Auto Immune Disease

[whippet7777]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

My whippet Bran suffers from auto immune disease, the symptons come and go and consist of high temperature, joint stiffness, trembling and panting, he has been of courses of steroids and chemotherapy tablets and while these help i worry about the long term effect of taking them. Does anyone have any experiance of the disease and have any advice about alternative remedies or therapies that could help Bran? i would be very grateful for any help offered on this subject.

Thanks in anticipation, Sarah & Bran.

 

[Strike Whippets]

Hi, poor Bran ........I have one whos been on steroids for 3 years now .......I always feed her before giving her her tablets to save stomach problems in later life .........Shes not in pain unlike Bran will be in his flare up episodes, but she does get either very hot or cold quickly as I would imagine Bran can so I treat her accordingly ........Rhus Tox from health food shops is natural and may help ease his joints .........also I hear a gentle massage will also help .....something like trainers choice or polar lotion will be good ........I'm no expert though as I haven't lived with a dog with his AI problem, though there are people on here who have so you will get some more replies ......Hannah.

 

[whippet7777]

Hi, poor Bran    ........I have one whos been on steroids for 3 years now .......I always feed her before giving her her tablets to save stomach problems in later life .........Shes not in pain unlike Bran will be in his flare up episodes, but she does get either very hot or cold quickly as I would imagine Bran can so I treat her accordingly ........Rhus Tox from health food shops is natural and may help ease his joints .........also I hear a gentle massage will also help .....something like trainers choice or polar lotion will be good ........I'm no expert though as I haven't lived with a dog with his AI problem, though there are people on here who have so you will get some more replies ......Hannah.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

thanks for your reply, it helps to know there are others going thro similar, i hate to see Bran suffering and not being able to do anything to help, hes so playfull when hes feeling ok, its heart breaking to see him looking so poorly, he went back to vets this morning and she gave him a morhine injection, so hes been pretty zombie -fied today, tho he still managed to come for a walk with the other dogs this afternoon, tho he was very slow and wobbly

 

[Strike Whippets]

Poor lad ....It's horrible isn't it .......I've put a link to this topic in general discussion Whippets and Whippet showing ......Hopefully you'll get some more replies :thumbsup:

 

[alfyn]

Louisetope on here has a dog that suffers with auto immune I've just been searching for the link to her website,which,if i remember rightly,gives a lot of information about this dreadful disease.

It'd worth pm ing her :thumbsup:

I'm so sorry to here about poor Bran,lots of :huggles: for him!

 

[~JO~]

I know that Louise Tope on here has a dog with auto-immune problems, he has really battled through it and I know she has him nice and comfortable now, infact he won best veteran at Crufts last year!!

Hopefully she'll see your post, but if not you could try pm'ing her :thumbsup:

So sorry to hear about Brans problems

Oops posted same time as Debs, here is the link to Louises website Dewerstone whippets

 

[jayp]

Hi, Sorry to heara bout Bran, I have a whippet with immune mediated poliarthritis, There is a brilliant organisation called CANINE IMMUNE MEDIATED DISEASE AWARENESS, if you Google CIMDA their website is excellent. They are also conducting a survey which needs people with affected dogs to help.

Hope this may help Jan

 

[whippet7777]

Thanks to you all for your help and very usefull info, i will contact louise, also thank you for your kind words, it is so appreciated, and good to know how much you all care, :huggles:

 

[dessie]

I have had two Whippet with the AI symptoms you describe. The only way to treat is with high, and I mean very high, doses of Prednisolone for up to 5 days and then gradually reduce the dose but over months, not weeks, if you do not want a relapse. You have got to hit it hard and fast and not mess around with trying this and trying that.

One dog was treated in this manner and he never had a relapse, the 2nd one I got cocky and went against my Vet's advice and tailed off the Pred too soon. He relapsed badly and I thought he was going to die. However, we went back to square 1 with high doses of Pred and he must have been on it for about 6 months. He did not relapse again and was fit and well up until a year ago when my Vet diagnosed kidney failure. But he is still battling on at 14.5 years old now!! Silly old dog won't give in!!!

 

[whippet7777]

I have had two Whippet with the AI symptoms you describe.  The only way to treat is with high, and I mean very high, doses of Prednisolone for up to 5 days and then gradually reduce the dose but over months, not weeks, if you do not want a relapse.  You have got to hit it hard and fast and not mess around with trying this and trying that. 
One dog was treated in this manner and he never had a relapse, the 2nd one I got cocky and went against my Vet's advice and tailed off the Pred too soon.  He relapsed badly and I thought he was going to die.  However, we went back to square 1 with high doses of Pred and he must have been on it for about 6 months.  He did not relapse again and was fit and well up until a year ago when my Vet diagnosed kidney failure.  But he is still battling on at 14.5 years old now!!  Silly old dog won't give in!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I totally understand what you are saying about the pred. i too stopped giving it to Bran when he seemed fit and well again, as i worried about the long term risks of taking it.... now he is paying the price.

