12/21/12 - Still waiting for Reo's bloodwork to come back from NVDS. Apparently, their equipment is down and waiting to be repaired. With the holiday, they think results will come toward the end of next week. Sooooo, we are being patient.
Reo has been doing very well this week - in a great mood, killing toys. :) She probably feels the lightness of our household, too, as we look forward for some time off! Lots of cuddles and walks in the dogs' future (not that they don't get those every day, but just a little more than normal!).
Special shout-out today to our other Min Pin, Leigh, who turns 12 today!!
Wishing all of my readers a very happy holiday season, with health and happiness to come in the new year!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Diabetes-free!
12/14/12 - I'm very VERY happy to report that Reo does NOT have diabetes! We went into the vet this morning for a fasted blood draw and urinalysis - both came back negative. HURRAY!
I was initially concerned that perhaps her adrenal glands kicked in a little bit, and that she had too much cortisol in her system, leading to high blood sugar, but this does not seem to be the case (will wait for the EI-1 panel results next week). Though, I was definitely miffed that she was not displaying any symptoms of diabetes.
My current theory for the high blood sugar on Monday was the stress of the vet visit. Because Reo was the second dog to go back for a blood draw, perhaps this was enough time for her to have a little adrenaline rush/blood sugar release, which caused the high glucose reading.
I was initially concerned that perhaps her adrenal glands kicked in a little bit, and that she had too much cortisol in her system, leading to high blood sugar, but this does not seem to be the case (will wait for the EI-1 panel results next week). Though, I was definitely miffed that she was not displaying any symptoms of diabetes.
My current theory for the high blood sugar on Monday was the stress of the vet visit. Because Reo was the second dog to go back for a blood draw, perhaps this was enough time for her to have a little adrenaline rush/blood sugar release, which caused the high glucose reading.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Bloodwork, and possible diabetes?
12/12/12 - I couldn't resist updating the blog on this date, could I? :)
On Monday, I took all of the dogs in for their annual exams and bloodwork. Having 3 senior ladies means keeping check of health on the inside, even though everyone looks healthy on the outside!
Reo got blood taken for both an EI-1 panel from NVDS, as well as regular chemistry/CBC. Apparently, the nurses took too much blood too quickly - Reo passed out right after the blood draw! It was super scary at first, but they gave her some oxygen and she perked right back up. The vet likened it to standing up too quickly and getting lightheaded. That's never happened before, so we'll have to be more careful on blood draws next time!
Though we need to wait until next week on the EI-1 panel, we already got the chemistry results back. First of all, Reo's blood remains lipemic (fatty). It has been this way for the past year or so, and I wasn't too surprised, but it does affect the CBC portion of the results. Her cholesterol is normal.
She had very slight elevations in two liver enzymes, ALT and ALP. Because they are very mild, the vet is not concerned, especially as she has been on long-term Medrol. However, her blood glucose was very elevated (377!), and our vet is concerned that Reo could have diabetes. :( Though she was 7 hours post-meal, we will do a fasting blood glucose, and possibly a fructosamine test as well, to see where we stand. At the same time, we will do a urinalysis and urine culture to see where we stand there.
The strange part is, Reo is not drinking or urinating more frequently. She does not have accidents in the house. She has not gained any weight (in fact, she lost a bit since our appointment in June), and is not more hungry. We keep a close eye on her PU/PP/PD, given our experiences in the past. Reo is also on grain-free, low-glycemic dehydrated/freeze-dried raw food.
First, cortisol is insulin's counter point. As insulin LOWERS blood sugar, cortisol INCREASES blood sugar. This is important to remember. Many Cushingoid dogs (high cortisol) also have diabetes - I think about 20% of dogs who are Cushingoid also have diabetes.
I have been thinking a lot (I know my readers are surprised!) about what could have brought this on. In the past few months, I discontinued Reo's phosphatidyl serine supplement. Phosphatidyl serine is thought to blunt the cortisol response/spikes in cortisol. It's possible that my giving her PS was reducing the amount of circulating cortisol in Reo's body, and when I stopped giving this supplement, she had an increase in cortisol, resulting in an increase in blood sugar (this will become apparent when we get the EI-1 panel results back - if her cortisol is high, perhaps this is the case).
For the past couple of years, I have been operating under the assumption that Reo has very, very little adrenal function (if at all). However, perhaps her adrenals can make a bit of cortisol, and her daily dose is giving her a bit too much. We may need to adjust the dose of her Medrol. I plan to wait and see what the repeat blood tests say, and then I will contact Dr. Plechner and see if any adjustments need to be made.
Reo, our little problem child! The great news is that she is happy, healthy, and not displaying any "symptoms". I hope the glucose reading was a fluke somehow, and she is not diabetic. I can't imagine having to stick her twice per day, although of course we are totally committed to her for life! <3
On Monday, I took all of the dogs in for their annual exams and bloodwork. Having 3 senior ladies means keeping check of health on the inside, even though everyone looks healthy on the outside!
Reo got blood taken for both an EI-1 panel from NVDS, as well as regular chemistry/CBC. Apparently, the nurses took too much blood too quickly - Reo passed out right after the blood draw! It was super scary at first, but they gave her some oxygen and she perked right back up. The vet likened it to standing up too quickly and getting lightheaded. That's never happened before, so we'll have to be more careful on blood draws next time!
Though we need to wait until next week on the EI-1 panel, we already got the chemistry results back. First of all, Reo's blood remains lipemic (fatty). It has been this way for the past year or so, and I wasn't too surprised, but it does affect the CBC portion of the results. Her cholesterol is normal.
She had very slight elevations in two liver enzymes, ALT and ALP. Because they are very mild, the vet is not concerned, especially as she has been on long-term Medrol. However, her blood glucose was very elevated (377!), and our vet is concerned that Reo could have diabetes. :( Though she was 7 hours post-meal, we will do a fasting blood glucose, and possibly a fructosamine test as well, to see where we stand. At the same time, we will do a urinalysis and urine culture to see where we stand there.
The strange part is, Reo is not drinking or urinating more frequently. She does not have accidents in the house. She has not gained any weight (in fact, she lost a bit since our appointment in June), and is not more hungry. We keep a close eye on her PU/PP/PD, given our experiences in the past. Reo is also on grain-free, low-glycemic dehydrated/freeze-dried raw food.
First, cortisol is insulin's counter point. As insulin LOWERS blood sugar, cortisol INCREASES blood sugar. This is important to remember. Many Cushingoid dogs (high cortisol) also have diabetes - I think about 20% of dogs who are Cushingoid also have diabetes.
I have been thinking a lot (I know my readers are surprised!) about what could have brought this on. In the past few months, I discontinued Reo's phosphatidyl serine supplement. Phosphatidyl serine is thought to blunt the cortisol response/spikes in cortisol. It's possible that my giving her PS was reducing the amount of circulating cortisol in Reo's body, and when I stopped giving this supplement, she had an increase in cortisol, resulting in an increase in blood sugar (this will become apparent when we get the EI-1 panel results back - if her cortisol is high, perhaps this is the case).
For the past couple of years, I have been operating under the assumption that Reo has very, very little adrenal function (if at all). However, perhaps her adrenals can make a bit of cortisol, and her daily dose is giving her a bit too much. We may need to adjust the dose of her Medrol. I plan to wait and see what the repeat blood tests say, and then I will contact Dr. Plechner and see if any adjustments need to be made.
