Update on Lilly * Get rid of one problem & here's another! UGH

[hstarr]

Hello all... I just wanted to give an update on Lilly.

When we called the vet and insisted something be wrong besides Hookworms... We brought up IBD and HUC... They wanted to go ahead and treat for IBD. They prescribed the Prednisone and Metronidazole, and metoclopramide(for vomiting) along with her Doxycycl she was already on for her low red blood cell count.... They gave her Hill's Prescription IR which she refused to eat....

At last resort, because she wouldnt eat any type of dog food, (can, dry, not even with VAL syrup) I changed her to completely Raw.... I was feeding her 2 leg quarters (skin off) daily, 1 in the am w/ meds and 1 in the pm w/ meds... We continued this for almost 2 weeks... with good results... stools became chalky white and dry... with occasional cow patty like poop with just a hint of blood... I recently started adding in a couple of livers with her leg quarter in the morning... She loves this food.. and she looks to be gaining weight... I'm carrying her to the vet Friday for an official weight... We are very excited to see if there's any improvement from her near death 33lbs...

However now she has thinning hair... at first I thought it was were she was shedding off the nasty faded red coat that she got when sick.... and she definately has shinny black hair on her back that wasnt there before.... however it's really thin... looking at her from behind you can see her skin on her back... and just this am I noticed 2 spots on the back of her neck that look like red pimples with no hair around them... What could be causing this... Is she lacking something in her diet?

I'm so very proud that she is feeling better and gaining weight... but I want to fix this hair thinning problem before it get's worse...

 

[DyckDogs]

I have no suggestions on the hair loss, but am happy to hear Lilly is doing better.
Good girl Lilly. You have made your mamma so proud.

 

[auntthelm]

No suggestions from me, just healing vibes being sent to Lily.......................

 

[kathysboxer]

So glad she's doing better. My 2 are on raw, and Bailey doesn't look like the same dog we brought home.
Wish I had advice about the fur. Maybe detoxing a bit? Not really sure what is going on. Someone with a little "expertise" will chime in I'm sure.
Way to go Lilly!!

 

[TwoDogs]

Prednisone can cause hairloss. It isn't immediate and can continue for a while even after the pred has been stopped. My guy was on pred and the shedding was very noticeable. In some spots he was quite bare. I don't have any idea what the spots on her neck could be though.

 

[TwoDogs]

You know, Doxy can cause loss of appetite, diarreah, vomiting, etc. Mind you I have no vet experience, but I'm just wondering if you'd even need the other meds if you could get her off the doxy and onto something else to treat the low RBC count.

Do they know why she is anemic? Some tick-borne diseases like ehrlichiosis can cause anemia and be tough to diagnose sometimes. I assume they've tested her to rule out tick-borne illnesses. Doxy is the preferred treatment for ehrlichiosis and other TBIs anyway so you may have to just deal with the side-effects.

Just shooting out ideas. Hope your vet can give you some answers on Friday.

 

[LILYLARUE]

One thing about dogs.........their symptoms usually show outward long after the illness has begun. The hair loss may just be that. If the meds are causing the hair loss, don't fret, it wont be permanent. My thought is the hair loss is the LAST symptom of her dietary issues in the past. If she does have colitis, then she wasn't really absorbing the proper nutrients, so the hairloss is probably a result of that.

I would wait atleast 30 days on raw and after the meds to see if the hairloss returns. It sounds to me to be more dietary than anything else. (no other symptoms). If the hair does not return, and it may not be the same color as before, then maybe some further testing may need to be done, like a thyroid panel. The thyroid is like the mainframe of the body. It sends out the hormones that all other organs, including the skin, need to function and the proper way. A thyroid issue can be the cause of many things.

IMO, deal with one issue at a time. Right now, getting her digestion and elimination is pertinent. You may find, many issues will be relieved just from change of diet alone.

 

[Sablegirl]

Our Sable for the first time this year had what you are describing. Small pimples and lose of hair. Every kind of test was run and full senior blood panel. All organs good and nothing showing up anywhere. She had not been exposed to anything new. Finally our vet put her on pred. and ampicillian and the pimples left and her hair has come back in. We have no idea what caused this with her but she is fine now. Hope you find out something and get this baby healthy.