My Lovely Angel Luna

Yes, I know the Douxo line is great :) I didn't realise you have the Douxo spray as well.... I thought you had the Douxo shampoo and the Allerderm spot-on :)

And that's precisely it...staying on top of things through numerous meassures and you seem to be doing a more than great job with Luna...congrats, I know it's not always easy :) I have learned the hard way, trust me ;) At times I was so tired and figured, I postpone her bath till tomorrow, what difference will one day make..? Boy, did I learn what the difference was :p

Have a nice bath-day :D

Sas :)

Well, spoke too soon cuz I just found a small new spot. It is really tiny, though, and overall the rest of her skin looks really good. So for now, I think we'll just keep plugging along. We can certainly live with this pattern so long as it doesn't really worsen. So we'll see as time goes on.

Oh Marianne, you are much more patient then I would be at this point. I would be demanding to know what that crap is, so I could erase it from the face of the earth! OK, a little too much drama there.:D I realize that it doesn't seem to be bothering Luna, which is a blessing, but it would be driving me crazy!:eek::eek: I wouldn't be able to leave her alone, as I would be hovering and checking her all the time. She would be running for cover, I'm sure.:o

If my calculations are correct, these lesions have been appearing since January, about nine months now. They clear up with rounds of antibiotics, only to return a few weeks after going off of them. Although bathtime and lovely songs sound soothing, they haven't managed to eradicate the problem. Sooooo, what's next???

Please keep us posted. Sending big hugs to you and healing energy to Lovely Luna and Nurse Peg.

I'm with Kathy - I would be screaming for THE answer and THE solution. Patience is not one of my very few virtues. ;) I hate these spots keep coming back and I know the bathing and other work with her is tiring. You are a great mom and Luna is so lucky.

Hugs and belly rubs! (ya'll can decide who gets what. :D )

Hey Kathy, we do know exactly what the crap is -- it's overcolonization of antibiotic-sensitive staph. There is nothing especially sinister or exotic about the infection itself. The problem is with Luna's skin or immune system. There is nothing at all abnormal about her general appearance, behavior or labwork, which tends to rule out immune system issues caused by things like low thyroid, Cushing's, lupus, pemphigus, cancer, etc. So that leaves us with the most likely causation being allergies of some sort, either a hypersensitivity to staph itself or allergic reaction to something altogether different.

I believe the next step would be a skin biopsy. Obviously a biopsy would help identify any pathological changes to the skin tissue itself that is leaving it vulnerable. Apparently a hypersensitivity to staph also produces observable changes on biopsy. So why am I dragging my heels?

Overall, Luna's skin is looking much improved since starting this new regimen, and the active infection has lessened. If she does have staph hypersensitivity (or any other allergy for that matter) and we were to go through with all the testing and injection protocol, the end result might be no different than what we are looking at now. This level of control would actually be deemed treatment success in terms of staph hypersensitivity.

The vet says that if we biopsy in this situation (no specific growth or tumor), they would want to take samples from multiple sites including areas of historic active infection. She will have to be sedated, of course, and she will be left with multiple little incisions that have to heal. Of course this is not a huge deal, but I am not wanting to put her through this unless her condition worsens again. So that is why I am willing to be patient right now and watching what develops.

Probably part of my patience stems from a 40-year history of dealing with flaring/remitting skin issues with hubby and his mom :o. He inherited from her a genetic skin defect that results in periodic breakdowns of nasty, miserably uncomfortable lesions. It is rare so there will never be any research done and there is no known cure. All we can do is try to control the lesions with standard topicals. I have sat through so many fruitless dermatology appointments/biopsies/consultations that I could never count them all now. So rightly or wrongly, of course there is a tendency for me to project this same experience onto Luna. And I am such a pro at checking out skin and slapping on ointment that it is just second nature to me now. But truly, if her situation worsens again, I won't ignore things and we'll press onward.

