t care less about him being a bit smelly anyway, as long as he’s a happy boy!
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxx

[Devin]

Yes we are reducing his Pred to 5mg once a day. Then hopefully after his next round of blood work in about 3-4 weeks we can go to every other day, then hopefully take him off! You are so right Sheena, I couldn’t care less about the smell, I still cuddle my baby every night and am so happy he feels better.

Thanks!!
Devin and Jackson

[admin]

Hi Devin

Wonderful to hear that Jackson is doing so well.

Keep up the good work, Jackson!

Mary and Mable x

[Devin]

Sorry it has taken so long to come back with an update, I have been so busy the past month. About a week after decreasing Jacksons Pred to 5mg once a day, he suddenly began vomiting and stopped eating. I have started a job at a vets office and I was able to take him with me to work where we did bloodwork and discovered he was having an Addisonian crisis where his cortisol levels were dangerously low. He had become dehydrated and had stopped eating for a solid week. We started him on IV fluids and increased his Pred back up to 20mg a day. It was a very scary week, he got so skinny from not eating, but he pulled through! Since then he has been acting like a completely different dog, like the dog we first rescued. He has bee playful and peppy. It has been such a relief to see him feeling better again. I am so thankful to be working in such a great veterinary office with his new doctor, she is so sweet and loving with him.

We sent of a full CBC/Chem profile and should have the results tomorrow. If his HCT is holding steady like it has, we will consider VERY SLOWLY dropping his Pred dosage again while praying he doesn’t have another crisis. We stopped the DMSO when he got sick as a precaution and started him on Clavamox as it seemed the Cipro had stopped working for him. His skin is looking amazing, no more open sores and he doesn’t smell anymore! He has lost all the hair on his neck and back, but we are hoping it will grow back in time. I just wanted to come back and give you all an update. I hope you all are doing well and your babies are too!

Devin & Jackson

[Vally]

Hi Devin, Wow how terrifying for you. I’m so glad Jackson came through it and you have your boy happy again with better skin AND he doesn’t smell any more.

Good luck on the bloods results tomorrow. Let us know how he’s done.

Love Vally and Bingo.