Reo, our little problem child! The great news is that she is happy, healthy, and not displaying any "symptoms". I hope the glucose reading was a fluke somehow, and she is not diabetic. I can't imagine having to stick her twice per day, although of course we are totally committed to her for life! <3
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Back to normal
11/03/12 - Reo is back to normal! She was stressed out over having our friends' dog at home with us for a week. As soon as the other dog went home, she seemed back to her normal routine. Clearly, she was not impressed at sharing her house! She ate normally this week, and is back to her spunky, playful little self. :)
I guess I can't underestimate the effect of stress on Reo!
Also, we have finished up giving her the remaining supplements that I have. So far, so good!
I guess I can't underestimate the effect of stress on Reo!
Also, we have finished up giving her the remaining supplements that I have. So far, so good!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sickie-poo
10/28/12 - Reo has had a "bug" for the past 3 days. She's been rather lethargic, not eating, drinking quite a bit. She has also thrown up (mostly water) a few times. I wondered if she might have caught canine influenza (we've been watching a friend's dog for the past week, and so it made me suspicious). But, the symptoms of canine flu are supposed to be similar to kennel cough, with lots of coughing and nasal discharge. She has none of that. All of her functions have been normal, so I was waiting to see if something changed for the worse before I brought her to the vet (I usually am fine with waiting 3-4 days to see if something resolves itself, as long as some food/water is consumed, and there aren't any alarming symptoms).
I made her boiled chicken and sweet potato, which she ate sporadically/unenthusiastically. I was able to hide her Medrol and L-thyroxine in the sweet potato a few times, but a couple of times I had to force them down her throat (thus making her hate me!). Today she got to take a nice sun bath, and I think it helped to reset her - it's been rather cold the past few days, so she's been inside mostly.
Anyway, now it looks like she's coming out of it a bit, which is a relief. I got her to eat some of the ZiwiPeak food, sprinkled with some Welactin, for dinner. She ate less than her normal portion, but it was something! I was planning to bring her to the vet tomorrow for a chemistry panel, but if she continues to improve, I'll just guess it was a little bug that she caught from who-knows-where! Fingers crossed!
I made her boiled chicken and sweet potato, which she ate sporadically/unenthusiastically. I was able to hide her Medrol and L-thyroxine in the sweet potato a few times, but a couple of times I had to force them down her throat (thus making her hate me!). Today she got to take a nice sun bath, and I think it helped to reset her - it's been rather cold the past few days, so she's been inside mostly.
Anyway, now it looks like she's coming out of it a bit, which is a relief. I got her to eat some of the ZiwiPeak food, sprinkled with some Welactin, for dinner. She ate less than her normal portion, but it was something! I was planning to bring her to the vet tomorrow for a chemistry panel, but if she continues to improve, I'll just guess it was a little bug that she caught from who-knows-where! Fingers crossed!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
All is normal...
10/09/12 - Just a quick update to say that Reo has been off the lutein supplement and the Standard Process Adrenal Support for a few weeks, and we haven't noticed any changes in behavior. Still working through the PS and Mg, but will stop those when we use up the rest of what we have.
Little Miss Reo has been extra spunky lately - I think due to the fall weather. The chillier temperatures mean more active squirrels, which keeps Reo on her toes!
Little Miss Reo has been extra spunky lately - I think due to the fall weather. The chillier temperatures mean more active squirrels, which keeps Reo on her toes!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Decision for Reo
09/16/12 - Finally, Sean and I have decided how we are going to proceed with Reo. You may recall that I've been struggling with whether or not to continue to give Reo the retinal protection supplements, as it seems she has very little vision remaining these days. I have not been sure whether the small amount of remaining vision is worth preserving - she might get around better if she were completely blind. And, I don't want to continue to give her things that her body doesn't need/can't use.
We have decided not to give most of her supplements any longer. We will be suspending the following:
- Lutein (her last capsule was given yesterday)
- Phosphatidyl Serine (have about a month left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Magnesium Taurate (have about 2 months left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Standard Process Adrenal Support (have about 1 week left; just not sure she needs this any more)
- Sardines (these were given as a source of adenosine, which works in conjunction with the Magnesium Taurate)
We will continue to give Reo the Cell Advance 440, Nutramin, and Prozyme, and keep the rest of her diet the same (Welactin, Dasuquin) as we like the benefits of those supplements for older dogs (and Leigh gets these three supplements as well).
I do have a huge amount of guilt for not being more pro-active for Reo surrounding the time of our big move in March of this year. I really thought that we were "in the clear" since her vision had returned, and I severely underestimated the effects of stress on Reo's vision. Literally, when we started packing up our house, her vision started to decline. She then got a toe infection, and allergens in the air were high. A lot of stress for our little girl (plus lots of stress on the humans, too!), really affected her. I'm working on letting my guilt go, and taking comfort in the fact that Reo is as healthy as she has been in years. She is still such a happy dog, and her health truly is the most important part.
We will continue to get blood chemistry and thyroid tests every 6 months, to make sure that we are on the right track with her care. I envision getting and EI-1 panel from NVDS every year or so, again, to make sure that we are staying on track. If there are any issues that make me think she may be unbalanced, I may test more frequently - we will just have to play it by ear!
I will likely update this blog less frequently, as I hope (?) Reo will be quite stable. But, of course I will share any new things that I learn about SARDS, relevant articles, and updates on Reo's condition. I am also very happy to hear from readers whose dogs have been diagnosed with SARDS, and help in any way that I can.
We have decided not to give most of her supplements any longer. We will be suspending the following:
- Lutein (her last capsule was given yesterday)
- Phosphatidyl Serine (have about a month left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Magnesium Taurate (have about 2 months left, will suspend when we use the last of it)
- Standard Process Adrenal Support (have about 1 week left; just not sure she needs this any more)
- Sardines (these were given as a source of adenosine, which works in conjunction with the Magnesium Taurate)
We will continue to give Reo the Cell Advance 440, Nutramin, and Prozyme, and keep the rest of her diet the same (Welactin, Dasuquin) as we like the benefits of those supplements for older dogs (and Leigh gets these three supplements as well).
I do have a huge amount of guilt for not being more pro-active for Reo surrounding the time of our big move in March of this year. I really thought that we were "in the clear" since her vision had returned, and I severely underestimated the effects of stress on Reo's vision. Literally, when we started packing up our house, her vision started to decline. She then got a toe infection, and allergens in the air were high. A lot of stress for our little girl (plus lots of stress on the humans, too!), really affected her. I'm working on letting my guilt go, and taking comfort in the fact that Reo is as healthy as she has been in years. She is still such a happy dog, and her health truly is the most important part.
We will continue to get blood chemistry and thyroid tests every 6 months, to make sure that we are on the right track with her care. I envision getting and EI-1 panel from NVDS every year or so, again, to make sure that we are staying on track. If there are any issues that make me think she may be unbalanced, I may test more frequently - we will just have to play it by ear!
I will likely update this blog less frequently, as I hope (?) Reo will be quite stable. But, of course I will share any new things that I learn about SARDS, relevant articles, and updates on Reo's condition. I am also very happy to hear from readers whose dogs have been diagnosed with SARDS, and help in any way that I can.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Fall is around the corner!
09/05/12 - It is hard to believe it's September already - everyone in our household is looking forward to the cooler temperatures of fall! The past few mornings have been quite chilly, and the dogs love it! It's a great opportunity for them to lounge around in the warm morning sun, while the air is still chilly. We're hoping to sneak in one last camping trip this year - we'll see how it goes!
For the past 10 days, we've been watching two of our friends' dogs. I anticipated that this would be stressful on Reo, so I pulsed her Medrol for a week. She seemed to do fine, well, other than one of the dogs not understanding Reo's mostly-blindness. If Reo walked into her, the other dog would snap and growl. Fortunately, I was home all the time and could correct the other dog before things got out of hand. Overall, everything went relatively smoothly, but all of us were pretty happy to get down to our normal routine with just three dogs!