Oh I don't think any of us think you are dragging you heels or any such thing. :eek: No not at all! We just want this cured so you both have relief, physical, mental, and emotional. And just because we are used to something doesn't mean it should continue to visit us...tho that sure seems to be the way it goes, huh? Almost as if the Universe looks and says, "Oh that gal there knows all about this so let's give her another." :rolleyes: We know you are doing all you can for your sweet girl - we just want her well so you don't have to do all that. ;)

Well, you guys are being very kind because if I was reading this thread, I'd be thinking "Why doesn't the girl just get a d**n biopsy done already -- I'm tired of hearing about it!!" :rolleyes: ;) :D

Yep, that's how I got Rosie. Two allergy dogs in a row!!! ;):o

As Leslie said, we don't think you're dragging your heels. It's disheartening to see them continue to reoccur when you have been working so hard to eradicate the problem. If the lesions are caused by an allergy, (OMG!!! :eek::eek: - Welcome to my world), you may never figure it out.:o

On the upside, It only one little spot. No big deal. You're on top of it, the lesions aren't bothering Luna and bathtime comes with a serenade.:D

Hang in there Marianne.
Hugs,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Squirt's Mom

And just because we are used to something doesn't mean it should continue to visit us...tho that sure seems to be the way it goes, huh? Almost as if the Universe looks and says, "Oh that gal there knows all about this so let's give her another." :rolleyes:

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Not tired of hearing about this. NEVER!!

However, I will admit to thinking that a biopsy is overdue. Thanks for explaining why you are waiting to have it done.;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by labblab

Well, you guys are being very kind because if I was reading this thread, I'd be thinking "Why doesn't the girl just get a d**n biopsy done already -- I'm tired of hearing about it!!" :rolleyes: ;) :D

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It has been over a month now....so time to let us know how that lovely Luna is doing :D I hope things are calm and uneventful,

Sas :)

Marianne, you may know that I take Quincy to the "Allergy clinic for canines", highly specialised in, surpirse, ....allergies :D Anyway, they have started to use a new brand of shampoo and spray, coming from the USA. So I got curious and looked them up. I think it may be beneficial to you and Luna too, to know of this site :)

“As dermatologists we know how devastating recurrent Staph and especially methicillin-resistant Staph infections can have on pets and their families. We wanted to provide pet owners with both reliable information and an effective pet skin care line since not all pet parents have access to a veterinary dermatologist.”

So of course I had to think of you and Luna :) Also because Douxo is very difficult for you to obtain, if I get it right...

http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/overview/

Anyway, have a look around, can't hurt to keep this in the back of your mind,

Sas :)

Hey Sas, thanks very much for this new product info. I will definitely "bookmark" it for consideration if we decide to make some changes. For right now, though, I am so happy with the results of the Douxo shampoo that I won't likely rock the boat. And fortunately, it is very easy for me to buy. It is the Allerderm Spot-on that is no longer being made in the U.S. But I have still have another package of ampules on hand, so that will tide me over for the time being.

Luna had been totally clear again for a couple of weeks, but I just found another small spot at bath-time yesterday. So it really does seem that this will be a chronic issue for us, and I will always be welcoming new product info. On the positive side, it will soon be a year since we spotted the first lesion, and nothing more sinister has developed re: an underlying smoldering illness. So I am believing it most likely that allergies are at the root of Luna's infections, too, and we will remain vigilant about keeping them as well-controlled as we possibly can.

Thanks, as always, for sharing your info!

Good to hear that Luna is doing well. And yes, like you said, it seems to be a chronic issue but as long as you can keep it contained with her baths and spot-on, then thats how it is. And frankly, that's not too bad either ;) Allergies are so complicated and can be so very difficult to treat or rather, difficult to find the right treatment, that a small lesion every now and then, is rather a good outcome :)
Ahhhh it's the Allerderm...sorry, I got that mixed up with the Douxo :) If you ever need the Allerderm spot-on's and you can no longer find them in the USA, I can buy them for you and sent them to you, no problem (as long as there is no problem with customs...?) But for now you're good :)

Wishing you and yours all the best,

Sas :)

So good to hear that Luna continues to do well. Sas is a River of good info as always. :)

And how's lovely Luna doing? :) Hope she continued to do well on her baths and spot-on treatments... :)

Sas and Quincy :)

<Knocking on wood for good luck to continue!> Luna remains lesion free right now, so seeing my last post here, I think it's been about three months since we saw the last spot :). I fully expect that at some point there will still be more lesions, but I feel optimistic that now we can keep them under control when they happen.

