CIMDA

Hi Jo,

Hope all is well with you too. Dogs never cease to amaze me with their abilities - specially with their noses.

My Addison's is what they call Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency - caused by the long term treatment on steroids. The pituitary gland stops producing ACTH so the adrenals don't produce cortisol and eventually they atrophy. Still the Pred saved my life so I'm not complaining. I've had one adrenal crisis when I dislocated a finger and the pain and stress sent me over the edge. Blue lights and a day in resus (Rhea was allowed to stay with me all day).

Having Rhea and a Motability wheelchair accessible vehicle has allowed me  to get out and about much more and I've been going to a few obedience shows to help with score keeping - something I hadn't been able to do for years.

Jan

Hi folks,

I've been a member of CIMDA for a good few years but not been active on the forum for a while. Thought it was time I checked in with my old friends who are still active on the forum.

Just wanted to have a bit of a boast about my youngest dog, Rhea, a 2 yr old Standard Poodle. I got her from her breeder in 2015 knowing that I wanted to train her as my Assistance Dog (I'm wheelchair dependent now). Well she qualified in February this year and not only does she work as my Asst Dog but she has also learnt to alert me to low cortisol levels - believe it or not, I have Addison's Disease! (also known in human circles as Adrenal Insufficiency).

Those who remember me will know that I had a Standard Poodle, YoYo who had Addison's and because of this group and what I learnt here, he had a great quality of life for 10 yrs post diagnosis. I lost him to laryngeal paralysis in the end.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/purdue-vaccination-studies/

Great to hear Lola is still with you. As you say, you can never know what is going to happen in the lifetime of a dog so it's always a bit of pot luck as well.  I got Braidey my 7yr old Standard from a pet litter and he has, touch wood, been very fit and well.

I used to buy from Albion when I was breeding the cats but I don't have enough freezer space for 6 week deliveries but have found a couple of suppliers who will do slightly smaller orders and courier it to you in around 2/3 days so I just do an order a bit more often.  Rhea is growing really well and I don't think she would have done on kibble. She wasn't eating it with any gusto at all whereas now, her food is virtually inhaled. LOL  I found a place that does minced chicken carcass so it includes the bone so with that and other minces and the odd chicken neck/wing, think I'm getting the balance about right.

Quote from: Penel CIMDA moderator on September 17, 2015, 06:39:43 PM
Oh Jan.  Words fail me!
Penel xxx

Hi Penel,

Yes, it wasn't a good day when I heard about my pup's father.  I'd been so careful to go to health tested breeders and when I found out she was a vet as well, I thought she'd be as safe as anyone can be. There's always a risk with any puppy of course but to be sold one with a known health risk is not very ethical IMHO.

In general though, my dogs are doing very well these days.  I hadn't been to the vet for over a year when Spirit (the poodle I just lost) first got sick. Quite a record for me and my dogs.    My collie is 10 and only ever been for a cyst to be removed and the other Standard is 7 now and he has only ever been for puppy jabs and then neutering.  Makes a very nice change.

How are your dogs?  Do you still raw feed? I've just started raw feeding.  I decided when I got this puppy, before I knew about her father. It's a bit of a financial strain (I'm an OAP now LOL) but I'm cutting down on things I don't really need as the dogs are so important to me.

I'll just enjoy Rhea and put the possibility of AI disease to the back of my mind unless something starts to rear it's ugly head.  She's going to be my Assistance Dog now I'm full time in a wheelchair.  She will help me a lot I'm sure.

Quote from: Whippets Rule on September 17, 2015, 04:48:13 PM

Quote from: Janspack on September 17, 2015, 03:34:36 PM

Quote from: Whippets Rule on September 16, 2015, 03:21:04 PM
I can't offer any advice but feel so sad for you. Having trusted a breeder twice,giving the benefit of the doubt the first time, I ended up having one whippet put to sleep aged 7 months and own another( not Merlin) who has a congenital health problem, I understand the upset and heartbreak only too well. I sincerely hope your new puppy never develops a problem and wish you all the luck in the world.

Sad for you too.  I know how painful it is to lose a young dog.  Any breeder can have bad luck and unknowingly breed a puppy with problems but to ignore the problems once you are aware of it is so wrong.  Trouble is, once that puppy comes through my front door, there is no way I could part with them.  Luckily, I've always insured my dogs and got her covered immediately. Just praying too that I won't need to use it.

I think the saddest thing of all is that the dogs themselves are the ones that suffer and the out and out denial of any responsibility on the part of breeders who sadly do knowingly breed from dogs with inheritable health problems. I have never met with such lies and unpleasantness when I told the breeder and she went on to have a further litter from a bitch, even after producing two litters in which dogs died very young from serious problems.