Sean and I will be making our final decision in the next week or so, concerning what to do regarding Reo's supplements. I will post an update once we decide!
For the past 10 days, we've been watching two of our friends' dogs. I anticipated that this would be stressful on Reo, so I pulsed her Medrol for a week. She seemed to do fine, well, other than one of the dogs not understanding Reo's mostly-blindness. If Reo walked into her, the other dog would snap and growl. Fortunately, I was home all the time and could correct the other dog before things got out of hand. Overall, everything went relatively smoothly, but all of us were pretty happy to get down to our normal routine with just three dogs!
Sean and I will be making our final decision in the next week or so, concerning what to do regarding Reo's supplements. I will post an update once we decide!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Reo's updated obstacle course videos
08/17/12 - Wow, I've been so bad about updating lately! We've been having a lot of summer fun. We went camping, and had my parents out to visit, so we've been busy.
So, we've passed about a year since Reo was confirmed to have her vision return. Here is one of last August's videos for reference (many more videos archived on my blog!):
August 2011 course
Since this time, her vision improved in the fall/winter, but then took a huge backslide as her stress kicked up due to our family's cross-country move. My thought was that when we moved, she had no vision whatsoever. She received another series of DepoMedrol injections, hopefully to help reset her system, and she did improve.
Lately, I've been wondering if she has any vision at all, or if she's just mapped things out. I do find it curious that she bumps into things a lot. I would have thought if she were totally blind, she would have mapped things out better. I spoke with Caroline Levin about this, and she said it's been commonly
reported in humans that low-vision is more difficult to navigate than no-vision. So, I don't know what is going on. Certainly sometimes, it seems like she can't see anything - she can't track a cotton ball like she used to.
But, recently, I took some new obstacle course videos for curiosity's sake - now I don't know what to think! I think she could still have a little vision left.
August 2012 #1
August 2012 #2
August 2012 #3
She seemed to have the most problem in the last video, getting caught between the gutter downspout and the strawberry flat! But because I've never had a blind dog before, I'm not sure if dogs can do exercises like this obstacle course based on their other senses?
Reo appears to have the most trouble in the shade/light transition, which I think is worthy of note (she always seems to do better in full sun). There is no doubt that she does not get around as well as she was one year ago, but I don't think that she is completely blind, as she can get around some of the obstacles and not crash into them like a fully blind dog would. I feel certain that she is completely blind in her right eye, and she has some minimal vision in her left.
I'm not any closer to making a decision about whether to continue all of the retinal protection supplements, or to just suspend the and let her become fully blind over time. I need to do some more thinking about that.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
SoCal Vacation
07/25/12 - Earlier this month, we took a trip to Southern California, where Sean is from, for a vacation with his family and some of our friends.
We brought Leigh and Reo along on the trip, not only because we love them and love traveling with them, but because it's way less expense and stress on the dogs. Even though it costs $500 round trip for both of the dogs to fly with us on United (OMG!), we wouldn't have it any other way.
I pulsed Reo's Medrol every other day while we were gone, to help mitigate her stress. With the exception of all the noise/bustle in the airport, and not wanting to be in her carrier while in the airport (on the plane she is fine, but not in the airport - weird - so I solved the problem by carrying her until we were ready to get on the plane), Reo is an incredible traveler.
We do a lot to try and keep their routine while on the road (this means getting up extra early with the time change in order to potty/feed them breakfast!), including bringing their favorite bed for riding in the car. We drove about 900 miles in 10 days, so their comfort was important!
Here are a few pictures of Leigh and Reo in the car, in their bed, with their car harnesses on. :)
For part of the trip, we had a beach house with Sean's family, and it included two smaller children. Leigh and Reo aren't used to children noise, so it was a bit stressful for them, but overall they did really well. I brought some of their favorite toys, and Reo "killed" them every day - so cute.
Sean and I took a couple of days to explore some new wine country for us. We went to Ojai and also Santa Rita Hills/Santa Barbara County. It was a really nice road trip, though it was very hot inland (I made the mistake of wearing jeans one day, as it was barely 70 on the coast...but was punished in Ojai when it was about 93!!).
Here are a couple of photos of the dogs "wine tasting".
Okay, so they were flopped out at our feet while WE tasted wine. :)
They're such great travelers, and I was so proud of Reo for hanging in there! That being said, both dogs and humans were so happy to be home, to our quiet household, familiar surroundings, and daily routine.
We brought Leigh and Reo along on the trip, not only because we love them and love traveling with them, but because it's way less expense and stress on the dogs. Even though it costs $500 round trip for both of the dogs to fly with us on United (OMG!), we wouldn't have it any other way.
I pulsed Reo's Medrol every other day while we were gone, to help mitigate her stress. With the exception of all the noise/bustle in the airport, and not wanting to be in her carrier while in the airport (on the plane she is fine, but not in the airport - weird - so I solved the problem by carrying her until we were ready to get on the plane), Reo is an incredible traveler.
We do a lot to try and keep their routine while on the road (this means getting up extra early with the time change in order to potty/feed them breakfast!), including bringing their favorite bed for riding in the car. We drove about 900 miles in 10 days, so their comfort was important!
Here are a few pictures of Leigh and Reo in the car, in their bed, with their car harnesses on. :)
For part of the trip, we had a beach house with Sean's family, and it included two smaller children. Leigh and Reo aren't used to children noise, so it was a bit stressful for them, but overall they did really well. I brought some of their favorite toys, and Reo "killed" them every day - so cute.
Sean and I took a couple of days to explore some new wine country for us. We went to Ojai and also Santa Rita Hills/Santa Barbara County. It was a really nice road trip, though it was very hot inland (I made the mistake of wearing jeans one day, as it was barely 70 on the coast...but was punished in Ojai when it was about 93!!).
Here are a couple of photos of the dogs "wine tasting".
Okay, so they were flopped out at our feet while WE tasted wine. :)
They're such great travelers, and I was so proud of Reo for hanging in there! That being said, both dogs and humans were so happy to be home, to our quiet household, familiar surroundings, and daily routine.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sixth EI-1 Panel
07/17/12 - Annnnd we're back! I'll write a subsequent post about our two-week trip to California after this, but first I wanted to post Reo's most recent blood panels.
Estrogen is about the same as her last panel in January. It is possible that this number is Reo's "normal" now, being an older dog.
Cortisol is now within normal limits (I was a little surprised at this!).
T3 is normal, but T4 is quite elevated. I put two asterisks next to this number, as Reo was on a course of Clavamox (antibiotic) for her uveitis. Dr. V feels that the T4 is elevated due to this, and so is not concerned, especially as T3 is normal (T3 is the more "active" molecule in the body). We will retest her thyroid in another 6 months, so we will keep an eye.
Immunoglobulins are more or less where they have been for the past year, just slightly low. It's possible that these numbers are also Reo's "normal", as she is an older dog. I likely won't have these tested again, as she seems to be pretty consistent now, and can probably save a little money by only testing estrogen/cortisol/thyroid.
