BLOG DISCLAIMER

**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!

If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.

If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).

Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!

Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".

Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.




Tuesday, February 19, 2013

New(ish) post from Dr. Plechner on SARDS

02/19/13

Hope everyone is doing well!  We are all great, here, including Ms. Reo, who is as sassy as ever!  I recently went on a vacation and left the dogs with Sean - I was nervous, as I hadn't left Reo in nearly a year!  I'm happy to report that she did GREAT, and Sean did a wonderful job keeping to her schedule and meal regimen.  :)

Dr. Plechner has re-worked his website.  Though it looks nicer, a lot of his resources are missing, which makes me sad.

He has written a few new articles on SARDS, for your consideration:

Three case studies:
http://drplechner.com/learn/specific-diseases/sards-clinical-case-studies/

Overview:
http://drplechner.com/learn/specific-diseases/sards/

As you might remember, my own personal opinion is that Caroline Levin knows so much about treating SARDS specifically, and her recommendations for retinal protection supplements can be of great help to newly-diagnosed SARDS dogs.  Her treatment is based off of Dr. Plechner's ideas.  For Reo, I felt that a combination of Levin's and Plechner's treatment suggestions were the very best choice for Reo, and helped restore her vision in 5 months.  If I had to go back, I would do the same treatment (albeit much more quickly).
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2 comments:

  1. the lonely ghoulFebruary 24, 2013 at 4:11 PM

    I checked out Dr. Plechner's site and attempted to read his interview about Plechner's Syndrome versus Cushings...and ended up just very confused. But maybe I could print it out and present it to my vet, and see what she says. Because currently my dog (a Chinese Crested named Atti, who is 8) has a Cushings diagnosis and I'm not so sure that's correct.

    I just was curious, with all the treatments Reo went through did any of the weight gain go away? Or the excessive thirst and incontinence? I'm more concerned about these other symptoms, and not so much the blindness because that has already happened. Nothing we can do anymore.

    I know I have been told if I treat for Cushings those symptoms may go away...but if it isn't Cushings then I'm basically just pumping my dog full of dangerous meds that he does not need, which I'm sure cannot be good.

    So any advice or experience would be helpful!

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  2. Lynn L.February 24, 2013 at 7:13 PM

    Hi Nicole, check out some of the resources from Caroline Levin: http://www.petcarebooks.com/research.htm - she does well explaining the condition to people without scientific backgrounds. Reo has been on the treatment protocol for 2 years - and all of her symptoms have gone away (it took a few months, but everything subsided once her hormones got back under control).

    It's true nothing can be done for blindness at this point, but if Atti is still uncomfortable, you could always consider having his blood tested for hormonal imbalances, and treat if he has issues. The treatment is quite inexpensive.

    Has he had his thyroid checked recently?

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