We are still bathing every two weeks with the Douxo, using the Allerderm after each bath, giving the oral omegas, and she is still eating her duck food. As I wrote earlier, it's not a limited ingredient food other than being a single novel protein, but she loves it and we're doing well on it with stable weight. So we are all happy campers right now, and thanks so much for asking! ;)

Yes! Great news on two fronts today. Long may she remain lesion free. Whoop whoop lol

Marianne, I suspect that you are every bit anxiety riddled with Luna's skin problems as anybody here who is dealing with cushing's. In my opinion, chronic skin problems are worse. It's a lot more uncomfortable for a dog and it's a whole lot more work....at least in my experience it is. Victories are not easily won so a big congratulations on gaining the upper hand. I hope and pray you are able to hold the line for a very, very long time.

So glad to hear that Luna has remained lesion free for quite some time now...sure seems like you have them well controlled with your current appraoch :)

And I do agree with you Glynda...chronic skin disease/problems are awfull. To be able to find an appraoch that works, that keeps things under control, would be such a relief but it can be very hard to achieve.

But Luna sure seems to be on the right track....way to go, Marianne :D

Sas and Quincy :)

Oh that is good news indeed!!!! Fingers, paws crossed she will continue to do so well.
T.

Okay Marianne, What is going on with lovely Luna's tummy? :o:confused:

Dang if I know! Good news is she's not acutely ill -- good energy, good appetite. It's just that over the past couple of weeks she's barfed three times for no apparent reason, and had several episodes of large, soft, mucousy poops. Both of these things are very unusual for her.

It could just be something's up with her food. Are you still feeding Rosie the Acana? I'm still giving Luna the Duck & Pear kibble, but her stool has never been as consistently perfect as it was before they added the U.S. manufacturing and switched up the American ingredients. Also, unfortunately my lovely Luna is the "mouth of the south" when it comes to grabbing bites of any conceivable garbage she can find while out on our walks :eek:.

So I really wasn't all that worried when I took her in, thinking it was food or garbage, but both the vet and I were a bit bothered that she's down from 65 to 61 pounds since the end of June. She has been getting a lot more exercise since Peg died, though, since I have more free time to take her on longer walks both morning and afternoon :o. Part of the extra worry about GI issues is because she has been consistently taking the NSAID for a while now. I stopped giving that the first time she threw up. But I think that's why the vet immediately wanted to draw blood yesterday in order to check on her liver and kidneys. So I should hear those results today, as well as the fecal. The snap test for giardia was negative, but I know that can be hard to diagnose and I do worry about that since they irrigate everything with lake water where we walk. I also worry about lepto because it's common among wildlife here. I have her vaccinated, but as we know, not all strains are covered.

In other news, this month marks a solid year that she has been lesion-free!! YAY! Still doing the Douxo shampoo, oral omegas, Allerderm spot-on, and that's the reason I've stuck with the duck food. Also, we did finally head in for an orthopedic consult late in the summer, and the specialist confirmed that her limp is originating in her right elbow. Without more involved imaging he can't be sure of the exact issue, but a leading candidate may be a bone chip that migrates around in the joint. He will be happy to perform an arthroscopic procedure on her any time we wish, but since the problem remains intermittent (and she hasn't been limping much at all ever since the consult), we haven't rushed her in to have that done.