 

[dessie]

I have had two Whippet with the AI symptoms you describe.  The only way to treat is with high, and I mean very high, doses of Prednisolone for up to 5 days and then gradually reduce the dose but over months, not weeks, if you do not want a relapse.  You have got to hit it hard and fast and not mess around with trying this and trying that. 
One dog was treated in this manner and he never had a relapse, the 2nd one I got cocky and went against my Vet's advice and tailed off the Pred too soon.  He relapsed badly and I thought he was going to die.  However, we went back to square 1 with high doses of Pred and he must have been on it for about 6 months.  He did not relapse again and was fit and well up until a year ago when my Vet diagnosed kidney failure.  But he is still battling on at 14.5 years old now!!  Silly old dog won't give in!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I totally understand what you are saying about the pred. i too stopped giving it to Bran when he seemed fit and well again, as i worried about the long term risks of taking it.... now he is paying the price.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

If you undertake the regime for at least 12 weeks you shouldn't need to use Pred long term, it will be worth it in the end, believe me. Although, as Bran has relapsed I, personally, would go for the 12 weeks plus some by very gradually tailing off the Pred, i.e. doubling the days between doses each week, rather than halving the dose, if you understand what I mean!! Good luck :luck:

 

[morganna]

Just a quick hello to say that unfortunately I have had TWO EXPERIENCES of immune mediated disease in the forms of systemic lupus erythimosis in one dog and immune mediated thrombocytopenia in another.If I can help with any info on these two forms please let me know.

Morganna :sorcerer:

 

[whippet7777]

Just to let everyone who answered my post and showed concern about Bran, he is back on the prednisolone, 25mg twice a day and since its started to kick in he has shown a marked improvement, is much perkier and even getting back to his old scavenging ways! (heard him at the kitchen sink doing his own brand of washing up) so hopefully as time goes by the dosage will be reduced, but think it will be for the best to keep him on a tiny dose forever just to keep the disease in check, anyway we shall have to see how things go....thanks again for all your help and advice, penel from cimda support was a great help too, thanks for putting me in touch barbara, as was louise topes info on her website, will keep you all posted about Bran, sarah.

 

[urchin]

Hi Sarah

I don't have a dog with AI, but I do have a cat on long term prednisolone.

......he is now 14 which is good going for a Devon Rex.

One of the side effects of long term use of prednisolone is thinning of the skin (not good news for either whippies or Devons, who don't start off with a thick hide anyway) So, keep a special eye out for scrapes and tears particularly as he gets older - and also for sore patches where he gets sweaty in the summer. (Aloe Vera is very good for soothing and healing these, and won't add to the chemical load your boy's carrying.)

All the best for Bran Sarah

 

[BeeJay]

Just to let everyone who answered my post and showed concern about Bran, he is back on the prednisolone, 25mg twice a day and since its started to kick in he has shown a marked improvement, is much perkier and even getting back to his old scavenging ways! (heard him at the kitchen sink doing his own brand of washing up) so hopefully as time goes by the dosage will be reduced, but think it will be for the best to keep him on a tiny dose forever just to keep the disease in check, anyway we shall have to see how things go....thanks again for all your help and advice, penel from cimda support was a great help too, thanks for putting me in touch barbara, as was louise topes info on her website, will keep you all posted about Bran, sarah.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I hope that the pred sorts Bran out quickly and that you are able to take him off it entirely. I had a big scare a few years ago now with my deerhound Tally with suspected poly immune arthritis & meningitis but whilst under the care of a referral vet he was taken off the pred and so far he hasn't relapsed. (Fingers and toes tightly crossed and touching wood )

Penel and Louise were both a great help to me when Tally was ill.

Bran the dish washer saves on buying one. Hugs to him.

 

[whippet7777]

Hi SarahI don't have a dog with AI, but I do have a cat on long term prednisolone.

......he is now 14 which is good going for a Devon Rex.

One of the side effects of long term use of prednisolone is thinning of the skin (not good news for either whippies or Devons, who don't start off with a thick hide anyway) So, keep a special eye out for scrapes and tears particularly as he gets older - and also for sore patches where he gets sweaty in the summer. (Aloe Vera is very good for soothing and healing these, and won't add to the chemical load your boy's carrying.)

All the best for Bran Sarah

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

thanks for the info, i hadnt heard about the skin thinning...its good to hear that your cat is doing well and has reached a fine age, thanks for your good wishes, bran is getting loads of hugs and love, hes been a brave boy!

:thumbsup:

 

[whippet7777]

Just to let everyone who answered my post and showed concern about Bran, he is back on the prednisolone, 25mg twice a day and since its started to kick in he has shown a marked improvement, is much perkier and even getting back to his old scavenging ways! (heard him at the kitchen sink doing his own brand of washing up) so hopefully as time goes by the dosage will be reduced, but think it will be for the best to keep him on a tiny dose forever just to keep the disease in check, anyway we shall have to see how things go....thanks again for all your help and advice, penel from cimda support was a great help too, thanks for putting me in touch barbara, as was louise topes info on her website, will keep you all posted about Bran, sarah.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I hope that the pred sorts Bran out quickly and that you are able to take him off it entirely. I had a big scare a few years ago now with my deerhound Tally with suspected poly immune arthritis & meningitis but whilst under the care of a referral vet he was taken off the pred and so far he hasn't relapsed. (Fingers and toes tightly crossed and touching wood )

Penel and Louise were both a great help to me when Tally was ill.

Bran the dish washer saves on buying one. Hugs to him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

thanks barbara, hugs to tally too! :huggles: