Forum Replies Created
Hi Alyssa
It’s a complete joy reading your lovely messages – so nice to hear something good comes out of something serious like this & you are finally sleeping better. I hope you can stay completely pill free from now on. Type 1 diabetes is a difficult disease to keep under control & I am sorry you have that to contend with. Sassy has brought many good things into your life, as you have to hers.
If Sassy is looking nice & pink (& she also sounds full of fun!) I am hopeful you will get a nice surprise on the PCV front. I knew instantly by looking at Worzel’s gums, eyes, tummy that became pink that he had a sudden increase in PCV before we even had the blood test. I was overjoyed because up until then, he had no new baby red cells whatsoever – a scary time, near death’s door. Here’s hoping for a great result for Sassy tomorrow or Saturday. I wouldn’t leave it any longer, if I were you. And I would really like them to check Sassy’s eye out properly, in case it is something important that needs treating. Let’s hope not, but it is worth doing – it would make me feel happier as I don’t want you to take my “guess” as gospel. Jen is right to mention about Maggie’s Horner’s Syndrome – these drugs make them more susceptible to illnesses & it is always advisable to look out for any other symptoms that may be relevant. The life saving drug treatment has it’s down side, unfortunately.
I am with you on the car journey front – we keep them to a minimum too. Worzel is always sick. Even when we don’t feed him, he always manages to find some lovely bile to bring up! Yuk. He is very scared – it’s completely our fault as they only go in the car when we are going to the vets. We should have taken him elsewhere really to get him used to it, but as he’s 14 ish (at least – like Sassy – rescue dog), it’s a bit late to worry about. Funnily enough, Ollie loves the car & enjoys looking around, bless him. But he doesn’t enjoy Worzel throwing up all over him!
Sending all the good luck in the world for the next tests – post them on the urgent advice page if you can, then we can have a look for you.
Love & big hugs
Sheena, Sick Note & Ollie xxxxx
Hiya Susie
This is great to hear. 38 is a good PCV – she is doing very well. I know I’m an old nag, but please double check on the clotting, just in case & to keep me happy. I want to make sure all is well. Give them a quick phone call – blame me for nagging you by all means! You know we’ll gladly look at the results.
I am so pleased, Susie – Emily is getting better & better each time. You are a wonderful Mum. Please give your two beautiful pups a big cuddle from me.
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxxx
Hi again Alyssa
I think you’re probably right if it’s only when Sassy is relaxed – it’s likely a combination of being a bit under weather, very tired & the drugs doing this. Maybe the muscles that control this 3rd eyelid have become a bit weak with the pred – Worzel had “pred head” & his eyes looked almost protruding because his head muscles had shrunk so much, poor chap, so I imagine the eye muscles can be affected too. But please do mention it to the vets & show them a photo – it could even be a slight infection, which is easy to treat & is nothing to worry about, although I would have thought it would be visible all the time if that was the case. I’m sure they will be able to put your mind at rest by examining her properly.
I’m really sorry I can’t help & reassure you more – I’m not an expert on this & can only say I suspect the drugs have weakened her eye muscles – that is my “guess”, but I’m really not sure. Please let us know what the vet thinks it could be & how Sassy gets on – when do you go next for a check-up? Fingers crossed, it’s nothing to worry about.
Love & hugs
Sheena & the boys xxxxx
Hi Alyssa
Sounds like you’ve been having a great time & Sassy is a happy girl! That lovely bit of steak was a good treat for her. Just watch out for too much exertion, like jumping or chasing as she could hurt herself because her muscles are atrophied (shrunken).
I had a look at the photo – this is the third eyelid or nictitating membrane. I have not heard of this from anyone else on here that I can remember, but maybe someone else can. I would like your vet to have a look at this as there are lots of causes, including being a bit under the weather! It could be just a result of the illness & the drugs, but I would like to be sure. Is it only now & again or all the time that you can see it?
For now, don’t use anything over the counter at all until the vet has had a look as anything you put on it would prevent them being able to diagnose properly. I suspect it’s probably nothing to worry about, but let’s make absolutely sure – you don’t want to miss something important, especially with eyes.
I am really pleased Sassy is doing great & it’s always lovely to hear from you – you always cheer me up
Love to you & Sassy Girl
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxxx
Hi Adam
I do think you are on the road a recovery with Tiger! He has done amazingly well. If the infected areas have completely healed & are no longer red or pink, my personal opinion is that Tiger will be fine after the next 2 days of cephalexin. Because this particular antibiotic is not “ideal” for IMHA dogs, it would probably be better to stop it. However, I think you should discuss this with your vet to be sure as I am only an ex-nurse, not a vet.