Overall, I feel just fine about Reo's results. As she is not symptomatic right now, I am satisfied that she feels good, has normal liver/kidney function, and reasonable hormone levels. :)
Reference Range
|
16-Mar-11
|
30-Apr-11
|
15-Jun-11
|
4-Aug-11
|
4-Jan-12
|
25-Jun-12
|
|
Total Estrogen
|
30 - 35
|
35.19
|
35.15
|
35.11
|
35.06
|
35.04
|
35.05
|
Cortisol
|
1.0 - 2.5
|
8.43
|
7.03
|
0.97
|
0.82
|
0.68
|
1.4
|
T3
|
100 - 200
|
62.7
|
72.12
|
87.92
|
156.94
|
135.29
|
169.94
|
T4
|
2.0 - 4.5
|
0.87
|
1.15
|
1.6
|
3.99
|
3.21
|
7.17**
|
IgA
|
70 - 170
|
50
|
53
|
57
|
65
|
67
|
66
|
IgG
|
1,000 - 2,000
|
722
|
754
|
883
|
946
|
973
|
970
|
IgM
|
100 - 200
|
74
|
76
|
87
|
97
|
97
|
97
|
Estrogen is about the same as her last panel in January. It is possible that this number is Reo's "normal" now, being an older dog.
Cortisol is now within normal limits (I was a little surprised at this!).
T3 is normal, but T4 is quite elevated. I put two asterisks next to this number, as Reo was on a course of Clavamox (antibiotic) for her uveitis. Dr. V feels that the T4 is elevated due to this, and so is not concerned, especially as T3 is normal (T3 is the more "active" molecule in the body). We will retest her thyroid in another 6 months, so we will keep an eye.
Immunoglobulins are more or less where they have been for the past year, just slightly low. It's possible that these numbers are also Reo's "normal", as she is an older dog. I likely won't have these tested again, as she seems to be pretty consistent now, and can probably save a little money by only testing estrogen/cortisol/thyroid.
Overall, I feel just fine about Reo's results. As she is not symptomatic right now, I am satisfied that she feels good, has normal liver/kidney function, and reasonable hormone levels. :)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Scaly skin and shedding, redux
06/27/12 - So, previously, back in August of last year, Reo went through this weird period where she shed her skin and coat - like nearly all of it. (Previous blog post HERE). I referred to this as her molting phase. :)
I noticed Reo shedding a bit lately, but didn't think anything of it, since it's been over 100 degrees for the past week. I thought it was a heat thing. Well, I noticed a day ago that there was a little skin clump attached. Sure enough, when I examined her skin, it was the same thing. There were pale yellow little "scales" all over her skin, and her fur was falling out in little clumps! I brushed her like crazy, then gave her a bath, and then brushed her again.
As before, her fur is VERY soft. I can't help but make the correlation between her hormones coming into balance and this "molting" process that she goes through. There are no bald spots, or anything like that - she looks gorgeous, and her remaining coat is super silky and lustrous.
Secretly, I'm hopeful that this means her hormone levels are back to normal, or close to it, and maybe that means that better vision is not far behind. We shall see, given the blood tests coming back next week!
I noticed Reo shedding a bit lately, but didn't think anything of it, since it's been over 100 degrees for the past week. I thought it was a heat thing. Well, I noticed a day ago that there was a little skin clump attached. Sure enough, when I examined her skin, it was the same thing. There were pale yellow little "scales" all over her skin, and her fur was falling out in little clumps! I brushed her like crazy, then gave her a bath, and then brushed her again.
As before, her fur is VERY soft. I can't help but make the correlation between her hormones coming into balance and this "molting" process that she goes through. There are no bald spots, or anything like that - she looks gorgeous, and her remaining coat is super silky and lustrous.
Secretly, I'm hopeful that this means her hormone levels are back to normal, or close to it, and maybe that means that better vision is not far behind. We shall see, given the blood tests coming back next week!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Uveitis and blood work
06/26/12 - Reo and I went back to the vet yesterday. Her eye condition seemed to respond to the antibiotics (oral and eye drops), and the scary blue cast to her cornea has disappeared (whew!). Dr. V was also able to measure her intraocular eye pressure on this visit, and she was normal in both eyes (both eyes were 13 mmHg).
I read online that uveitis is of unknown cause in about 75% of cases, which is not very satisfying. So, I suppose we'll just be happy that it was solved by a course of antibiotics, and we'll watch closely to make sure no changes come about.
When we went to the vet on Friday, we did a chemistry panel and CBC. I am very happy to report that Reo's chemistry panel (liver, kidneys, cholesterol, etc.) was normal! This is good news, and means that she's tolerating her Medrol therapy well. She had some highs and lows on her CBC - certain blood cells were either elevated or reduced - but Dr. V was not worried about any of the fluctuations.
We also pulled blood for another EI-1 panel from NVDS, as well as another "baseline" panel from UTenn. I never followed up with UTenn for further testing after deciding to pursue treatment according to Levin/Plechner. UTenn diagnosed Atypical Cushing's in Reo, and suggested melatonin and flax lignans. I decided not to pursue this treatment for Reo, and go with Medrol therapy. As I posted about earlier, HERE, Levin has published a small study about treating Atypical Cushing's dogs with Medrol, to good success. Even though it's been more than a year since our initial adrenal panel and ACTH stim test from UTenn, I will be interested to see how Reo's baseline results have changed!
Stay tuned...
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Possible uveitis
06/21/12 - I've had a rough day! I found out that our new vet is no longer with the clinic - she moved too far away to commute. :( The good news is that the clinic owner saw us today, but I didn't feel like she was as interested in Reo's case as our previous doctor. We'll see how it goes!
I took her into the clinic today because Reo's right eye had been bothering her for a couple of days (today was the third day). I suspected that she got something in it (dirt, grass, etc.) and wanted to see if it would resolve itself. Today it seemed a little worse, swollen. So I flushed with saline a few times, but it didn't seem to help. Then, in the outdoor sunshine, I noticed a frightening bluish cast over Reo's cornea. I panicked, and thought that she had developed glaucoma in that eye!
The vet doesn't suspect glaucoma because the eye didn't seem too painful to Reo. But, their device to measure intraocular pressure was not working correctly, so they couldn't rule it out. We'll go back on Monday and hope they can get a reading.
In the meantime, Dr. V suspects uveitis (kind of the opposite of glaucoma, since it is indicated by low intraocular eye pressure, while glaucoma is high IOP). She gave Reo some oral antibiotics, as well as antibiotic eye drops for us to use the next few days to see if she improves. Fingers crossed!
We got a chemistry panel and CBC for Reo when we were in there, as part of her bi-annual check up, so I am curious to see how those results come back. I was planning to get blood drawn for another EI-1 panel as well, but want to wait until next week due to hot temperatures/overnight shipping. I also need to find out if Reo being on antibiotics will affect the test results at all...if so, we may need to wait to have the bloodwork run.
Silly Reo, always keeping us on our toes! Good thing I love her like crazy... :)
I took her into the clinic today because Reo's right eye had been bothering her for a couple of days (today was the third day). I suspected that she got something in it (dirt, grass, etc.) and wanted to see if it would resolve itself. Today it seemed a little worse, swollen. So I flushed with saline a few times, but it didn't seem to help. Then, in the outdoor sunshine, I noticed a frightening bluish cast over Reo's cornea. I panicked, and thought that she had developed glaucoma in that eye!
The vet doesn't suspect glaucoma because the eye didn't seem too painful to Reo. But, their device to measure intraocular pressure was not working correctly, so they couldn't rule it out. We'll go back on Monday and hope they can get a reading.
In the meantime, Dr. V suspects uveitis (kind of the opposite of glaucoma, since it is indicated by low intraocular eye pressure, while glaucoma is high IOP). She gave Reo some oral antibiotics, as well as antibiotic eye drops for us to use the next few days to see if she improves. Fingers crossed!
We got a chemistry panel and CBC for Reo when we were in there, as part of her bi-annual check up, so I am curious to see how those results come back. I was planning to get blood drawn for another EI-1 panel as well, but want to wait until next week due to hot temperatures/overnight shipping. I also need to find out if Reo being on antibiotics will affect the test results at all...if so, we may need to wait to have the bloodwork run.
Silly Reo, always keeping us on our toes! Good thing I love her like crazy... :)
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Endocrine-Immune Disruption Syndrome
06/14/12 - I found this article in one of my web searches, and wanted to share. It's written by Dr. Michael Fox, former Vice President of the Humane Society, veterinarian, author (and whatever else is designated by all of those letters after his name!).
His perspective gives more credit to Dr. Plechner's theories. The original article (plus references) appears here on his website: http://drfoxvet.com/info/Endocrine-Immune-Disruption-Syndrome
Food for thought!
ENDOCRINE-IMMUNE DISRUPTION SYNDROME
by Michael W. Fox, B. Vet. Med., Ph.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.
Chemical compounds called endocrine disruptors may play a significant role in various chronic diseases in both companion and other animals and also humans. These diseases include allergies, chronic skin diseases, recurrent ear, urinary tract, and other infections, digestive system disorders such as chronic colitis, diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease frequently associated with immune system impairment, and metabolic and hormonal disturbances expressed in a variety of symptoms from obesity to thyroid and other endocrine disorders especially of the pancreas and adrenal glands.
Veterinarian Dr. Alfred J. Plechner’s clinical findings that link elevated serum estrogen levels , thyroid dysfunction and impaired synthesis of cortisol with a variety of health problems in animals warrant careful consideration, and more detailed research and randomized clinical trials. His claimed benefits of very low doses of cortisone, often in combination with thyroid hormone replacement, may hold true for some patients suffering from what I term the Endocrine- Immune Disruption Syndrome (EIDS) . But long term cortisone treatment may aggravate the syndrome, especially in the absence of a holistic approach to improving the animal’s immune system and overall physical and psychological well being.
Adverse reactions to vaccinations, anti-flea and tick medications and other veterinary drugs, and hypersensitivity to various foods and dietary additives, may be consequential and contributory elements in what I interpret as a widespread and not yet well recognized Endocrine-Immune Disruption Syndrome. I receive many letters from readers of my syndicated newspaper column Animal Doctor,concerning dogs and cats with the kinds of chronic, complex, multiple health problems that conventional veterinary treatments have at best only temporarily alleviated.
The primary cause of these hormonal imbalances and associated neuro- endocrine and immune system dysfunctions is most probably environmental in origin, specifically the endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC’s) in animals’ food and water. Through bioaccumulation these compounds become concentrated in various internal organs of companion animals, in farmed animals raised for human consumption, including aquatic species, and also in wildlife and humans at the top of the food chain.. Since many EDC’s are lipophilic, they especially accumulate in animals’ fatty tissues, brains, mammary glands and milk.
While I would agree with Dr. Plechner that animals’ genetic background and stress are also contributing factors to an animal developing what I believe to be endocrine disrupting compound toxicosis, I do not accept his contention that "this disturbance appears to be largely genetic." On the contrary, certain breeds and lines of domestic animals, and domestic animals in general who develop often multiple symptoms of EIDS are like the proverbial canaries down in the coal mines, signaling environmental conditions also hazardous to humans.
An internet search and review of the existing literature and ongoing research in the field of environmental toxicology will reveal the ubiquitous presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC’s) in the environment especially from industrial pollutants, (from power plants and municipal incinerators to paper mills and chemically dependent industrial agriculture), and from untreated and inadequately treated sewage water (some 850 billion gallons of which are dumped annual into US waters). EDC’s are also being identified in a host of household and medical products especially plastics, in clothing, floor materials, and lining of food cans, ( notably phthalates and Bisphenol A ) and in the food and water we share with our companion animals, and give to farmed animals.
New EDC’s are being identified, detected in human breast milk, infant umbilical cord blood, and in ’signal’ wildlife species, from alligators to Artic seals. Researchers with the US Geological Survey, (USGS) Contamination Biology Program have found that PCB treated fish have lower resting plasma cortical titers and disrupted stress responses, impaired immune responses and reduced disease resistance. PCBs disrupt glucocorticoid responsiveness of neuronal cells involved in the negative feedback regulation of circulating cortical levels. I link these and other research findings on EDC’s with Plechner’s findings of low serum cortical levels in his patients, exposed undoubtedly to a number of EDC’s that can have enhanced toxicity through synergism. But his contention that dysfunctional adrenal glands are the cause of elevated estrogen levels is questionable considering the high level of "background" estrogen mimicking EDCs in every animal’s environment. DDE for example is one EDC that is known to accumulate in the adrenal cortex and impair cortical production. Ironically the USGS has found human birth control estrogens in river waters.
EDC’s not only disrupt endocrine signaling systems (estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, glucocorticoid, retinoid etc) and immune system functions, they can also cause profound behavioral, neurological and developmental disturbances. They may play a role in obesity and in animals’ adverse reactions to vaccines, other biologics and pharmaceutical products.
With regard to the health and welfare of companion animals---and the education and consumer habits of their owner/care givers, calls for much more than the immediate drug-correctives suggested by Dr. Plechner that could have harmful long-term consequences without adequate and reliable blood serum monitoring of thyroid, adrenal, and immune system (immunoglbulins) function.
There is an urgent need for the veterinary profession to address this Endocrine-Immune Disruption Syndrome, and to consider it when treating a variety of chronic diseases in animal patients. For a start, all veterinary practitioners should encourage animal care givers to provide sick, (and healthy animals as part of holistic health maintenance) with pure water, organically certified food, including diets with animal fat and protein derived from young animals fed and raised organically, not exposed to herbicides, insecticides and other agricultural chemicals, and veterinary pesticides and other drugs. ( Even synthetic pyrethrins are powerful endocrine disruptors). Sea foods in the diets especially of cats, should preclude species high on the food chain like tuna and salmon. Also livestock that is organically certified should not be fed fish meal because of the bioaccumulation of EDC’s. Many commercial dog and cat foods are high in soy/soya bean/ vegetable protein. Since soy products are high in plant estrogens, (those from genetically engineered soy being potentially extremely problematic in this matter), it would be advisable to take all animals suspected of suffering from EIDS off all foods containing phytoestrogen laden plant proteins, and for healthy cats not to be fed any diet that relies on soy as the main source of protein. Healthy dogs, who are more omnivorous than cats (who are obligate carnivores) may not be at such risk.
The use of so called xenobiotic detoxification enzyme and other therapeutic nutrient supplement treatment, as detailed by Dr. Sherry A. Rogers and Dr. Roger V. Kendall, is worth consideration for chronically ill animals that may have EIDS. These include essential fatty acids, as in flax seed oil, digestive enzymes (e.g. papain and bromeliad) and vitamins A, B complex, C and E, alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine, L-glutamine, taurine, glutathione, dimethylglycine, CoQ10, bioflavinoids, selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc (with caution as per breed susceptibility to toxicity).
Homeopathic practitioners use Nux vomica and Sulfur to help detoxify a patient.
Detoxification can also include a bland, whole food, natural diet for 3-5 days (individual food-hypersensitivity being considered), including steamed carrots, sweet potato and other vegetables, cooked barley or rolled oats, and a little organic chicken or egg, plus a sprinkling of kelp (powdered seaweed), alfalfa or wheat grass sprouts, and milk thistle. A 3-4 day course of treatment with psyllium husks, activated charcoal and aloe vera liquid extract can also help cleanse and heal the digestive system. For cats, the amount of animal protein should be at least two-thirds of the diet, while one-third is sufficient for dogs. After this cleansing diet, a whole food , home-prepared balanced diet is advisable. In some cases, fasting for 24 hours may also be beneficial prior to giving the detox. diet, but caution is called for since this could put some cats at risk.
