11/02/11 - Today marks Reo's 38th week of treatment for SARDS. Time flies! She is doing quite well these days. I made a couple of changes to her diet yesterday. I stopped giving her the Vetri-DMG for now. I previously posted that I thought she didn't really need it, since her liver and immune system are in good shape. I do have some left, should she need to go on it again.
Yesterday evening, I mixed in some ZiwiPeak Venison food into her Addiction. Both Reo and Leigh LOVED it in their dinner and breakfast. Must be all that organ meat that's in there!! Mmmmmm....tasty! The texture of the food is a little weird - it's kind of like little pieces of beef jerky. It doesn't quite rehydrate like I would expect from The Honest Kitchen or Addiction, but the dogs seem to love it, nonetheless. I will have to be careful on weight gain, though, since it is very calorie dense (much more so than the other foods they've eaten).
Anyway, the post title suggested a sweet story, and I don't want to let you down, so please visit the link below for the story of two Great Danes, one of whom lost both of her eyes, and the other who acts as a "seeing eye dog" for her friend. Warms the heart! And, if you happen to be reading from the UK, both of these girls need a new home!
Click to read about Lily and Maddison
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Fighting the good fight
11/01/11 - I seriously cannot believe it is November!!
Below is a link to a useful blog post, co-written by Dr. Plechner and David Spangenburg (blog owner, and co-author of one of Dr. P's upcoming books). There are some anecdotes in there about veterinarians' resistance to low-dose cortisol replacement. It rings true if you've gone through what Reo and I have been through!
It's really interesting how medical doctors are more receptive to this type of therapy for humans than vets are for dogs! Not sure why that is, but I think wondrous things can happen to and for people if one can open one's mind and step outside one's comfort zone from time to time! :)
Check out this blog post:
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Howl-o-ween!
Happy Halloween!!
from Reo, the punk rocker!
ANARCHYYYYYY (or dog treats!!)
And, also, from Leigh the butterfly:
And Tula the Doberman:
"Yes, I am dressed as a squirrel...what of it??"
Hope you and your pups all have a very safe holiday!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Back and Forth...
10/28/11 - Happy Friday! I am looking forward to the weekend. Fall has definitely fallen, and there are a lot of leaves to be raked! I hope that it's sunny this weekend, so we can all be outside while we pick up nature's lovely, colorful mess.
Reo has been doing okay this week. Her vision is definitely variable, which frustrates me. Sometimes it's like she can't see anything at all, and other times, she seems to be at ~80% or so. It's strange to me how it can change in a matter of minutes - makes me wonder what the heck is going on in that retina! I usually know when she's not seeing because she will use her nose more to sniff around to help find her way. Her vision remains quite good outside or in bright lighting.
Mood-wise, she is fantastic. I know I've said this before, but she hasn't acted this spritely in a couple of years, so to see her so playful and happy is truly amazing. Sean always says that this is the most important part (and I do agree...I just want some of her vision to stay, too!). We most certainly have our dog back, in terms of her personality!
All of her "functions" have been normal, too, which is good. I have noticed the past two mornings, she's gotten up earlier than normal, and has panted a few times under the covers in bed. This usually makes me question her estrogen levels, as this was a primary symptom in January/February this year (she couldn't tolerate sleeping under the covers without panting, whereas pre-hormonal imbalance she'd just be a little briquet under the covers till morning). So, panting makes me think of the heat intolerance that comes with high estrogen levels. On the other hand, I'm a really hot sleeper - in the winter, I like the temperature to be around 58 in the house (for sleeping, not during the day!) and all warm and snuggly under the covers. So lately, I've been warm since the house is in the 60s, which is hopefully why Reo has been panting on occasion (which is ameliorated by my bringing her up on top of the covers).
Reo seems to tolerate the lutein supplement quite well. I haven't noticed any changes, either good or bad. I think I'll just keep her on the every other day dose for the time being. She has plenty of antioxidants from the Cell Advance - the lutein is just an added one to hopefully help protect those valuable retinal cells.
However, I decided to take her off the Vetri-DMG liquid in the next week or so, as Reo's last CBC revealed that her liver enzymes were in good shape (and as her hormone levels become more balanced, this will make her liver happier as well). The Vetri-DMG also stimulates the immune system, and I don't want *too* many immune system stimulants going on. I'd like to cut down supplements where I can, as I don't want her to be a science experiment forever! Dr. Lanz uses the Vetri-DMG for liver and immune support, but Reo is doing well in both of those areas at the moment, so it's safe to stop.
Reo has been doing okay this week. Her vision is definitely variable, which frustrates me. Sometimes it's like she can't see anything at all, and other times, she seems to be at ~80% or so. It's strange to me how it can change in a matter of minutes - makes me wonder what the heck is going on in that retina! I usually know when she's not seeing because she will use her nose more to sniff around to help find her way. Her vision remains quite good outside or in bright lighting.