It goes without saying that the staph infection could easily come back, so you need to keep a close eye. Unfortunately, staph is a bacteria that is present on skins “naturally” – it’s usually only when the immune system has a problem that it rears it’s ugly head. It is really common to see staph infections with this disease, as you know – so if more pills are needed later on, so be it. Don’t worry if that happens.
I would also thoroughly wash Tiger’s bedding etc at the highest possible temperature – anything he could get it back from really. Bacteria are killed by soap – they go “pop” as it bursts their outer membrane. Satisfying to know you’ve killed the horrible little things! I also use chlorhexadine a lot – any sign of anything on my boys, they get some dabbed on the problem area. It is very cheap here if you buy the concentrate, then make it up yourself, which is easy.
Many dog shampoos are available that contain chlorhexadine – maybe discuss with your vet about giving Tiger a preventative shampooing regularly to stop the staph coming back. When the drugs are eventually reduced, you have less risk, as you quite rightly say.
Hope this helps – great job Adam – Tiger is doing so well, thanks to you.
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx
Hey Adam!
There you go – Tiger is doing really well & you are already seeing the drug reduction having a great effect on the drinking etc. Such great news.
I always got a full CBC before & after each reduction – there are other cells to monitor & other readings which indicate how well the organs are coping. I couldn’t agree with Patrice more – this needs to be done to make sure everything is going to plan.
I won’t go on too much about the cyclosporine – I have posted a new topic already – but if I were you, I would not freeze it, full stop. It is always good to get input & ideas from other people – please don’t stop airing these things, folks.
Love to you & Tiger – you are doing a wonderful job, Adam.
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxxx
Hi Adam
I am sorry to hear about this scare you have had with Tiger’s PCV, although I am very glad it was “just” a scare and not an actual drop. Thankfully your specialist was on the ball and picked this up quickly. I totally agree with Patrice and Sheena though – the vet needs to get this sorted so that it doesn’t happen again, as Tiger’s treatment relies on accurate results.
How is the diarrhoea? From what I remember of my visit to Australia many moons ago, you guys eat pumpkin a lot so hopefully it’s easy to get there (it’s a nightmare to find in the UK). I do hope it’s eased up. I was a bit alarmed by the rapid decrease of medications, although I wonder if he has been on a loading dose as Patrice suggested, and if Patrice and your specialist are happy for you to lower it, then I’d go with that! My personal preference – and I am not a vet – would be to reduce one drug at a time. That way, if Tiger were to suffer a relapse, you would know which drug it was related to.
Re: freezing cyclosporine. If the manufacturer’s instructions say not to, I wouldn’t. It may only say this because it hasn’t been tested after freezing, but some medications are affected by extremes of temperature (e.g. vaccines) and therefore I wouldn’t risk it.
Re: skin lesions. Is the cefalexin helping? I’m not sure if you have it in Australia, but there is a liquid chlorhexidine surgical soap here called Hibiscrub which I have used on my cats. It cost a fortune from the vet, but I was able to buy it for half the price in a pharmacy. Do check it’s safe for dogs, but that might be one to consider. If not, I am sure there will be something similar there.
You are not needy Adam. I am not surprised you are feeling upset. You have had a huge shock and a lot to come to terms with in a short space of time, not to mention this latest blip with the results. I know that Tiger’s PCV is a little lower than it was before, but I think that this is not uncommon with a reduction in medication (others – please correct me if I am wrong!) and that sometimes a drop of a few percent is seen when meds are reduced. As others have said, see how Tiger is in himself. This is such an important indicator of what is going on. Some people use the “capillary refill time” as an indicator – press lightly on the gum with your finger for around 5 seconds and quickly release. It will be white where your finger was. The pink colour should return to that white area within 2 seconds. That’s a good little thing to try if you are feeling nervous.
As has been said, Tiger’s gums will look slightly paler when he has been resting. This is normal and healthy, as long as the colour improves once he starts moving around. I check Mable’s gums (a cat who has not had IMHA) and the same happens with her. She ended up having a PCV which was right at the top end of high. So you see, you are not needy. This disease affects us all and makes us a little paranoid. You are still in the thick of it and I think you are coping remarkably well. Have faith in yourself and please know that you are always welcome to come here and ask questions, or simply let us know you are having a difficult day. I promise we will understand.
Please give that beautiful boy a big cuddle from me. I can see why he is called Tiger! I hope you’ve managed to have a nice Easter and that Tiger is feeling well in himself.
Mary and Mable x
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