CIMDA

What do you think about holly being on 10 mg every day,long term?
She is 15 kg.
Vet wanted ti up it on friday but im wary as she already pees for scotland!!
Her skin has thinned n.paws bleed very easily
And she gets emotionally hyper on larger doses and im.worried about theeffect of pred on her heart and other organs.
I cant help wondering that if we keep pred on 5 mg a day that maybe that would be enough
And i keep thinking that maybe it was only because it was reduced to 2.5 that her season started.
Vet is defunately wanting it up to 10mg
What do you think?
I trust and like my vet a lot just concerned re dosage
To make matters worse we have big problems with our new home and will have to move again august 2 nd so trying to find holly n.i.a place to live,that doesnt help!!
But..every single days a blessing
We have been together 2 years now
Against all odds
Shes a gorgeous sunny natured girl
And im so glad to have her!
Thanks for listening
Christina n holly x

Hello all
Sorry i have been off radar for a while.
We moved to a new flat in a area we like but no internet access in my flat so have been kinda cut off.
Thanks to karen for your kind thoughts for me and holly :-)
Springers are wonderful arent they!:-)
Mad as hatters though!
Thanks jo also re your reply re upping hollys pred.
She stayed on flagyl
But in february came into season the whole 4 weeks
Immediately the vet upped pred to 5mg a day ,kept on flagyl and zantac
And changed her diet to royal canin hypoallergenic which seems to help her inflamatory bowel
Cant spey holly cos her mitral valve heart disease,shes leaking out both atriums and heart is enlarged
I was soooo worried as it was hollys first season since she collapsed with her immune disease in summer 2012....as i.got her march 2012 and she came into season not long after and had lots of problems re infections ,false pregnancy then she collapsed.
I would obviously get her spayed if her heart was ok
I wonder if being constantly on 5 mg pred stopped her going into season before
What do you think?
And reducing pred to.2.5 mg maybe helped her season to start up again?
So as i say when holly went into season vet upped pred to 5mg again
Holl
y got infections but flagyl and doxy helped
And i was thinking she was over the ...danger time ..for immune mediated problems
But now ...last week she came into false pregnancy
Even though she stopped bleeding end of february!:-(
And so vet put her on doxy and flagyl
Shes always on flagyl for inflamatory bowel anyway
Her temperature up a bit to 103
And vet wants us back on tuesday see how she is
And vet wants to put pred up to 10mg a day

Sarah
How are you doing now?
Brought tears to my eyes reading your last message about benny
Its sooo sooo difficult ,the loss
IM glad you have Charlie to help you but still its really horribly painful to lose such a loving lovely little soul who you loved very dearly and still love
Hope you taking good care of yourself
C n h xx

Hi Karen
Sorry meg is,having such a hard time of it and you too.
:-(
How,is she now?
I have a 3 year old springer called holly
Like meg ,shes beautiful natured and she has been through an awful lot.
They are such sweet hearts
X

Poor holly
We cant do an exploratory because she has significant heart disease
She,had problems like this when she started to be unwell with immune disease ,not before
So it scares,me
I feel like it auto immune related
Upsetting  because we dont know whats causing it
And meds just mask it for a little while
Cx

Hi there
Thanks Jo
Hollys bloods were good and we reduced the pred to 2.5 mg a day
And she was taken off antibiotics
But within 3 days of half steroid and no antibiotic she burning up and abdomen popping in pain at night
IM giving her zantac every 8 hours
Fish oils
Mixing camomile tea with her food
Slippery elm powder and physilliun husk
But its getting worse
Especially at night whole gastointestinal tract very hot
Throat clicks ,gaggs ,
She was a lot better on doxy or flagyl.and 5 mg pred
Vet says antibiotic not a solution but shes getying worse without them
Seeing my vet Wednesday as first day shes on this week
She really needs flagyl
She usualy sleeps bottom of my bed
She is soo hot n sore at night shes sleeping leather sofa as it colder
I miss her and worry how shes doing in there
I give her prebiotics and probiotics too
Tried hard to wean her off antibiotic need
But its the only thing that helps
Think lowering pred probably makes inflamation worse too

