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Just dropped in to say Hello

Started by Angela, August 22, 2015, 01:16:16 AM

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Angela

Hello all,

I don't post regularly now but dropped in to say hello.

Grace is doing well (in remission from Non-Regenerative AIHA)and turned nine recently.

Probably, not many on the list will remember us but I wish you all well and pray for good outcomes for all your dogs.

Back to the house work now, it's Saturday in Australia :)

Angela & Mops with Grace
Angela (AIHA & Addison's)
NSW Australia

BrookeR

Hi Angela,
I just wanted to say hi as I don't see many other Aussies on here. I live in NSW Aus as well.
Since your in the same state, just thought I'd ask what specialist you have seen here and if you were happy with them? My girl was diagnosed with IMPA last Christmas & is doing well at the moment. Just being weaned off medications now.
Brooke
Brooke with
Pepper, the English Staffy (IMPA since Dec 2014)
NSW Australia

Jo CIMDA

That's a lovely update Angela.  Updates are so important to those going through the hard times.  It gives hope.

Well done Grace (and you!)


Jo
 

Penel CIMDA moderator

Hi Angela, thanks so much for updating us, it's good to hear from you - wonderful to hear that Grace is doing so well. x
Penel
(SLE, Surrey - UK)
Forum Owner
CIMDA

Angela

#4
Hi Brooke,

Once I had a diagnosis (& that's a long story in itself) I had a referral to ARH Strathfield (I think they've moved now).  To be honest, I had to ditch one Vet there as she missed Grace's UTI resuls even though it was done at the ARH and I ended up dealing with Nigel Swift; he was one of the Directors and actually did know his stuff but they are very expensive and want every test possible done.  To be honest I ended up having a large say in her treatment, guided by Jo Tucker, Jean Dodds and this group.   These days she is on maintenance dose of 2.5mg pred every other morning - no vaccinations, no flea meds, heartworm or worm meds whatsoever - I manage her & my other girl with weekly baths, vacuuming, lawn mowing, washing dog beds etc with hot water & Borax and keeping our walks as strictly as possible to the concrete walk/bike path.  Fortunately I have several kilometers of concrete walk/bike path very close to where I live.

I live quite near Wollongong
Angela (AIHA & Addison's)
NSW Australia

Angela

Hi Jo & Penel,

I keep meaning to tweak my old files on Grace & Merlin to send to you but always seem to get side-tracked :)

Lovely to hear from you & I'll try to stay in touch more frequently.

Lots of love to you & the group <3
Angela (AIHA & Addison's)
NSW Australia

BrookeR

Hi Angela,
Your story has similarities to mine. After seeing multiple vets, nobody had any clue on diagnosis. I ended up coming up with the diagnosis & had to insist on the joint tap tests being done. The vet I was dealing with at the time said that wouldn't be what was wrong with her, but I insisted the tests be done anyway. I'm so glad I did now as the outcome could have been quite different hadn't . We got the results back Christmas Eve & began pred. I was pushing to get a diagnosis before Christmas break, as it would have been so hard to get help then.

We also went to ARH (which I have not been completely happy with). Now under guideance of a local vet I am following my own judgement, & taking into consideration information and advice I have been gathering from the forum etc. ARH wanted her on medication for 2 years, which I didn't feel was necessary or in her best interest.

I have never used flea prevention (she just doesn't get fleas), but i have just stopped vaccinating, worming & heart worm. I am concerned about heart worm, but don't want to risk giving her prevention. Do you have yearly tests done to check for heart worm?  I have wondered whether or not too. The weather is colder in Wollongong than here so it may not be as bad a threat. Coming into summer I am stressing a bit.

We have an acre block, so I just exercise her around the yard. She rarely goes anywhere else & if she does, she doesn't normally get out of the car. Except when she goes to the vet, which is probably the worst threat out of all.
My girl has allergies as well, so I have to keep on top of bathing, washing, lawn mowing & chemical free cleaning.
Thanks for telling me your story, it's good to hear from somewhere else near to home. It's hard to find info or others in a similar situation that are in Australia, let alone NSW. I am most interested in terms of the heart worm situation. I have struggled to find info in our area in regards to not using heart worm preventative.
Brooke with
Pepper, the English Staffy (IMPA since Dec 2014)
NSW Australia

Angela

Hi Brooke,

I spoke to two local Vets a few months into Grace's treatment (which began just prior to Christmas 2007 - that was a Christmas with floods of tears) and was told by both they hadn't seen a case of Heartworm for 10 plus years. One of the Vet practices I spoke to is also the Vet used by the RSPCA, so this also included no cases of Heartworm seen in strays.  To be honest I don't get them tested for it either; both are healthy at 9 & almost 14 years.  I do use spices such as Turmeric, Cinnamon & Ginger in their food and have read that Cinnamon deters intestinal worms and have also read on some natural treatment lists that Black Stout and a couple of other things deal with Heartworm but haven't tried it.

I also had much trouble with getting a diagnosis for Grace, with several Vet appointments with no results.  I ended up diagnosing Grace myself thanks to one of Jo Tucker's articles in the Beacon archives I stumbled across in eight hours of internet research, went back to the vet the next morning & demanded a blood test where my suspicions were confirmed.  It was three months or so later that I finally found the CIMDA group.

Again, with Merlin's Addisons I had three trips to the Vet before getting a diagnosis, I'd been told the blood results were all normal.  He was close to death that last time and I asked to see the blood results; as the Vet read through them with me looking over her shoulder I saw the potassium results and knew immediately it as was Addisons thanks to an article I'd reaq & filed; written by DVM Linda Aronson.  I raced home and emailed the article to the Vet and that information saved his life.

Angela (AIHA & Addison's)
NSW Australia