The use of lawn and garden pesticides and other household chemicals, especially petroleum-based products, that could be endocrine disruptors should be avoided, and also plastic and water food containers for all family members, human and non-human. New carpets, plastic chew-toys and stain-resistant fabrics and upholstery may also be potential hazards
The medical and veterinary evidence of an emerging EIDS epidemic is arguably being suppressed for politico-economic reasons, as witness the US government’s foot-dragging from one administration after another to take effective action to phase out hazardous agricultural chemicals and industrial pollution to protect consumers from dioxins, PCB’s and PBB’s---all potent EDC’s. These compounds in particular, contaminate, through bioaccumulation, foods of animal origin, the discarded and condemned parts of which are recycled into pet foods and livestock feed.
Postscript:
Recent research into the epigenetics of disease has shown for example, that the offspring of rats exposed during pregnancy to pesticides were more prone to breast and prostate cancer, immune system dysfunction and other health problems. These rat offspring, even when fed a diet free of such agrichemicals, passed these health problems on to their offspring, and thus on to subsequent generations. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, especially phthalates in the plastic of food and beverage containers and liners, play a major role in epigenetic diseases.
His perspective gives more credit to Dr. Plechner's theories. The original article (plus references) appears here on his website: http://drfoxvet.com/info/Endocrine-Immune-Disruption-Syndrome
Food for thought!
ENDOCRINE-IMMUNE DISRUPTION SYNDROME
by Michael W. Fox, B. Vet. Med., Ph.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.
Chemical compounds called endocrine disruptors may play a significant role in various chronic diseases in both companion and other animals and also humans. These diseases include allergies, chronic skin diseases, recurrent ear, urinary tract, and other infections, digestive system disorders such as chronic colitis, diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease frequently associated with immune system impairment, and metabolic and hormonal disturbances expressed in a variety of symptoms from obesity to thyroid and other endocrine disorders especially of the pancreas and adrenal glands.
Veterinarian Dr. Alfred J. Plechner’s clinical findings that link elevated serum estrogen levels , thyroid dysfunction and impaired synthesis of cortisol with a variety of health problems in animals warrant careful consideration, and more detailed research and randomized clinical trials. His claimed benefits of very low doses of cortisone, often in combination with thyroid hormone replacement, may hold true for some patients suffering from what I term the Endocrine- Immune Disruption Syndrome (EIDS) . But long term cortisone treatment may aggravate the syndrome, especially in the absence of a holistic approach to improving the animal’s immune system and overall physical and psychological well being.
Adverse reactions to vaccinations, anti-flea and tick medications and other veterinary drugs, and hypersensitivity to various foods and dietary additives, may be consequential and contributory elements in what I interpret as a widespread and not yet well recognized Endocrine-Immune Disruption Syndrome. I receive many letters from readers of my syndicated newspaper column Animal Doctor,concerning dogs and cats with the kinds of chronic, complex, multiple health problems that conventional veterinary treatments have at best only temporarily alleviated.
The primary cause of these hormonal imbalances and associated neuro- endocrine and immune system dysfunctions is most probably environmental in origin, specifically the endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC’s) in animals’ food and water. Through bioaccumulation these compounds become concentrated in various internal organs of companion animals, in farmed animals raised for human consumption, including aquatic species, and also in wildlife and humans at the top of the food chain.. Since many EDC’s are lipophilic, they especially accumulate in animals’ fatty tissues, brains, mammary glands and milk.
While I would agree with Dr. Plechner that animals’ genetic background and stress are also contributing factors to an animal developing what I believe to be endocrine disrupting compound toxicosis, I do not accept his contention that "this disturbance appears to be largely genetic." On the contrary, certain breeds and lines of domestic animals, and domestic animals in general who develop often multiple symptoms of EIDS are like the proverbial canaries down in the coal mines, signaling environmental conditions also hazardous to humans.
An internet search and review of the existing literature and ongoing research in the field of environmental toxicology will reveal the ubiquitous presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC’s) in the environment especially from industrial pollutants, (from power plants and municipal incinerators to paper mills and chemically dependent industrial agriculture), and from untreated and inadequately treated sewage water (some 850 billion gallons of which are dumped annual into US waters). EDC’s are also being identified in a host of household and medical products especially plastics, in clothing, floor materials, and lining of food cans, ( notably phthalates and Bisphenol A ) and in the food and water we share with our companion animals, and give to farmed animals.
New EDC’s are being identified, detected in human breast milk, infant umbilical cord blood, and in ’signal’ wildlife species, from alligators to Artic seals. Researchers with the US Geological Survey, (USGS) Contamination Biology Program have found that PCB treated fish have lower resting plasma cortical titers and disrupted stress responses, impaired immune responses and reduced disease resistance. PCBs disrupt glucocorticoid responsiveness of neuronal cells involved in the negative feedback regulation of circulating cortical levels. I link these and other research findings on EDC’s with Plechner’s findings of low serum cortical levels in his patients, exposed undoubtedly to a number of EDC’s that can have enhanced toxicity through synergism. But his contention that dysfunctional adrenal glands are the cause of elevated estrogen levels is questionable considering the high level of "background" estrogen mimicking EDCs in every animal’s environment. DDE for example is one EDC that is known to accumulate in the adrenal cortex and impair cortical production. Ironically the USGS has found human birth control estrogens in river waters.
EDC’s not only disrupt endocrine signaling systems (estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, glucocorticoid, retinoid etc) and immune system functions, they can also cause profound behavioral, neurological and developmental disturbances. They may play a role in obesity and in animals’ adverse reactions to vaccines, other biologics and pharmaceutical products.
With regard to the health and welfare of companion animals---and the education and consumer habits of their owner/care givers, calls for much more than the immediate drug-correctives suggested by Dr. Plechner that could have harmful long-term consequences without adequate and reliable blood serum monitoring of thyroid, adrenal, and immune system (immunoglbulins) function.
There is an urgent need for the veterinary profession to address this Endocrine-Immune Disruption Syndrome, and to consider it when treating a variety of chronic diseases in animal patients. For a start, all veterinary practitioners should encourage animal care givers to provide sick, (and healthy animals as part of holistic health maintenance) with pure water, organically certified food, including diets with animal fat and protein derived from young animals fed and raised organically, not exposed to herbicides, insecticides and other agricultural chemicals, and veterinary pesticides and other drugs. ( Even synthetic pyrethrins are powerful endocrine disruptors). Sea foods in the diets especially of cats, should preclude species high on the food chain like tuna and salmon. Also livestock that is organically certified should not be fed fish meal because of the bioaccumulation of EDC’s. Many commercial dog and cat foods are high in soy/soya bean/ vegetable protein. Since soy products are high in plant estrogens, (those from genetically engineered soy being potentially extremely problematic in this matter), it would be advisable to take all animals suspected of suffering from EIDS off all foods containing phytoestrogen laden plant proteins, and for healthy cats not to be fed any diet that relies on soy as the main source of protein. Healthy dogs, who are more omnivorous than cats (who are obligate carnivores) may not be at such risk.
The use of so called xenobiotic detoxification enzyme and other therapeutic nutrient supplement treatment, as detailed by Dr. Sherry A. Rogers and Dr. Roger V. Kendall, is worth consideration for chronically ill animals that may have EIDS. These include essential fatty acids, as in flax seed oil, digestive enzymes (e.g. papain and bromeliad) and vitamins A, B complex, C and E, alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine, L-glutamine, taurine, glutathione, dimethylglycine, CoQ10, bioflavinoids, selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc (with caution as per breed susceptibility to toxicity).
Homeopathic practitioners use Nux vomica and Sulfur to help detoxify a patient.