Thanks Jo re milk thistle
Holly has been scratching all day and tonight a black bug jumped on me from her then jumped off
Im.gutted I think she has fleas
I havent treated her with frontline since realised she ill with heart disease
Three days after getting program flea birth control she collaosed with immune disease
Vet said ..no flea treatment or chemicals
I changed my clothes ,bedding
Washed holly in shower with derma opt shampoo its similar to masaleb I think it is
Supposed to kill fleas
But wont stop life cycle
Shes still scratching
She was sitting on close carpet scratching
I think I need Hoover every day
But im.scared as if cant give proper treatment or spray pesticide
Maybe we fight a losing battle
Already worried as going to vet tmoro
Blood test
Vet want reduce steroid and taking her of doxycycline
And shes been better on the doxy
So im.concerned as it is
Abd she gets upset re shower
Poor holly
I keep her off the grass to avoid biting insects
I was hoping we were over flea season soon
:-(

Pred not peel!!

Jo and penel
Do you think it would be ok to give holy some herb medicine eg milk thistle?
Since she on constant meds
Im.worried as I know it builds immunity and I know we have to be careful re not stimulating the immune system too much
Holly doing better this week on doxycycline and cimetidine and peel
And physillium husk her system coping with too
But cant stay on doxycycline forever
Still,its good to see her.coping better!!!:-)
X

Hi Sarah
So glad you have lovely pictures of benny and that you are at peace because you know hes at peace too.
Yes its so utterly unjust at 4,just a little baby really
I know a family here who lost their shitzu sorry bad spelling,this year
She wasnt even 3 yet it was kidney failure
Well they are lovely sweet little dogs not a bad bone in their body,this little dog melted my heart
I feel so sad it happened to benny and it was just a few weeks
But you know you did everything possible
And he will know how much you loved him and still love him
Phew its sooo hard
Thanks re thinking about wee holly I apreciAte that
Wishing you well Sarah
Love c n h x

Sarah
How are you doing?
It just happened so very fast with your benny didnt it:-(
I was shocked for you
:-(
You did everything you could
I hope you are coping
Like I said in my posts the blue cross bereavement helpline could help you
If you need to talk they are very good
Especially with it all happening in a whirlwind!!
Take gentle care
Cx

Thanks Jo
We are at the vet every week now ,i will ask re lomotil and see what vet says.
I used to give holly boiled carrots and potatoes and peas and sweet potatoes in with her homemade doggy meat stew
But since she got ill I stick to
Natures diet,oatbran,brown rice,yogurt,fish and eggs olive oil
She gets brown rice cakes and coconut oil for a treat
I find this diet suits her and is gentle
I would like to give veggies but im scared to as buy locally they arent organic and I dont know what caused her immune system to collapse
So I keep to the same diet religiously
Too scared to vary it incase of reaction
Before she got ill I had fed her strawberries not organic
Two days later she collapse
Thats also when.colitis started ..i think immune mediated
So I stay away from fruit n veg now
She has carrots in her naturesdiet
I just am wary as I dont know what caused it
Yes im desperately trying to find an alternative to flagyl
Just started yesterday on a tiny bit physillium husk
See if helps x

Thanks Sarah
I am thinking of you just now im so sorry re benny
The blue cross pet bereavement helpline i s wonderful if you need to talk as sometimes it is just too painful
How are you coping Sarah,you lost benny so quickly and I know he was only 4:-(
So sad xx

Oh Sarah
Im.so so sorry
I have tears in.my eyes reading about your dear benny
Oh its awful to hear he has gone:-(
I feel for you and your family very very much
I think benny will still be around you all in spirit giving you love
Im sad for you
I know you loved benny very much
And will always love him
Take care,Christina n holly Xx

Of course I trust and like my vets and am profoundly grateful they saved her life last year
I know different vets have different opinions re medication
And I do know my vets obviously want to see if holly coPes without the flagyl
But in the last few months every time flagyl is stopped she deteriates
So...
To me it's stressful knowing she is going to get worse
I have to watch this
And then she has to get it again
On top of this it isnt working as effectively as it was
She is on probiotic prebiotic tree barks powder oatbran mixed with food
Natural yogurt a tiny bit physillium husk fish oils
Homeopathy for digestion and suport
Has a diet for sensitive tummies
Im doing everything that I can within my capabilities financially
In fact it cripples me financially but I still will put her first before everything else
Shes my girl!!!
She is,still coughing a little but not much. X