IMHA Med side effects

[admin]

Hi Anna

I’m really sorry that I have been awol for a while but just wanted to say hello and that I am so very pleased to read that beautiful Jackie is doing so well. I’ll try to catch up with her full story as soon as possible but it looks like she is going in the right direction. Wonderful!

Mary & Mable x

[admin]

Hi Anna. Don’t know – lost a post to you and Jackie. Here we go again (user error, of course, da).

Just wanted to pipe in that I am so happy to read about Jackie AND to see her picture. She knows doesn’t she – she’s smiling! Too dog-gone cute! Jackie, you are absolutely beautiful.

So glad her PCV is climbing. Even status-quo is good, but going up is just awesome! As you wean (you’re doing this slow right, perhaps every 30 days?), you’ll see a huge improvement in the eye, fur, everything. And (as many remind even ME at times), when you wean, sometimes the PCV will go down a few points, just to go back up after about a week, even better than before. Sadie continually does this and this group continually reminds me (yep, I panic). ;)

I don’t know if I wrote you (did not go back to read posts, sorry), but Sadie has Horner’s Syndrome (human, Palsy). She will always have a sagging right lip and ironically, it’s her left eye that now she is unable to blink. She has had Horner’s on both sides of her face, at least three times. But it’s either one side or the other, never both at the same time. Weird, but I understand, that the way it comes on. We too, use an ophthalmic ointment (I get it through Amazon now, much less) for lubrication to the affected eye. I put it in two to three times a day. It does help and she does not seem to mind.

Jackie, beautiful girl, you keep smiling! Way to go Anna – you’re doing an awesome job!

Love and huge hugs, Linda and Sadie

[Anna]

Hi All! Thought I would give an update on Jackie. Last week her PCV was at 43!! Whoo hoo!! She has gained weight and getting a lot of muscle back. My mom hadn’t seen her for about 4 weeks and couldn’t believe it was the same dog. She was almost dead the last time she saw her and now she was bouncing off the walls! We have had some good weather so we have been playing outside a lot and yesterday went on our first walk for 40 min and she did amazing!
A couple of weeks ago we tried weaning her off of chicken and rice onto a low fat GI prescription food due to her pancreas issues and she started getting bloody diarrhea again so back to the chicken and rice. The vet said that she might be allergic to this food so we might try something else, or maybe it was just too soon to start weaning her. Her stool is back to normal now so we are going to try again. She is not getting all of the nutrients she needs from just chicken and rice. The vet suggested getting a people multi vitamin and cutting it into 5ths to give her. She doesn’t want me to give a flavored canine vitamin because the less fillers the better for her tummy. I have read some of you talk about Pet Tinic. Is it a multivitamin? Any idea if it can cause GI issues?
Thanks!

[Tamara]

Hi Anna, so happy to hear how well Jackie is doing!! Pet Tinic is not a multi, it is a hematinic only. a good brand you may want to try is Rx Vitamins for Pets, they have a multi. You can get them at Emerson Ecologics, I would purchase them there as they are a reputable provider.
Thanks so much for the update!
Tamara

[Linda]

Hi Anna!!! Wow – so wonderful to read this good news about your beautiful Jackie!!! Way to go!!!

I use the PetTinic with Sadie and it seems to help keep her stable. Can not swear that IT’S the control factor niw with her stability, but will most likely keep her in it for a very long time.

I like Tamara’s suggestion (thanks Tamara!) and sounds like the home cooked meal IS helping too.

Here’s hoping for continued improvement for Jackie. You’ve done an awesome job getting her back to health – keep up the great work!

Sending big hugs and kisses,

Linda and Sadie

[Penny Rodgers]

Bailey is a black Cocker Spaniel, 8 years old. Diagnosed with IMHA Nov1, 2017. Blood count was down tob18. She has been on Prednisone and Cyclosporine once a day. Prednisone has been lowered to 5 mg. a day, half of what it was. Red blood count is up to 42. Denamarin given once a day due to high liver functions. She had done very well, maintained her weight, hungry, eats very well, and very thirsty. She has developed a drool that is literally dripping from her, like a St, Bernard. I have to wipe her mouth constantly. She has a growth further back from her mouth, but vet said she should be stabilized before they look further. She shakes her head constantly, and it has a flappy sound to it. Drool will hit the walls, it’s all over the place. She also is losing her hair. Not just shedding, but clumps if her fur comes out. The bathtub drain will clog when I bathe her. Vet said continue on drugs, weaning her off slowly for up to 9 months depending on blood work results. She had been doing really good but worry about all the drooling and hair loss. Can it be caused by the meds? She also has 2 small warts on her back recently. What would you suggest? Do anything differently? Stay the course?

[Vally]

Hi Penny, welcome to the site.

First of all, well done Bailey because that is a spectacular PCV at 42.

I’m a bit of a meds freak, how are you dosing the prednisone and the cyclosporine. Prednisone always with food, cyclosporine 1 hour before or 2 hours after other meds or food. Denamarin 2 hours before or after food.

I am pretty sure what you’re seeing is the side effects of the prednisone. The drooling, I’m wondering if Bailey may be nauseous, as drooling is a very common side effect of nausea. Is Bailey taking anything to reduce stomach acid like Pepcid?

The hair loss, I would say absolutely this is prednisone. Someone here was just commenting about hair loss and the fact that it starts to return when the dose is down again.

The warts, I would think that may be the culprit of cyclosporine. If a dog has contracted the papilloma virus you will see an increase in warts while on cyclosporine. My Bingo had these and they were not a problem, ugly, but not dangerous.

We all hate the drugs and what they do to our dogs, but truly, they are life savers. Hopefully, as the drugs are lowered, you’ll see a big difference.

Regards, Vally

[Vally]

Penny, this is the other forum entry that mentioned the hair loss just recently:

https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/forums/topic/a-wagging-tail-spreads-hope

Vally