Beebe practices Agility
So, I took Beebe to the vet because of a tiny hairless lump on her lower lip and a balding patch of skin (growing in size) on her upper lip. In addition to her generalized skin allergies, grain intolerance, and puppy warts (papilomas) she had in her mouth and on her "underparts", it now turns out she has a histiocytoma (benign tumor related to immune function) AND an overwhelming amount of demodex mites (Dr said "Holy crap, look at all those mites!")
What is up with her immune system? Crappy breeding? Do any of you use or know of any products useful in boosting a dogs' immune function or any experience with this combination of symptoms?
What is up with her immune system? Crappy breeding? Do any of you use or know of any products useful in boosting a dogs' immune function or any experience with this combination of symptoms?
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Start with a good nutrition plan and continue working with your vet. Get some good quality food. There is a list of good foods on this forum. You could try adding missing link, sea meal/kelp and salmon oil to your pets food as a supplement to her kibble.
Take it one step at a time for each problem.
Here is some additional info on demodex mites http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/dem.html
Small button tumors are not uncommon on pups and are generally benign and go away in several months without any need to mess with them. I would be sure to get you pup spayed/neutered before the first heat cycle. Some of the other tumor issues you describe may go away once the hormones are under control. Here is info on button tumors.
http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com/dhistio.html
Good luck and don’t give up.... It will take time to get your pups body in balance.
Snf
Beebe has been diagnosed with a primary IgA deficiency ($198 lab work and consult), a probable heritable immune weakness and needs to have IV Interferon therapy ($200-400). I need to put her on (barf) Purina HA for a serious 6 week cardboard dog food diet trial ($80), and sort out her environmental allergens ($300 for subdermal testing and funny haircut). I will follow this with a series of desensitizing allergy shots ($300) and Ivermectin therapy for the mites (relatively cheap). I also need to do daily or weekly CBCs ($40) during the Interferon. I am in shock!
If I don't do the Interferon, she will eventually develop a malabsorbtion syndrome and not be able to digest any of her food and die, or she will die from some infection because her immune system is crap. I can't keep her in a bubble, so I have to do this but I am afraid of side effects, oh, and I guess I can't ever give her prednisone or live/modified live vaccines so goodbye dog parks :( She looks so pitiful right now and I know she doesn't feel good. She isn't herself. She's lethargic and pale. Poor baby! I just hope she feels better when this is all done. I feel so bad for her.
Anyways, I really appreciate all the input, you guys are a riot and really know your stuff, so thanks. Please keep your fingers crossed for Beebe to have the energy to endure her treatments. I will keep you updated.
Hang in there!
Best of luck with the treatment and management plan. Keep us informed on her progress.
I didn't realize dogs could be allergic to their humans! thats a twisted spin.
Sadly, she does like cute in that cone. I guess it doesn't matter what one is wearing, if you're cute, you look good in just about anything.
Here's some spam of Stinkblossum, playing with her agility set, pretending to be a beaver...
btw, what type of harness is she wearing? I noticed it on Ike on one of your other threads and was just curious to know more about it.
I'm glad she's doing better she's such a beautiful shiba inu also your lion statue looks nice I've been looking for a nice one to put by my mini bog garden. =)
That harness is pretty cool!
Beebe must have a Panda distant cousin or something :-P
All that chlorophyll she's munching on should be a huge helps to keep her breath fresh!
Oh, AKC finally sent me her PAL number. Now she's a "real" Shiba.
Shot a vid of her showing off her talents, she decided to do it in Shiba speed "you want me to do what? I'm going to think about first."