So overall she had been doing really well before this GI stuff started. It just tugs at my heart cooking up her pots of chicken and rice. Peg had SOOO many GI issues through the years that I cannot begin to count the chicken/rice dinners I cooked for her. She always loved them, though, and would park herself right next to the stove as soon as she heard rice hitting the measuring cup. This week it has been little Lunie taking her place at my feet. I just don't want Lunie to be sick now, too. I'm just not ready for anything bad to be wrong. So I'm hoping it's just her food. It's a pain to start researching food again, but I'll take that job in a skinny minute rather than having something worse be wrong right now.

I hate when they change the recipes on dog food. They never seem to make it better. Hopefully it is just the food. Do you add Ina probiotic? Wonder if that would help her tummy.

Long walks sound wonderful. I'm sure Luna loves them too.

Let's see what the results show today from blood work. Hopefully nothing there.

The vet's given me both metronidazole and a probiotic to give her right now. Peg always got a daily probiotic cuz of her issues, but Luna has always been as solid as a rock with no GI problems whatsoever. So I always figured, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But maybe we're due for a change now.

Vet left a message while we were out for our walk -- said her bloodwork was great. Whew! :) :)

Didn't mention anything about the stool sample, so I'm assuming it was negative. So for right now, we'll finish the five days of metronidazole, continue the probiotic, and then start transitioning back to kibble again and see what happens. If she has problems again, I'll go ahead and shift to a different food to see if that makes a difference. But feeling much better after getting that lab report!

ugh...I hate when they reformulate foods! Like Sharlene said, it never seems to be for the good of the dog.

I hope sweet Luna is back to her normal solid self soon!

She might still be a rock and it doesn't preclude that the got something in her mouth that she shouldn't have and introduced some bacteria to her stomach.
So, hopefully this will do the trick and she'll be right in no time and this will just be a tiny blip in the month.

Yes, Rosie is still eating the old formula of Pork and Butternut Squash, and doing great on it. I bought up several bags when I realized the formula was changing and am now on the last bag. It is time to start transitioning, but to what?? Pork and Butternut squash, has been changed to Pork and Squash. Pinto beans have been added as a staple. They are really high on Rosie's allergy list. I don't know whether to try it anyway. I haven't been able to find anything else that has only pork as the meat base, with limited ingredients. Her allergies don't give me much to work with. I have been putting off the transition because she is doing so well, but my time is running out.

I hope Luna's stomach has settled and she's back to normal once again.

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Originally Posted by labblab

It could just be something's up with her food. Are you still feeding Rosie the Acana?

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Thinking about you both today and sending positive energy and healing thoughts with love....♥♥♥

Thank you so much! I'm very happy to report that Luna is safely home, and all is well :-))))). The eyelid procedure and the dental all went smoothly, and I'm sure that we'll all be sleeping a whole lot better tonight ;-).

Whew........!!!!
Marianne

Wonderful news indeed!

It’s so good to hear the news about Luna. Maybe you can take a big deep breath and just hold her without worrying for maybe 30 seconds. Get some rest and check your messages tomorrow when you have time. Blessings, Karen

Excellent news, Marianne!

So happy to read that everything went well!!!! Huge hugs and loving kisses to you both!!

YAY!! I am so glad this is behind BOTH of you!

Happy 12th Birthday Luna!!!
I remember when Luna was the little sister in need of a thread of her own. She certainly stepped up when Peg joined our other angels! Congrats to you all!

Hugs and gentle pats for our girl,

Happy Birthday, Luna!!

Awwww, my sweet Luna thanks everybody for their birthday wishes!!! :D :D

(And so does her mom ;-))))))))))))

Happy belated Birthday, sweet Luna!!!!!

Hi Marianne
hope all is going well with Luna, it’s seems strange to me to think she getting older, but I guess it’s now 4 1/2 years since Flynny died and then Peg not long after him. The years just fly by. I never got another dog, he was irreplaceable then and still is now. I still have the two rascally cats who are now five and they are a joy and keep me on my toes and luckily in good health. I don’t know how my vet clinic is still functioning after I stopped our frequent flyer visits and their steady income after Flynn passed lol but a yearly visit for their checkup and jabs and a good catchup with the vet is enough

happy holidays to your family and Luna x