Unfortunately I don't have my dogs insured for health problems and only have third party liability insurance for mine so the medical bills are on me. Having said that, we both work so have been able to pay all the bills with no problems. I think I'm at close to £2,800 with Merlin since the middle of April so it's not been too bad financially.

You are right but I'm going to hope that it never actually develops in Rhea.  Been there got the Tshirt and don't want to go back there again.     I hope Merlin picks up again soon. A friend of mine had a Beardie with IMTP and I think she had a couple of relapses after the initial diagnosis and treatment but she went on to be over 13 yrs old I think. 

When I told the breeder of my Poodle with Addison's about it she just said that she hoped I didn't expect her not to breed from those dogs again!!  Charming. It doesn't do their reputation any good in the long run does it.

Quote from: Jo CIMDA on September 16, 2015, 06:20:30 PM
Welcome again Jan,  isn't the sort of message I want to write.

It is such a tricky situation and so disappointing - like you say you put your trust in this breeder because you assumed she knew better.

Jo

Thanks Jo and thank you for the long chat on the phone yesterday.  I'm going to do my best not to dwell on the possibilities and enjoy Rhea for what she is and what she will be when I've got her trained. 

Quote from: Whippets Rule on September 16, 2015, 03:21:04 PM
I can't offer any advice but feel so sad for you. Having trusted a breeder twice,giving the benefit of the doubt the first time, I ended up having one whippet put to sleep aged 7 months and own another( not Merlin) who has a congenital health problem, I understand the upset and heartbreak only too well. I sincerely hope your new puppy never develops a problem and wish you all the luck in the world.

Sad for you too.  I know how painful it is to lose a young dog.  Any breeder can have bad luck and unknowingly breed a puppy with problems but to ignore the problems once you are aware of it is so wrong.  Trouble is, once that puppy comes through my front door, there is no way I could part with them.  Luckily, I've always insured my dogs and got her covered immediately. Just praying too that I won't need to use it.

Some of the long standing members here will remember me.  I've been a member of CIMDA for getting on for around 15 yrs and have dealt with different types of AI diseases in some of my dogs.  In fact, CIMDA helped me with them and gave me the knowledge to realise my Standard Poodle YoYo probably had Addisons.

Anyway, I recently bought  new Standard Poodle pup as I had tragically lost a 22 month old boy very unexpectedly.  Long story and not AI related.

I was recommended a breeder who is also a vet.  She had a litter that were at that point, around 2 weeks old.  She told me that she had HAD a dog with Lupus but neglected to tell me that that dog was the puppy's father!  This means that Rhea, my 12 week old pup, is at the very least a carrier of AI disease and has a moderately high chance of having an AI disease herself during her lifetime.  I trusted this lady BECAUSE she is a vet and I felt wouldn't knowingly breed from a dog with any health problems. Seems I was wrong. The parents had had all other available health tests so I was reassured.

I bought this pup to train as my Disability Assistance Dog as I am now wheelchair bound so to say I'm disappointed is an understatement.  I hope the odds go in my favour and she won't develop any problems during her lifetime.  I am so thrilled with Rhea - she is bright, healthy and has the usual Standard Poodle sense of humour (LOL) and all other ways is my perfect dog.

I've decided to hold off on her second puppy vaccination until she is at least 16 weeks old and will then get my vet to titre test her. The breeder/vet gave her her first vaccination at 6 weeks - IMO much too young but can't do anything about that now.

Since my own dogs' problems with AI disease, I've not boostered any of my dogs and touch wood, have had not had any other problems develop.  I've got a 10 yr old Border Collie and another 7 yr old Standard Poodle.

The other owners and I are still coming to terms with this information and will decide once we have, if we are going to take any further action so at the moment, I won't name the breeder. 

Quote from: Jo CIMDA on January 27, 2015, 04:31:45 PM
Good luck Jan.  It's surely a good sign that he doesn't choke all the time.

I feel it is like teaching my grandmother how to suck eggs - if you get my meaning.

Jo

Not at all Jo, I always appreciate your input.  His eating seems to vary - had a good day yesterday but breakfast this morning was quite difficult. In general though, he's doing pretty well.  He seems completely fit again apart from that.

Quote from: Jo CIMDA on January 27, 2015, 09:44:17 AM
Hi Jan

I know you have been down this route before, and you are really hoping that it will spontaneously resolve, but it might be worth having him checked out soon.  If it is a myositis or primary MegaO, as you know,  the progression of the disease may be halted if treated with steroids early enough.  It's such a worry for you.

Jo

Hi Jo,

I have decided to ask Graham for more investigations if things haven't sorted themselves out by next week. He did say if it was going to resolve it should do in a couple of weeks (that was a week ago). 