Detoxification can also include a bland, whole food, natural diet for 3-5 days (individual food-hypersensitivity being considered), including steamed carrots, sweet potato and other vegetables, cooked barley or rolled oats, and a little organic chicken or egg, plus a sprinkling of kelp (powdered seaweed), alfalfa or wheat grass sprouts, and milk thistle. A 3-4 day course of treatment with psyllium husks, activated charcoal and aloe vera liquid extract can also help cleanse and heal the digestive system. For cats, the amount of animal protein should be at least two-thirds of the diet, while one-third is sufficient for dogs. After this cleansing diet, a whole food , home-prepared balanced diet is advisable. In some cases, fasting for 24 hours may also be beneficial prior to giving the detox. diet, but caution is called for since this could put some cats at risk.
The use of lawn and garden pesticides and other household chemicals, especially petroleum-based products, that could be endocrine disruptors should be avoided, and also plastic and water food containers for all family members, human and non-human. New carpets, plastic chew-toys and stain-resistant fabrics and upholstery may also be potential hazards
The medical and veterinary evidence of an emerging EIDS epidemic is arguably being suppressed for politico-economic reasons, as witness the US government’s foot-dragging from one administration after another to take effective action to phase out hazardous agricultural chemicals and industrial pollution to protect consumers from dioxins, PCB’s and PBB’s---all potent EDC’s. These compounds in particular, contaminate, through bioaccumulation, foods of animal origin, the discarded and condemned parts of which are recycled into pet foods and livestock feed.
Postscript:
Recent research into the epigenetics of disease has shown for example, that the offspring of rats exposed during pregnancy to pesticides were more prone to breast and prostate cancer, immune system dysfunction and other health problems. These rat offspring, even when fed a diet free of such agrichemicals, passed these health problems on to their offspring, and thus on to subsequent generations. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, especially phthalates in the plastic of food and beverage containers and liners, play a major role in epigenetic diseases.
Monday, June 4, 2012
House mapping
06/04/12 - Reo continues to do well, though vision is inconsistent/transient. She loves the Stella and Chewy's patties I've been giving her as part of her food/protein rotation. I might keep her on this for quite some time and rotate the protein. She seems to be doing quite well on it. Her weight looks great, and she is a healthy little dog!
I had a thought the other day, when watching Reo navigate the house. We haven't changed any furniture positions in at least 6 weeks, and yet Reo still has trouble getting around - she's been bumping into things regularly. I was wondering if this was more "proof" of her transient vision, because she hasn't figured out the locations of things in the house or yard. Yes, she has general awareness of where things are, but there is a clear distinction sometimes as to how she gets around - sometimes she bumps everything and looks like a ping pong ball, but other times she appears to see well and gets around without bumping anything! It's strange, because I would have thought that if her vision was limited or completely gone, she would have been able to map out the house and get around better.
Of course, we are just staying the course with the supplements, etc. as I posted about previously HERE. We're about 3 months post her last injections, so we'll see. We love her like crazy nonetheless. :)
I had a thought the other day, when watching Reo navigate the house. We haven't changed any furniture positions in at least 6 weeks, and yet Reo still has trouble getting around - she's been bumping into things regularly. I was wondering if this was more "proof" of her transient vision, because she hasn't figured out the locations of things in the house or yard. Yes, she has general awareness of where things are, but there is a clear distinction sometimes as to how she gets around - sometimes she bumps everything and looks like a ping pong ball, but other times she appears to see well and gets around without bumping anything! It's strange, because I would have thought that if her vision was limited or completely gone, she would have been able to map out the house and get around better.
Of course, we are just staying the course with the supplements, etc. as I posted about previously HERE. We're about 3 months post her last injections, so we'll see. We love her like crazy nonetheless. :)
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hyperestrogenism
05/29/12 - All is good on Reo's end, no major changes, except I rotated out her Addiction food and rotated in Stella and Chewy's raw freeze-dried patties (Duck Duck Goose). She loves the change!
I wanted to share an article from Healthy Pet Network, written by Dr. P, as it might be of interest to anyone following SARDS as it relates to adrenal exhaustion/Plechner's syndrome.
Original Article Here
I wanted to share an article from Healthy Pet Network, written by Dr. P, as it might be of interest to anyone following SARDS as it relates to adrenal exhaustion/Plechner's syndrome.
Original Article Here
Hyperestrogenism by Dr. Plechner, DVM
Published May 29, 2012 | By Terry
An article from the University of Tennessee signals that my
esteem fellow professionals are finally beginning to understand what this old
Vet’s been saying for many years now. They are beginning to realize the dangers
of excessive adrenal estrogen. They are close, but alas…no cigar.
It seems they are attempting to reduce the production of
adrenal estrogen by using various chemicals to affect it’s source, the adrenal
gland. This approach at least shows someone’s been listening to some of what
this Animal Doctor’s been saying for quite some time.
However, They still are off track. They keep trying to
affect the middle layer of the adrenal cortex but they’re barking up the wrong
layer. They need to be studying the inner layer. That’s where the problem lies.
Even so, when they finally get there they’re going to find that it’s not going
to be affected by their chemical assault.
I can understand their dilemma. The middle layer adrenal
production of cortisol hormone appears quite normal in their eyes. The problem
is that they need to understand that the cortisol being produced is defective
and is not being recognized by the pituitary gland which keeps churning out the
ACTH hormone which can cause an increase in the production of estrogen and
androgen (which can be converted into estrogen) due to an enzyme in the fatty
tissue called aromatase.
Since the elevated estrogen binds (blocks) the receiver
sites of thyroid. The bound thyroid reduces the activity of the liver and
kidneys which further guarantees less breakdown and elimination of the estrogen and androgen. This allows
the estrogen and androgen to remain
excessive. The patient, unavoidably, is also bound to gain weight, which at the
same time produces more aromatase due to the increase of fatty tissue which
inadvertently increases the amount of estrogen present…and so, round we go, in
a vicious cycle.
It’s just our luck! The corporate medical industry is
finally realizing what I’ve been trying to tell them for years. That excess
estrogen can cause real problems. Still it seems that they haven’t listened to
all of what this old Vet’s been saying (they must’ve dozed off in the middle of
the lecture).
The capper is that certain hormones like cortisol can be
defective or bound (unable to get to the right receptors) The decreased or
defective cortisol and the increased estrogen throws the immune system out of
balance. When the immune system is
imbalanced it may fall victim to a number of problems including; Aids, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy,
coronary occlusion, all types of auto-immunity, and even cancer.
Now, I understand that I am but a healer of ‘animals’.
However, I think we can all agree that all the beings on this planet are very
similar on the inside. What’s good for the Goose…well, I think you understand.
I just hope that those learned professionals at the University of Tennessee can
rise above the status quo and maybe listen to alternative sources in their
‘quest for the cures’. They should at least heed Shakespeare…
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than
are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
Yours in Health,
Dr Al Plechner
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Reo and her snake
05/22/22 - Yesterday, I returned home from a long weekend away! It was the first time I have left the dogs since we moved back home to Denver, so I was a little nervous. Reo (and everyone) did very well, with nothing negative to report! It was a relief for me, to be sure!
I did pulse her Medrol while I was gone, just in case. Environmental allergens continue to be very high in our area (trees, grasses, weeds). I hope her system will recover...
Sean reported (and sent photo documentation!) of just how much Reo still loves her silly snake toy! Here is a picture of Reo and her snake...in an intimate moment post-kill! ;)
I forgot to post these silly videos of Reo and her new toy. I bought this for our Doberman, but for Reo, it was love at first squeak!!
Silly snake #1
Silly snake #2
Notice in the first video, when Reo is carrying around the snake, she doesn't bump into the grills or the chairs. :)
She is fairly obsessed with this toy, and has usually two good killing "sessions" every day. VERY cute!