Mood-wise, she is fantastic. I know I've said this before, but she hasn't acted this spritely in a couple of years, so to see her so playful and happy is truly amazing. Sean always says that this is the most important part (and I do agree...I just want some of her vision to stay, too!). We most certainly have our dog back, in terms of her personality!
All of her "functions" have been normal, too, which is good. I have noticed the past two mornings, she's gotten up earlier than normal, and has panted a few times under the covers in bed. This usually makes me question her estrogen levels, as this was a primary symptom in January/February this year (she couldn't tolerate sleeping under the covers without panting, whereas pre-hormonal imbalance she'd just be a little briquet under the covers till morning). So, panting makes me think of the heat intolerance that comes with high estrogen levels. On the other hand, I'm a really hot sleeper - in the winter, I like the temperature to be around 58 in the house (for sleeping, not during the day!) and all warm and snuggly under the covers. So lately, I've been warm since the house is in the 60s, which is hopefully why Reo has been panting on occasion (which is ameliorated by my bringing her up on top of the covers).
Reo seems to tolerate the lutein supplement quite well. I haven't noticed any changes, either good or bad. I think I'll just keep her on the every other day dose for the time being. She has plenty of antioxidants from the Cell Advance - the lutein is just an added one to hopefully help protect those valuable retinal cells.
However, I decided to take her off the Vetri-DMG liquid in the next week or so, as Reo's last CBC revealed that her liver enzymes were in good shape (and as her hormone levels become more balanced, this will make her liver happier as well). The Vetri-DMG also stimulates the immune system, and I don't want *too* many immune system stimulants going on. I'd like to cut down supplements where I can, as I don't want her to be a science experiment forever! Dr. Lanz uses the Vetri-DMG for liver and immune support, but Reo is doing well in both of those areas at the moment, so it's safe to stop.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Tricks or treats? TREATS!
10/24/11 - We had a nice fall weekend! Friday night I took Reo and Leigh for a nice long walk (while Sean took Tula to the dog park). It was sunny, and neither too cold nor too hot for walking - the best!
Earlier in the week, I cooked a rabbit for all the dogs. This was a special treat that I used as a meal topper. All three of our dogs have a penchant for chasing rabbits, so I was sure they'd enjoy the meat! That they did, for sure. They all tolerated it very well, too - no loose stools.
Saturday was a house project kind of a day, and Reo was very involved in the supervision of all tasks. I had to go to the store to pick up a few things, and on a whim got some doggie costumes for Halloween. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I will post them up on this blog for all to enjoy!
Sunday, Reo's stomach aliens came back, so she refused breakfast. As usual, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the aliens. I had to force down her morning hormone meds, and around noon or so, she started feeling better. She got a small meal in the early afternoon, and ate all of her dinner!
I noticed that the skin on Reo's stomach (mostly on her sides toward her back legs) is really dark. I know that darkened skin is a symptom of increased estrogen levels, which isn't great news. On the other hand, a lot of her chest hair is growing back. Hopefully the two symptoms counteract each other, and her estrogen levels are okay. Planning to get another EI-1 panel in December...
I cooked up some organic chicken thighs for the dogs' meal topper this week. As a bonus, Sean and I had a whole chicken for dinner, so the dogs got the gizzards from that chicken in with their thigh meat! Tasty for them. I've also scaled back the food amounts on all the dogs. With the cooler temperatures, it means less walking, which means ounces gained for both dogs and humans!
Earlier in the week, I cooked a rabbit for all the dogs. This was a special treat that I used as a meal topper. All three of our dogs have a penchant for chasing rabbits, so I was sure they'd enjoy the meat! That they did, for sure. They all tolerated it very well, too - no loose stools.
Saturday was a house project kind of a day, and Reo was very involved in the supervision of all tasks. I had to go to the store to pick up a few things, and on a whim got some doggie costumes for Halloween. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I will post them up on this blog for all to enjoy!
Sunday, Reo's stomach aliens came back, so she refused breakfast. As usual, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the aliens. I had to force down her morning hormone meds, and around noon or so, she started feeling better. She got a small meal in the early afternoon, and ate all of her dinner!
I noticed that the skin on Reo's stomach (mostly on her sides toward her back legs) is really dark. I know that darkened skin is a symptom of increased estrogen levels, which isn't great news. On the other hand, a lot of her chest hair is growing back. Hopefully the two symptoms counteract each other, and her estrogen levels are okay. Planning to get another EI-1 panel in December...
I cooked up some organic chicken thighs for the dogs' meal topper this week. As a bonus, Sean and I had a whole chicken for dinner, so the dogs got the gizzards from that chicken in with their thigh meat! Tasty for them. I've also scaled back the food amounts on all the dogs. With the cooler temperatures, it means less walking, which means ounces gained for both dogs and humans!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Autumn sassy time
10/19/11 - Yesterday, I got home from work and promptly took all the dogs out for a walk. It was a little chilly, a little breezy, and the squirrels were busy hiding acorns for winter! There is a big acorn tree two houses down from us, and the cars parked underneath are constantly bombarded by falling acorns - it's amazing the cars aren't dented!
