Rocky — IMHA, day 16

[joe]

Rocky is a BEAUTIFUL pup. I am happy for him and you about the PCV. What a blessed pup to have you.

[Lauren]

Rocky is continuing to do great! The bruise is just about gone. The vet seems to think that it was from playing with the other dogs since all of his numbers are continuing to rise. His platelets were 384,000 this past week! Also, his reticulocytes are staying stable, and his bilirubin is staying normal.

He is so happy at home and doing so well. His appetite is still great. The good news is that we are starting to decrease the Prednisone, so hopefully we will see him not drinking as much.

But for now, we are managing the side effects and keeping him happy. That is our main concern, his comfort and happiness.

Thank you for thinking about us!!

[Vally]

Lauren, don’t rush the decrease in the prednisone. What dose was Rocky on and what is being suggested. I’d prefer to wait a bit until he’s had a couple of steady results, even if it’s just a couple of weeks.

With reductions in prednisone, don’t do more than 20-25% reduction at a time. I think the standard reduction with prednisone is 50% for other problems, but that always causes problems here and all too often we see them relapsing. Bingo did relapse when reducing prednisone and we had to go back up in drugs again and take it down much much slower.

It’s only if there are major side effects happening because of the prednisone that you would risk a faster reduction.

Love Vally & Bingo

[admin]

Hi Lauren
This is such great news! I am very glad to hear Rocky is doing so well, the handsome boy. I would like to back Vally up on what she is saying. Please be very cautious with the drug reductions – this disease is very rare & the recommended reduction protocol is much slower than for other diseases. Vally, Sadie & now poor Ruth have all experienced first hand what can happen when they are not stable for long enough & the pred reduction is too fast, too soon.
Please read our AIHA terms item on Prednisone
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/prednisone/
You are more than welcome to print it to take to the vets with you.
I know you are fantastic parents to Rocky & you have a wonderful relationship with your vets, but I would feel that I haven’t given you the right advice if I didn’t mention the relapse risks. Sorry to sound like I’m nagging, but this is important.
Lots of love to you all
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie

[Linda]

Hi Laren. I am out of picet, so to speak, but wanted to put in my two cents worth, briefly. PLEASE take it SLOW on the weaning. Sadie relapsed, too fast. And please don’t freak with our warning and back off posting. You are doing am AWESOME job with Rocky.

Keeping up – so glad Ricky’s doing so well. Keep up the great numbers Rocky.

Love and hugs,
Linda and Sadie

[admin]

Hi again Lauren. Obviously, that was supposed to be ‘pocket’ and ‘Rocky’ but then these are not my first typos and quite sure, not my last. I need a keyboard with my iPhone!! So sorry…..

I LOVE the picture of Rocky. He is very handsome, indeed. That smile and those beautiful white teeth, he could star in a doggie toothpaste commercial. :)

So, how is Mr. Rocky doing? I bet wonderful. Keep up the great work Rocky and keep your fur mommy (and us) smiling. Lauren, let us know okay?

Sending our love and continued good thoughts, Linda and Sadie

[admin]

Hi Lauren.  I’m just checking in on you and Rocky.  I don’t know if you saw the post about the pup I found, but ironically, his new fur parents have named him Rocky.  Love it!

Please continue to let us know how you and Rocky are doing when you have a chance.

Love and hugs, Linda and Sadie

[Lauren]

Rocky update —

Hey Everyone! I’m sorry for being MIA with updates about my boy. We’ve had some other major life events happen, and you know life can sometimes get in the way.

Rocky is doing fantastic.About a week after my last post, his right front toenail became infected, and part of the pad on his left front seemed to be peeling. We went in for a check up, and the dermatologist happened to be there, so she took a look. She said that it looked fungal, and because his immune system was so suppressed, she didn’t want to take any chances. She did a biopsy, and it grew out pseudomonas and fungus! So, we had to add 2 anti-fungals and two antibiotics to his already overstuffed pill box.

Poor sweet boy had to spend about 6 weeks with his feet wrapped (changed 2-3x a week by the vet) and in the cone of shame. Because he wasn’t healing well, they decided that he needed to be tapered a little faster. (Fungus wasn’t responding well). As soon as we took the cyclosporine to once a day and cut the pred in half, he started healing really well.

Now, he is going without his bandages, the fur is growing back and he is acting like a 6 mo old lab puppy again. We are down to only Azathioprine every other day and cyclosporine every other day. I can’t tell you how amazing he is doing at home. This has been the craziest 5 months of our lives!

Thank you to everyone for your kind words, support and well wishes!!!