Diablo

[Tara]

Linda – thanks for your post. As a result we lowered Diablo’s cyclosporine from 50 to 25….he is still having trouble with incontinence during the day but at night he is doing MUCH better :) Maybe there was a connection. Thank you!!!!!

 

[Brigitte]

Hi Tara!

Enzo is doing the happy dance because I cheered when I read your great news! these results just look phenomenal. I think at this point the pred is not suppressing his immune system but maybe the cyclo still a little bit? So I think  reducing the pred will be fine. The question is where will he go in the long run? Does your vet think he needs to be on something for the rest of his life? I know how terrifying the reductions and then the decision to take them off completely or not can be. If I were in your shoes I would send blood to Dr. Dodds at hemopet and I am sure her advice would give you peace of mind. In the mean time celebrate!!! Congratulations! you clearly did a good job and so did Diablo:)

Best wishes,

Brigitte

[admin]

Hi Tara

This has made my day – such great news! Give Diablo a HUGE hug from me – he’s making great progress. I would also do what Brigitte says – keeping an eye on blood tests always puts our minds at rest if we are worrying.

Loads of best wishes from Sheena, Worzel & Ollie

[Vally]

Hi Tara, what fabulous news. Bingo says welcome to the 1.25 Club Diablo.

If it were me – being somewhat just every so slightly paranoid and neurotic – I would probably do a slightly slower drop in the pred.  The 2.5 mg is where Bingo hit a wall twice before.  But then again, he had the additional problem of rheumatoid arthritis and that showed up pretty quickly at that mark, although we tried to go to 2.5 every second day, and even skip 2.5 every third day – you’re such a wet blanket Vally!!!

I  (did I mention paranoid and neurotic me) would probably do 2.5 one day and 1.25 the next for a little while.  I actually did 2.5 for 2 days and 1.25 for 1 day, then 1.25 or 2 days and 2.5 for 1 day, before dropping to the 1.25 daily.

Go with your guts though, if you’re ready to go to 1.25 daily, go with it and I think test in a few days, as you said.

Very very best of luck.

Vally & Bingo.

[Tara]

Vally we are too much alike…..I was thining the exact same thing….I am much more comfortable doing 2.5 one day and than 1.25 the next. Diablo has arthritis too and I am noticing it a little more these days too. I am terrified of this reduction….in some ways because of Diablo’s age I think maybe I should just leave him at this dose….he is 14.5…..he has come so far….it has been a year……I just don’t want a setback at this point :( How are Bingo’s teeth? I have not had a chance to see if you updated your post yet…sorry if you have!!!

 

[Vally]

Tara, I know every single reduction has been terrifying.

Last reduction we did, specialist was going on holidays for 2 weeks.  I said I wouldn’t start the reduction until I knew he was back in case, but he said not to wait and to go ahead with the reduction – he said Bingo will be fine and he was!  If there is a problem with the reduction – it just means you go back up again and find the best dose to stay on.

Bingo’s teeth are still wobbling. I rang specialist who said don’t do anything until he goes in for his check-up – due this Monday unless he seems to be in pain or have trouble eating. Well, he has no trouble stuffing his face. So we’ll see on Monday.

I can give you a list of supplements that I use – and it’s a long list – if you like for arthritis. Email me if you want the list    vallyone@hotmail.com

Good luck, and let us know how Diablo goes.

Vally & wobbly

[Linda]

Tara and Diablo – wonderful news about the reduced meds.  I really feel that the Atopica plays almost as much havoc on their little bodies as the prednisone, particularly if it has been over a year with NO reduction at all, which it seems to be with Diablo, as was Sadie too.

We do the Atopica reductions very slow too.  AND I have just now started doing her PCV’s once every 10 days (from every 7).  We go tomorrow for her first 10 day PCV, a little shaky.  We are continuing the reduction of the Atopica, to one 10mg every three days now.  Prednisone remains at 7.5mg daily.  We’ll see…

I wanted to tell you though, along with the scruffy coat, wobbly/shaking hind legs, incontinence (not now though -she’s super – leaving her for up to 6 hours with NO accidents – YEAH Sadie!!!) – all have been so much better with the weaning of the prednisone AND the Atopica, and I think the weaning of the Atopica has been the one helping with the incontinence, as we’ve been weaning off the prednisone since late July  2013 and just started the Atopica October 3013.  Now that she is lower on the Atopica, just recently everyone seems to comment on her disposition and the way she looks – MUCH better.  As my vet reminds me, being on the necessary high doses of these meds for a long time, it will take a while for the body to readjust.  So, I really feel you will see a marked improvement with Diablo too.

We are sending huge hugs, lots of love and big hang-in-there wishes for Diablo’s continued improvement.  xo Linda & Sadie

 

 

[Tara]

Last night I went out for a few hours….when I came home Diablo was walking sideways and very wobbly……head tilted  a little to one side…..this morning he is the same. In every other way he is normal…..still wants to eat, be with us and is telling us when he has to go outside for the bathroom. Anyone experienced this? His gums are very pink so I don’t think it is a drop in RBC/PVC.  He is 14.5 though :( I wonder if he hurt himself somehow while I was gone….he does not jump anymore as his back end is too week so not sure what he could have done :( Stroke?