IMPA

[Rach]

Hi all, well, after 3 weeks of medication watson is responding well to treatment. He is getting stronger by the day and has a review in another 2 weeks to see if we can start to reduce his meds. I am finding watson is getting some pretty nasty mouth ulcers on the insides of his lips, has anyone else had the same problem? Ive contacted my vets and theyve said baby bonjela is fine to use and should help reduce his discomfort, does anyone have any other remedies they have used that have helped reduce this?

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi

Mouth ulcers are not uncommon when a dog is on immunosuppressive doses of pred.  There's isn't much you can do about it and the problem may subside as the preds are reduced, but it often takes a while.  Personally, I would give natural Vit E 400iu twice a day (Clinical Immunology of the Cat and Dog by Michael J Day) as Natural Vit E encourages new cell growth, and you can also coat the ulcers in it too as this gives some relief.  Bonjella, I would have thought, would cause some initial discomfort as it does sting to start with and if this happens Watson may not want you to touch his mouth in future.

I'm pleased he is improving - do watch the preds though as keeping a dog on high doses for weeks and weeks can be detrimental and side effects may start to show.

Jo

[DW]

Hi,

Yes, just as Jo has said, it seems this does happen.

Harley has had some pretty nasty looking sores on the inside of his cheeks, which weren't there prior to the problem he has with IMTP.
One of the sores has virtually gone now that the Preds are lower but one has stayed about the same.

They don't seem to bother him and I am hoping, if we ever got off meds, that they may go on their own.


Gwyneth

[Alicat]

Hello.

I don't know the history to this and am just poking my nose in really, and goodness know what a vet might think, but ... when a person is on chemotherapy and steroids and is in a resulting immuno-suppressed state, sore mouth and mouth ulcers are very common.  An excellent, natural treatment for this, now recommended by many cancer specialists, is fresh pineapple.  We tend to think of it as acidic and therefore likely to make things worse but, in fact, it has natural antiseptic properties and actually soothes/helps heal an ulcerated mouth (I can vouch for it personally!).  Quite how you would persuade a dog to let you rub it round his mouth I'm not sure, but I just thought I would throw it out there!  Good luck.

[Rach]

Thanks for your responses guys. Have any of you had any long term effects of steroid use that hasnt gone away after youve stopped the steroid? Watson appears to be quite subdued and his physical features look different,  he is very gaunt in his face and wide eyed? He lost just over 2kg and didnt have any spare to loose so was thinking that was the reason but could this be the steroid? He has been on high dose meds now for 3 weeks and although he has shown improvement he is still very weak, especially on his hind legs. Am I expecting too much too soon from him or is his recovery slow? He was so poorly that we had 2 occasions in one week we didnt think we would be bringing him home so his attack of AIPA has been severe. Just want my naughty little man that pokes me in the eye with his nose back!

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi

I do wonder if Watson's dose of preds is too high,  or if it isn't more than 1mg/kg/12hrs then perhaps it needs to be reduced now and not leave him on this dose for any longer.   That is usually the reason for the symproms you describe.  Please check out the reducing pred drug protocol in the files by Michael J Day.  It is an excellent guide.

Jo