Shih Tzu Diagnosed With AIHA

[Vally]

Susie, I’m glad she’s coming home and they’ve changed to cyclosporine. Ha, Bingo is known at my work as the “6 million dollar dog”

I keep telling him, he needs to get a job. Maybe he and Emily can do something together.

Love Vally & He says he’s worth it!
xxx

[admin]

Hiya Susie

What a relief to hear she’s coming home – stopping the aza is a wise move – cyclo is so much safer for the “littlies”. My goodness, we all know this disease costs a bloomin’ fortune! We have a standing joke at the vets that we should have a discount card & our own seat. Good job we love them. Worzel also has an expensive heart med daily – but I wouldn’t swap him for the world.

Actually, I can see a future for Bingo & Emily doing romantic dog greeting cards – they would make a lovely 6 million dollar couple. Vally & Susie – get your camera out now!

Let us know how Emily is doing at home – she’ll be glad to be back with her Mum

Love Sheena, the very expensive one & the not quite so expensive one! xxxxx

[Susie]

Is it normal for Emily’s gums to change colors often? I was shook up a while ago because they looked white and a while later when I went to show my husband, they looked so much pinker.

[Vally]

Hey Susie, yes this happens. When you checked her the first time, what was she doing? If she’s lying around, then yes, they will be paler. When Emily is more perky, they should be pinker. It’s to do with the spleen. It stores blood when a dog is inactive, and releases it when needed.

Vally & Bingo
xxx

[Susie]

Thank you, Vally. That really helps. I am so scared of her relapsing!! The vet switched her to Cyclosprine as you know, and also lower her Prednisone from 10 (5mg 2 x daily) to one dose of 7.5. She wanted to take it down to just 5 and I protested. I know she has her pancreas in mind but I’m thinking of the bigger picture, her life. I want her Prednisone lower too, very much so, but I was scared that it was too much change all at once.

[Susie]

Can you ladies tell me why Emily’s tummy hair is falling out and her skin is flaky?

[Patrice]

Susie,
Can you upload a photo to me via the Upload Your Photo on the right side of this page?

I am pretty sure this is a staph infection. The skin can become quite fragile, oozy and red. Then the hair falls out completely, usually in a round circle.

There are a couple of pictures of this on the glossary page:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/staph-infection/
Follow the cleaning instructions here.

The vet probably would want a swab or scrape of the area and then will prescribe the correct antibiotic to treat it.

This is really common when taking high dose prednisone.
my best
patrice

[Susie]

Hi Patrice.
I’ll see if I can post it.

She has also been getting pimples all over her back. I’ve been reading up a lot on your site in the last hour or two and now I’m wondering if she may be getting Iatrogenic Cushing’s Disease. Does a staph infection begin with patches of flaky skin?
Thanks ♡
Susie