Sometimes, he manages his feed without choking but other times, the same food gets stuck and he regurgitates.

As you know, I'm a person who wants to learn what we are dealing with so as best to get it treated/cured. I'm not to good at this wait and see business.

He and my other Standard are at the groomers today and the house seems so quiet without the two of them.   I always used to clip them myself but just can't manage it now sadly. They go to Plumpton Agricultural College as they do advanced grooming courses so it doesn't cost me anywhere near as much as a private groomer would.

I appreciate the advice and will keep you posted.

Hi Nuala,

Thanks for the advice.  I read on one site that it was best to Xray for MegaO with the dog conscious as it could give a false positive if they are under anaesthetic.

I had a Standard Poodle with masticatory muscle myositis - Jo and Penel will remember him (BJ) - and his did progress to polymyositis and then we discovered he actually had lupus as he had several other AI problems as well. It was awful so I feel for you and your dog..

I am concerned it might not be oesophagitis as I understand that that is usually painful and they don't want to eat - Spirit is ravenous and eats four large meals a day!  I will be asking the vet to do more tests next week if he hasn't improved.  I need to know what we are dealing with and if he has megaO or perhaps a stricture. That would be the best diagnosis (stricture) because they can help that by dilating it out again.

Quote from: Jo CIMDA on January 25, 2015, 03:53:45 PM
Hi Jan

How is Spirit now?  Do you think he may have laryngeal paralysis? Are SP's genetically predisposed to this condition?  Watch out for aspirate pneumonia if he chokes back his food.  If you want to know more about LP I can put you in touch with someone who knows a great deal.  Just email me privately.


http://www.willows.uk.net/specialist-services/pet-health-information/soft-tissue/laryngeal-paralysis

As for MegaO, I can't think of anything other than what you are doing?  Does he have any problems with other muscles?

I do hope this spontaneously resolves very soon.

Jo

Hi Jo,

Have just replied to your email but before I saw this post.  I don't think it is LP as he has no problem with his bark and he isn't coughing at all in between eating. That was one of the first things I noticed when YoYo had LP. Hope it's not that as it was AP that I lost YoYo to. 

I've just been told on the mega-E list at Yahoo that oesophagitis is very painful and dogs with it don't eat so beginning to wonder if it could be that. Mind you, I suppose it could be different with different dogs. Spirit is eating very well - in fact seems ravenous the whole time despite getting 4 feeds a day. 

I haven't noticed any problems with other muscles at all.  Apart from the swallowing and perhaps still being a bit less active than he was, he doesn't seem to have any other problems.  Haven't checked his temperature (can't find my thermometer, I really shouldn't tidy up)  It was running at 103.6 when I saw the vet 2 weeks ago and had been around 103 - 104 since he was discharged. 

If there is no improvement after another couple of weeks, then I'll probably get him Xrayed as for MegaO they wouldn't have to give him an anaesthetic - something I really don't want to put him through again at the moment.

Hi Penel,

Thanks, it was a dreadful time - the first obstruction was worrying enough as he took four days before he would eat then but this time it was almost a week and the vet was talking euthanasia.  I went to visit him on the Saturday and two hours later, he finally took some food.

With the elevated feeding he is doing better most of the time although still has the odd time when he regurgitates.  Vet will do some xrays if he doesn't improve in the next couple of weeks.

Hope all is well with you.

My 16 month old Standard Poodle has had two obstructions in the past 2 months both needing major surgery.  I almost lost him recently after a 4 hour operation to remove a tennis ball and repair the damage done. With a lot of care and skill from my vets, he has made it through.

Unfortunately, it has left him with what we're hoping will be a temporary problem with swallowing his food.  Last weekend, he started choking when he ate and then he regurgitated the food. I was still feeding him wet food following the surgery. The vet saw him on Monday and diagnosed him with either oesophagitis (inflammation) or oesophageal stricture. (narrowing).  This has probably been caused by him regurgitating stomach acid when he was under anaesthetic and having reflux quite badly post surgery.

I have been trying to find more information and possibly a forum for help with this problem but without much luck so far.

I wondered if there is anyone on this forum who had dealt with anything like this of knows of a forum.  There is a Yahoo group for megaoesophagus but nothing for stricture which is the opposite problem.

At the moment, we're managing it by feeding him with his front feet on my lap (as I sit in my wheelchair) and that's helping by letting gravity aid the passage of the food down his oesophagus. He can't eat any dry food yet unless I soak it and make it very mushy.  Still feeding him 4 times a day to try to get weight back on him.

Would be grateful for any thoughts or experiences of dealing with this problem.