Anyway, all the dogs were feeling so spirited, it made me laugh just to watch them. I grew up with horses, and fall was always the most fun time to ride because the horses were so spirited and sassy - just full of themselves! This is how our dogs were acting yesterday. Reo was in her full-on "stalker" run. She has a special way of trotting along when she's "hunting" for squirrels. She gets lower to the ground and takes longer strides (as opposed to her normal min pin hackney). It made for a fun, brisk walk.
This morning it was the coldest it's been so far since the summer, with a little rain to boot, so none of the dogs was interested in being outside for a second longer than needed! They did their morning business and then ran back, shivering! Reo, being Reo, was feeling sassy and so promptly attacked two of her toys after coming inside while she waited (not-so-patiently!) for breakfast.
Fall is in the air!
Anyway, all the dogs were feeling so spirited, it made me laugh just to watch them. I grew up with horses, and fall was always the most fun time to ride because the horses were so spirited and sassy - just full of themselves! This is how our dogs were acting yesterday. Reo was in her full-on "stalker" run. She has a special way of trotting along when she's "hunting" for squirrels. She gets lower to the ground and takes longer strides (as opposed to her normal min pin hackney). It made for a fun, brisk walk.
This morning it was the coldest it's been so far since the summer, with a little rain to boot, so none of the dogs was interested in being outside for a second longer than needed! They did their morning business and then ran back, shivering! Reo, being Reo, was feeling sassy and so promptly attacked two of her toys after coming inside while she waited (not-so-patiently!) for breakfast.
Fall is in the air!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Lutein and why I'm using it
10/17/11 - Today, I received the Source Naturals Lutein supplement in the mail (thanks Amazon.com!). I opened it up, and saw small, pretty purpley colored capsules. I opened up a capsule and tasted the supplement, and was delighted that it was not bitter in the least - it has a slightly sweet flavor. This means that it will be palatable to Reo (who is on the edge already with the bitter-tasting Cell Advance and Phosphatidyl Serine in her meals).
It appears that lutein is well-tolerated by dogs, but for now my plan is to start out with the supplement every other day to see how she tolerates it. In this paper: Dietary lutein stimulates immune response in the canine, 25-lb beagles were given daily amounts of lutein in either 5, 10, or 20 mg dosages. The paper didn't cite any adverse effects, and it appears that it took about 2 weeks for the beagles' serum lutein levels to increase. I'll see how Reo does on the 6 mg dosage every other day for a couple of weeks, and then potentially increase to daily.
Why the heck am I giving Reo another supplement, you ask? (It's okay if you asked that...Sean asked too!) I decided to supplement the lutein based on these two studies (as well as the regularly available information that lutein is good for eyes in general, people too!):
It appears that lutein is well-tolerated by dogs, but for now my plan is to start out with the supplement every other day to see how she tolerates it. In this paper: Dietary lutein stimulates immune response in the canine, 25-lb beagles were given daily amounts of lutein in either 5, 10, or 20 mg dosages. The paper didn't cite any adverse effects, and it appears that it took about 2 weeks for the beagles' serum lutein levels to increase. I'll see how Reo does on the 6 mg dosage every other day for a couple of weeks, and then potentially increase to daily.
Why the heck am I giving Reo another supplement, you ask? (It's okay if you asked that...Sean asked too!) I decided to supplement the lutein based on these two studies (as well as the regularly available information that lutein is good for eyes in general, people too!):
If you've read Caroline Levin's position on SARDS, you might remember that she states that vision loss occurs due to mitochondrial damage in the retinal cells due to the uptake of calcium (which happens as a result of increased estrogen levels).
It appears that the energy-dependent uptake of
calcium ions by the mitochondria is inhibited by lutein, which also helps to
efflux (pump out) calcium ions from mitochondria, as this paper states. So you might think that if there is enough lutein present in the eye, it would help prevent the uptake of calcium if estrogen levels are high.
As well, this paper asserts that lutein and its isomer zeaxanthan help to prevent the apoptosis (killing of cells) of photoreceptor cells in the retina, through their antioxidant properties.
You can read more about lutein on Wikipedia. There are also rich dietary sources of lutein, if you are cooking for your dog! Cooked kale and cooked spinach are both naturally very high in lutein, so these would be good choices to put in your dog's veggie mix!
You can read more about lutein on Wikipedia. There are also rich dietary sources of lutein, if you are cooking for your dog! Cooked kale and cooked spinach are both naturally very high in lutein, so these would be good choices to put in your dog's veggie mix!
Reo ate up her dinner lickety-split, so we are underway!
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