Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 (edited) Soul has Discoid Lupus. It affects the skin around his eyes and on his nose. Recently he's lost two nails. One just broke off, but the other the vet had cut down to the pad. Both of these incidents were caused just by him running around the yard. And his nails are not like other hounds . . . .they grow really thick, and the quicks are very long. They are almost like talons. So, I'm guessing this recent nail loss is due to his Lupus. I don't want to deny my boy his zoomies, but I also don't want the pain he has to endure to repair the broken nails. Any suggestions? Therapaws has been recommended, but I don't know if he'd enjoy himself in those. I'm at a loss . . . .and we can't walk in our neighborhood because there are so many loose dogs. I don't know what to do Edited September 6, 2008 by SoulsMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 If he tolerates dremeling, I'd try to take the quicks down so you can keep the nails short. That won't help with the lupus part , but it should help keep them from breaking off quite as readily. If you dremel every day or every other day, all the way down to the quick, in @ 3 weeks you should start to see the quick move back. Hugs and luck with your sweet handsome pupper. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cris_M Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Soul might not enjoy the Therapaws at first, but, once he realizes that Therapaws = Zoomie Opportunities, he'll get over it. He doesn't know it, but Therapaws are way better than injuring himself over and over. Plus, with the right attitude, you'll see the total silliness that is a greyhound figuring out footwear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Poor guy. Is he on lots of fish oil? Dremeling is good if he tolerates it. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 (edited) He gets three pumps of Grizzly Salmon a day, in addition to 500mg niacinimide and 800mg vit E. He's also on a grain free diet which is salmon based. He hates the dremel, I've tried many times. Soul is such a good, patient boy, but with the dremel he will pull his foot away . . . . Edited September 6, 2008 by SoulsMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 (edited) As you already know, Misty has the same problem. I thought it was SLO at first but we now know it's because of her thyroid being low.There are a few dogs at the kennel that had the same problem and it takes a long time to resolve. The nails are painful, so I wouldn't use the therapaws because any pressure or rubbing on those nails is going to hurt. And with Misty who I dremel every week, also has long quicks that don't seem to receed like normal. As others have suggested, the trick is to get the nails short which will help Soul be more comfortable and be able to zoom around with no pain or splitting. Monday I'm at the vet with Misty and they are going to sedate her and get those nails short because I just can't seem to get them short enough. Please keep us posted on Soul and give him a big hug. You may want to pm MomofSweetPotatoes, she is a wealth of knowledge on this subject and she was a big big help to me with Misty. Also, the vitamin E is a help, but if I remember correctly, it needs to be more than 800mg. Edited September 6, 2008 by cbudshome Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MnMDogs Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Mork wears TheraPaws for his corns, and they really aren't conducive to zoomies The help with walking on pavement, but once he starts to run on the grass, he can't really dig in, slips and inevitably the booties come flying off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HoustonGreys Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Poor Soul. I was just wondering about walks. Is there a park nearby that you could drive to and then be safe to walk him? I know it 's not nearly as convenient but maybe a few times a week would work? If people would only keep their dogs leashed or fenced none of us would have this extra burden to keep our Greybabies safe! I hope you find something soon that works for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Has Soul been to a Dermatologist lately?? Just wondering why he's not taking Tetracycline with the B-3 (as they bind together)? You could also put him on Pred too. There's another drug that worked really well for my SLO dog. It's called Trental--the generic name is Pentoxifylline--it's been a while but I think he was on 500mgs twice daily but, don't hang your hat on that. Sorry, I didn't notice--are on you on the East Coast--I could recommend a wonderful VERY grey savvy Certified Derm Dr that I'm sure would be able to help Soul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 We tried Therapaws for our old angel Simon for her corns, just on walks, and they wore sores into the tops of her feet. Had to stop. I'd vote for keeping those nails as super short as possible for starters, and maybe reviewing his discoid lupus meds with the vet. Simon had mild discoid lupus and took tetracycline and niacinimide with good results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Thanks everyone. Ok, so it sounds like Therapaws are out. Soul hasn't been to a dermatologist yet, but there is one at the vets office. So far, we've been managing his Lupus without drugs, just daily supplements and sunscreen. And it's worked, he hasn't had a flare up of his nose since May. But now the toe nail thing . . . guess I'll have to break out the dremel and get to work no matter how much he hates it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 As you already know, Misty has the same problem. I thought it was SLO at first but we now know it's because of her thyroid being low.There are a few dogs at the kennel that had the same problem and it takes a long time to resolve. The nails are painful, so I wouldn't use the therapaws because any pressure or rubbing on those nails is going to hurt. And with Misty who I dremel every week, also has long quicks that don't seem to receed like normal. As others have suggested, the trick is to get the nails short which will help Soul be more comfortable and be able to zoom around with no pain or splitting. Monday I'm at the vet with Misty and they are going to sedate her and get those nails short because I just can't seem to get them short enough. Please keep us posted on Soul and give him a big hug. You may want to pm MomofSweetPotatoes, she is a wealth of knowledge on this subject and she was a big big help to me with Misty. Also, the vitamin E is a help, but if I remember correctly, it needs to be more than 800mg. Thank you for all the advice on how to remove his bandage. I would have been lost without it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Good luck with trying to get his nails shorter, I didn't have any luck trying so I'll have the vet techs help with it. Misty can be a real twit, but I really do think that it hurts her when I dremel. One other thing, MomofSweetPotatoes sent me a list of suppliments that have been successful and also a list of the traditional meds that are used. My vet, and the Dermatologist both said that researchs shows that the suppliments have been as successful if not more so than traditional meds with this. Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Good luck with trying to get his nails shorter, I didn't have any luck trying so I'll have the vet techs help with it. Misty can be a real twit, but I really do think that it hurts her when I dremel. One other thing, MomofSweetPotatoes sent me a list of suppliments that have been successful and also a list of the traditional meds that are used. My vet, and the Dermatologist both said that researchs shows that the suppliments have been as successful if not more so than traditional meds with this. Yea, Kerri has been a HUGE help with managing his Lupus. She got us on a B-complex vitaman from GNC that has worked wonders. I swear, making his dinner and breakfast with all his supplements takes me longer that preparing my own food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Good luck with trying to get his nails shorter, I didn't have any luck trying so I'll have the vet techs help with it. Misty can be a real twit, but I really do think that it hurts her when I dremel. One other thing, MomofSweetPotatoes sent me a list of suppliments that have been successful and also a list of the traditional meds that are used. My vet, and the Dermatologist both said that researchs shows that the suppliments have been as successful if not more so than traditional meds with this. Yea, Kerri has been a HUGE help with managing his Lupus. She got us on a B-complex vitaman from GNC that has worked wonders. I swear, making his dinner and breakfast with all his supplements takes me longer that preparing my own food I can imagine!! And Kerri really knows her stuff! When I printed the list she sent me, I brought it to my vet. He asked me if I got the info from another vet we know and he said it was excellent advice.! For the Soul Man Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 BTW, the tetracycline and niacinimide for Simon's discoid lupus were not expensive. The tetracycline was from the vet, and the niacinamide was over the counter from the drugstore. The vet told us what to get. It was cheap, easy, and it worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 BTW, the tetracycline and niacinimide for Simon's discoid lupus were not expensive. The tetracycline was from the vet, and the niacinamide was over the counter from the drugstore. The vet told us what to get. It was cheap, easy, and it worked! Niacinamide I'm already doing, 500mg per day. I do notice a difference if I run out. Guess it might be time to give the tetracycline a try . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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