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2hounds

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    We Had To Change Our Course

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Mia was also on a higher dose of pred, she was on 20mg twice/day to start along with the Imuran (Azathiaprine is the same medication). She saw an almost immediate drop in swelling from the pred, but if you are worrying about infection, I can understand being careful.

     

    Mia went in every week for blood tests for the first 3 weeks and then every other week for several months. She is now having blood tests every other month.

    Tomorrow We Go Back To The Vets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Re: barely limping at the vet - my vet told me you can't always tell how an animal is feeling while they are at the vet. The car ride, change of scenery, change of routine, etc gets their adrenaline pumping and sometimes a very very sick dog will act perfectly normal at the vet's office because the adrenaline boosts their strength and knocks out the pain. So she probably isn't snowing you at home, she loves her mommy and would never try to fool her! ;)

     

    Glad to hear she feeling a tiny bit better a few days off her meds. I hope she continues to improve and is feeling better in a short short period of time!

    Tomorrow We Go Back To The Vets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Actually Mia's behavior changes were more that she became very mild and sedate. She was a little pistol when she first came home, her favorite pasttime was stealing the bathroom mat and flinging it around the house and she enjoyed a few laps up and down the stairs any time possible. She gave kisses constantly, if your face was in reach, it was being bathed with her tongue.

     

    On the higher doses of pred, she is just much more calm and sedate but still very loving and sweet. It was just a much calmer kind of sweetness. I didn't get a single kiss from her from June when she first went on the high dose of pred until December when she went down to 15mg/day and I remember celebrating the first tiny kiss I got from her like it was a miracle :lol As her dosage decreases, her personality is coming back (the bath mat was in the hallway the other day...I have my suspicions! :lol) and she is much more kissy and just more like herself.

     

    I do know what you mean about the internal debate. It really does suck that we might be shortening her life by keeping her on steroids long term, but the alternative was even worse in her case.

     

    About the Hope ribbon - I was expecting it today (every time I heard a car, I jumped up to see if it was the "Big Brown Truck") so hopefully it will be here tomorrow!

    Tomorrow We Go Back To The Vets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    It has taken almost a year but so far so good, she is down to 20mg pred every other day and 50mg Azathiaprine every other day (we alternate, one day pred, one day aza). If they put Shanti on pred, you will see pretty fast results (for Mia it was literally just a few days) BUT you will be looking at side effects from the pred. When she was on her highest dose, Mia had to pee every 2 hours. We didn't go ANYWHERE that we couldn't be back within 2 hours or we knew she would have an accident. Also, pred stimulates the appetite so she will eat any and everything that you leave out (we just got more dilligent about putting everything away and not leaving crumbs or plates where she could get to them). Her personality changed slightly, which our vet told us was normal with super high doses of pred. Now that we have her on a much much smaller dose, she is starting to play with stuffies and have more energy again.

     

    I will let you know what Dr. Couto says. Like I said, I hope he has some brilliant magic pill that fixes everything with no side effects and my sweet Meems will be healthy and happy forever. If I am going to hope, I have to hope BIG!

     

    And Xan, you come up with the best chants! :lol

    Tomorrow We Go Back To The Vets

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by 2hounds

    That is what Mia has, after we got rid of the Erlichea, her swelling joints and arthritis didn't go way so that is her "diagnosis". We put her on Prednisone (20mg twice/day) and were slowly bringing her down off of it and added Azathioprine.

     

    Also, I sent her records to Dr. Couto for a consult, I am hoping he will have a brilliant plan for her!

     

    Lots of good thoughts for Shanti, I hope you are able to find a treatment that works. :grouphug

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