Aria Again

[Jo CIMDA]

That is very good news Joanne.  I like to see the adverse effects (initially) because it gives confidence that the preds are doing their job.  Don't be tempted to lower the preds too soon or it will come back.  I know your vet is great but we all have to check it ourselves, dont' we?

I do love the turn around with IMPA.  Thank goodness for preds!

Jo

[Joanne]

Hi All and especially Jo,

Matt saw Aria again last week for an acupuncture and during that visit I discussed AR's pred dosage.  He asked about Cushoid signs...there were none...and we agreed to keep her at 20 a day for 7 days instead of the 4 originally prescribed.  She'd come off 40 for two days.  Sooo, she is going a bit longer, a bit more, before we cut the dose down to 10 a day.  I think you are right, Jo, to go a bit more....

So far so good in herself!  It is really a crapshoot with this dog!  She can be quite the Drama Queen!

We go back to Matt on Thurs for another visit and checkup.  I wonder if he'd do acupuncture for me....I could use a stress reliever!  Only kidding....

Best to all who are dealing with sick dogs.

[Janspack]

Only just seen this thread Joanne (because of all my own health problems),  any update on how Aria is doing?

[Jo CIMDA]

Hi Joanne

You and Aria are having a roller coaster ride.  It is so stressful for you all.  Does she have a high temperature?  It could be an inflammatory response.

Thinking of you

Jo

[Joanne]

Just checking in with all of you. 

Yesterday Matt saw Aria for an acupuncture session and bloodwork.  He examined her and liked what he saw .  She has been on 10 mg pred a day for a little over a month and it has definitely done its job.  She is moving beautifully with no pain...so, so much better than the cripple I had here 6 or 8 weeks ago!  Her PCV was 43!!!!  How great is that?  So, we have put her Polyarthritis and AIHA in remission for the time being.  Our discussion centered around what dose of pred to continue on?  He wants to be cautious and keep her going, but I am a little afraid of another dog with ACL ruptures (like Cee) so he told me that depending on the rest of the bloodwork results he may waffle a bit and cut the pred to EOD.  Any thoughts, folks?

Meanwhile, I am happy!  The dogs are happy!  It feels good.

Hoping all our furballs are doing well.

[Angela]

That is great news Joanne!  It's wonderful that she has made such progress in such a short time (relatively). 

I can't advise on what the long term, if any, dose should or could be.  G's dose is only 2.5mg EOD; I use a mortar & pestle to grind up washed and dried egg shells approximately EOD to increase the calcium she receives in the hope that this offsets some of the negative effects of long term pred. 

My theory is based on my nephews liver transplant; his specialist gave extra calcium as it is recognised that pred depletes calcium in transplant patients.

[Jo CIMDA]

My theory is based on my nephews liver transplant; his specialist gave extra calcium as it is recognised that pred depletes calcium in transplant patients.

That's very interesting Angela.  Thanks for sharing

Jo

[Jo CIMDA]

Yippeee Joanne!  You and your vets have the knack in getting it right.  Great news for Aria.  Personally I would go 5mg a day for a few weeks and then 5 mg EOD. I do like to take the last bit slower, and I think most of the pred damage is done at high doses or when preds are used for  a very prolonged period. Not sure if you can do much about cruciate problems other than supplement as Angela has suggested.  Cruciate problems appear to be genetic but also they may have an AI implication - interesting eh?


Well done Aria and you and Matt.

Jo

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

Also possibly related - my sister in law has just had chemo for breast cancer - she has badly torn her achilles - the specialist told her it's one of the side effects of all the drugs she's been on.

Joanne - I'm so pleased that Aria is doing so well, onwards and upwards 

[Joanne]

Hi Folks,

I wanted to update everyone on Aria.  She was struck with AIHA and AI Polyarthritis sometime ago and we have had her on pred. since the diseases appeared.  This week we were in to see Matt for a new blood test and AR's PCV came back at 40...they did an inhouse test to save me a few $.  She has been on 5 pred twice a week for months and we have changed the timing to once a week at a dose of 5.  We will keep her on this regimen for two months and then check her with a CBC before we make further changes.  I am happy to see her feeling well and bouncing around as a proper beardie should!

Just an aside:  I was at my own dr. this morning and we always talk dogs.  She asked which vet I took my kids to and it turned out that she takes hers to Matt, too.  You should have heard the two of us singing his praises!  LOL  I told her that the East wing of the clinic was named for CeeCee Johnson...

Hoping all CIMDA dogs are doing well.

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

Hi Joanne
I'm really pleased to hear that Aria is doing so well, I can remember so clearly when you got her as a pup.
Good news.
P x