CIMDA

Hi all,

I hope all are keeping as well as possible. I have not logged in for a while, though every now and again have glanced over the topics being discussed 

The reason for the post is Walters most recent blood results on 15th Jan.

Walter has Addison's and a few of the blood values are in the high range:

ALKP 431...... low range 23 high range 212
GGT 16 ......... Low range 0 high range 11

Na 156........low range 144 high range 160
K 4.2..... Low range 3.5 high range 5.8
Ratio 37.14

This ratio is to the high side for Walter, he is normally at his best around 32. Walter overall appears well, has had episodes of prolonged weeing ( a few weeks ago) though this has settled down. Due to the high ALKP & GGT our vet has suggested bringing Walter in for a liver function test.

There has been generally no stress periods for Walter though we have adopted a little boy into the family within the time period of Walters blood test which may account for the high ratio ?

Walter currently gets florinef 0.1mg X 6 twice a day, and prednisolone only at times of stress.

If anyone has any advice on the above it would be much appreciated.

Steve

Hi all, I recently posted regarding trying to cut down on an approx £4,000.00 per annum cost of looking after Walter. We are at present dealing with the insurance side of things.....reducing it from almost ££160.00 per month. In addition to this I am seeking to reduce the cost of medication per annum. I received 400 0.1mg florinef this week from our vets, at a cost of £66.00 which last approx 1 mth at 12 tabs a day....approx £790 per annum.

Has anyone got any advice regarding reliable suppliers of floronef at a lower price. Our vets can provide a prescription if we order the tablets elsewhere.

We will always put Walters welfare first, however we are currently looking at all aspects of our lives where we are paying more than we should/ could be.

Thanks in advance

Steve

Hi all,

My better half is in charge of our finances, however I very recently seen our kennel club insurance document and noticed approx £150.00 per month that we are paying for Walter(8yr old bearded collie with Adissons). This made me look at the cost of having Walter per annum which works out at approx £4k...this includes food/dog walker/minder at times we go away.

This is obviously a lot of money to most people, so I am wondering if anyone has any advice regarding insurance options, whilst keeping in mind we order Florinef on. Regular basis (12 x .01mg tabs per day) and prednisolone orderedinfrequently and given only at times of stress. Walter also has approx 2 to 3 blood tests a year costing approx £90.00 a time. Our excess is approx £70.00.

An advice is much appreciated

Regards

Steve

Wishing all at CIMDA a very Happy Christmas. Thank you to those directly involved in running the site and to members who all contribute their valuable knowledge and experience whilst helping others.

Wishing you all the very best for 2013.

Steve and Walter

Hello all,

Can I politely start off by saying as much as I hear that Walter should not be on any preds (something I personally believe myself) I also hear at the same time that some dogs require ongoing preds. The following will make sense of why I start with saying that 

Now these are frustrating times.......after the recent documented episodes with Walter, he appear to now be free of infections thank god. I have tried numerous times over the years to reduce Walters preds and each time doing it carefully, and each time ending with Walter becoming unwell, sleeping more, going off his food and eventually having symptoms looking like colitis going on for days, feed  witheld for obvious reasons, then preds increased and he comes back to normal.

Unfortunately this time was no different, I got Walter down to 0.5mg preds per day for two weeks, and the exact same thing gradually happened again. Just starting to reintroduce food (chicken only)for the second time this week and so far so good. Preds increased back to recommended therapeutic dosage of preds for his weight.......I could burst with the frustration.

Any advice or comments are appreciated.

Any thoughts on hydrocortisone as a pred replacement?

From experience I have also not involved my vets in recent activities/incidents as they would have solely treated or advised to treat Walter for diarrhoea or Colitis. Which I can do for myself.

Regards

Steve

Hello all,

Just checking that folk are still using the forum? Just asking as I have noticed it has gone very quiet with little or no post's/replies being made.

The Olympics and Paralympics ae finished.........weren't they both amazing  . The weather is brutal and it's not Christmas yet........so there are not many distractions at present....... So just wondering if there is anyone out there 


Regards

Hi all,

Posting here under this heading just in case it turns out hat Walter has some form of cushings.

I have Walter at the vets this Monday and will be discussing various different possibilities with him regarding what's wrong with Walter. I have been reading up on Cushings and iatrogenic cushings(caused by long term use of preds). Walter has various symptoms of cushings.....black heads  (not on his underside but on his tail), hair loss on his flanks- it's not obvious due to his long coat, but he is lacking the undercoat he has on his front and rear end, Some v small hard lumps under his skin - smaller than pea size & I have some myself, Skin appears dry and thin, has just drank 5 ltrs of water in two and a half days(so of course he has the excessive wee'ing symptom)and has recurring infections. I would not get too excited about having one or maybe two of these symptoms but he seems to have a his fair share of those listed as symptoms.

If it is cushings I hope it is caused by the long term use of preds as this one is reversible by reducing/getting rid of the preds. I am at present attempting yet another pred reduction and Walter is now on 1mg per day- looking good so far.

Apart from the above symptoms Walter seems well and is always up for play and fun.

Any thoughts are especially welcome before I discuss the situation with the vet on Monday.

I will be requesting a full blood profile on this next visit. Btw I wanted to get bloods checked on the last couple of visits to the vet but he said with not to do so as Walter had infections and this may provide false readings- is that the way you understand it?

Regards

Steve and Walter

Hello all,

Apologies, I have just returned to CIMDA an discovered the new site prior to going to bed......the below is copied from my self reintroduction....

It's been a whil since I av been on the forum, checked out CIMDA usual site and low and behold you have all gone posh with the new site

I have been busy with our new son who I keeping us very active to say the least.....he is 15 months now and finding his feet.

In addition to that Walter our first son who just happens to be a Bearded Collie is 4+ years, has Addisons which appears well managed. He looks fit and well and is a great bundle of big friendly fun. he has however stared to drink a lot of water and has had circular outer skin surface spots that turn into lager dry peelie type circular marks. These were mostly underneath and on his flanks and rear end. Tablets and medicated shampoo from the vet got rid of most if not all, but I have just noticed some more now on his sides. There are not many now just two or three, but before taking Walter back to the vet this week I am just wondering if anyone as any thoughts on what this could be. I still have some of the shampoo (malaseb) left and was going to dab it on the spots? The vet stated that the spots were caused from a skin infection? I mentioned the possibility of something else being the cause such as thyroid problems but the vet was politely adamant that it was an infection.....although the increased drinking was not obvious at that time.

Sorry for short message as off to bed for an early start. I hope all is going well with the new site - first impressions are very good

Kind regards


Steve & Walter

Hello all,

It's been a whil since I av been on the forum, checked out CIMDA usual site and low and behold you have all gone posh with the new site

I have been busy with our new son who I keeping us very active to say the least.....he is 15 months now and finding his feet.

In addition to that Walter our first son who just happens to be a Bearded Collie is 4+ years, has Addisons which appears well managed. He looks fit and well and is a great bundle of big friendly fun. he has however stared to drink a lot of water and has had circular outer skin surface spots that turn into lager dry peelie type circular marks. These were mostly underneath and on his flanks and rear end. Tablets and medicated shampoo from the vet got rid of most if not all, but I have just noticed some more now on his sides. There are not many now just two or three, but before taking Walter back to the vet this week I am just wondering if anyone as any thoughts on what this could be. I still have some of the shampoo (malaseb) left and was going to dab it on the spots? The vet stated that the spots were caused from a skin infection? I mentioned the possibility of something else being the cause such as thyroid problems but the vet was politely adamant that it was an infection.....although the increased drinking was not obvious at that time.

Sorry for short message as off to bed for an early start. I hope all is going well with the new site - first impressions are very good

Kind regards


Steve & Walter