I did pulse her Medrol while I was gone, just in case. Environmental allergens continue to be very high in our area (trees, grasses, weeds). I hope her system will recover...
Sean reported (and sent photo documentation!) of just how much Reo still loves her silly snake toy! Here is a picture of Reo and her snake...in an intimate moment post-kill! ;)
I forgot to post these silly videos of Reo and her new toy. I bought this for our Doberman, but for Reo, it was love at first squeak!!
Silly snake #1
Silly snake #2
Notice in the first video, when Reo is carrying around the snake, she doesn't bump into the grills or the chairs. :)
She is fairly obsessed with this toy, and has usually two good killing "sessions" every day. VERY cute!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Making a decision
05/13/12 - Today, I ordered what could be Reo's final bottles of Magnesium Taurate and Phosphatidyl Serine. If we don't notice improvement in her vision by the time she finishes these, I believe that it may not be worth the cost to continue giving her these supplements, since her vision is transient/minimal. Every once in a while, she surprises me with her vision when she navigates new terrain successfully, but she struggles sometimes too. I believe she struggles more than she has some sight these days.
I recall that it took about 5 months after her first series of injections last year, to see a good improvement in her vision. She got her injection series in March, and we are only 2 months after those, so it's possible we have a ways to go, which is okay. I plan to get another EI-1 Panel from NVDS, as well as a CBC in late June/early July (about 6 months since her last), to see how she is doing, but I know from her demeanor that she is healthy and happy.
I am still optimistic, but I am also trying to be realistic. I wanted to write this on my blog to make it more "real" for me, that it is possible that Reo's vision may not recover from all of the emotional and environmental stresses from earlier this year.
I feel pretty guilty that I wasn't more pro-active, and didn't think about how all of the changes we were making could affect her. But, ultimately, we wanted to/had to move, as it was the right decision for our family - and how could we have predicted that allergens would have been especially brutal this spring? My regret is that I didn't give her a "booster"injection of DepoMedrol as soon as I began to notice a regression. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and I can't go back now.
When I took that last obstacle course of Reo recently, I went back and watched her previous videos, and it's clear that she is not doing as well as before. It crushes my heart, because I feel as though I've let her down in some way, or failed her by not paying closer attention, or realizing what was happening as her vision was regressing. Yes, the most important thing is that she is healthy and happy - and we are blessed that she is both! But, a part of me is really sad that her vision has regressed, and I am hopeful that she will get back to "normal"for her, like she was the second half of 2011. Fingers crossed!
I recall that it took about 5 months after her first series of injections last year, to see a good improvement in her vision. She got her injection series in March, and we are only 2 months after those, so it's possible we have a ways to go, which is okay. I plan to get another EI-1 Panel from NVDS, as well as a CBC in late June/early July (about 6 months since her last), to see how she is doing, but I know from her demeanor that she is healthy and happy.
I am still optimistic, but I am also trying to be realistic. I wanted to write this on my blog to make it more "real" for me, that it is possible that Reo's vision may not recover from all of the emotional and environmental stresses from earlier this year.
I feel pretty guilty that I wasn't more pro-active, and didn't think about how all of the changes we were making could affect her. But, ultimately, we wanted to/had to move, as it was the right decision for our family - and how could we have predicted that allergens would have been especially brutal this spring? My regret is that I didn't give her a "booster"injection of DepoMedrol as soon as I began to notice a regression. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and I can't go back now.
When I took that last obstacle course of Reo recently, I went back and watched her previous videos, and it's clear that she is not doing as well as before. It crushes my heart, because I feel as though I've let her down in some way, or failed her by not paying closer attention, or realizing what was happening as her vision was regressing. Yes, the most important thing is that she is healthy and happy - and we are blessed that she is both! But, a part of me is really sad that her vision has regressed, and I am hopeful that she will get back to "normal"for her, like she was the second half of 2011. Fingers crossed!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Vacation-refreshed!
05/07/12 - We are back and rejuvenated from our vacation to Northern California! Sean and I left for 6 days, and brought the Min Pins with us. Leigh and Reo are both from California, so we joked that they were returning to their roots.
Reo did excellently on the trip - we are lucky to have such great traveling dogs! Reo did have a little trouble in her carrier in the airport. She wanted to be held, and seemed to be a little frightened of all the noises and hubub in the airport. She was panting quite a bit in her carrier, but settled right down as soon as we got on the plane (quiet, with hum of engines put her right to sleep).
I pulsed her Medrol dose every other day, and overall she did awesome! I know she was seeing some things, as the house we stayed in had steps, and she navigated them well some days, while some days she had trouble. More proof that her vision remains transient.
Here's a picture of where we stayed, and Reo exploring:
The property was dog-friendly and had two fully-fenced acres for doggie exploring. In Leigh and Reo's cases, the tall grass was barrier enough for them, thankfully (I was worried they'd want to go in the grass and I'd never find them!). There were lots of quail running around, and that was excited for the dogs! It was truly paradise there, and we all dreamed that it was our property!
The rest of the trip was spent wine tasting and driving around all day. We brought the pups with us - sometimes they came into the wineries with us if they were dog friendly, or they stayed in the car and patiently waited for us to return (best dogs ever!!). I packed their favorite bed, so just put that on the seat, and harnessed them into the seat belt - it worked really well!
Here's a cute picture of the rehydration effort during one stop (I love the look on Leigh's face in this picture!):
And, one final picture of Reo taking a sun nap while we taste wine on a gorgeous rooftop deck. It is the life!!
Overall, we are completely thrilled with the trip, and how Reo did traveling. With the exception of a couple of issues being in her carrier, she was relaxed, and seemed quite happy (I'm sure she was feeling us extra happy and relaxed, too!).
This gives us some confidence for our next trip in July - we plan to go to Southern California for a week, so fingers crossed that everyone does just as well on this trip!
Reo did excellently on the trip - we are lucky to have such great traveling dogs! Reo did have a little trouble in her carrier in the airport. She wanted to be held, and seemed to be a little frightened of all the noises and hubub in the airport. She was panting quite a bit in her carrier, but settled right down as soon as we got on the plane (quiet, with hum of engines put her right to sleep).
I pulsed her Medrol dose every other day, and overall she did awesome! I know she was seeing some things, as the house we stayed in had steps, and she navigated them well some days, while some days she had trouble. More proof that her vision remains transient.
Here's a picture of where we stayed, and Reo exploring:
The property was dog-friendly and had two fully-fenced acres for doggie exploring. In Leigh and Reo's cases, the tall grass was barrier enough for them, thankfully (I was worried they'd want to go in the grass and I'd never find them!). There were lots of quail running around, and that was excited for the dogs! It was truly paradise there, and we all dreamed that it was our property!
The rest of the trip was spent wine tasting and driving around all day. We brought the pups with us - sometimes they came into the wineries with us if they were dog friendly, or they stayed in the car and patiently waited for us to return (best dogs ever!!). I packed their favorite bed, so just put that on the seat, and harnessed them into the seat belt - it worked really well!
Here's a cute picture of the rehydration effort during one stop (I love the look on Leigh's face in this picture!):
And, one final picture of Reo taking a sun nap while we taste wine on a gorgeous rooftop deck. It is the life!!
Overall, we are completely thrilled with the trip, and how Reo did traveling. With the exception of a couple of issues being in her carrier, she was relaxed, and seemed quite happy (I'm sure she was feeling us extra happy and relaxed, too!).
This gives us some confidence for our next trip in July - we plan to go to Southern California for a week, so fingers crossed that everyone does just as well on this trip!
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