Question For Those Familiar With Prednisone -UPDATE

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

So many of you know that we are fighting an autoimmune disease called Masticatory Myositis with Prednisone. Gracie Doodle has pretty much been on it since April 22 with a one month remission...or so we though!  Things just keep getting worse and worse from the side effects of the medication.  Gracie is losing her hair and now in the last few weeks has sores that become bloody cropping up on her heels and between her toes.  She was treated with an antibiotic for 3 weeks which sort of kept it a bay but when we stopped the medication it came raging back on all feet.  The doctor took a scraping last week and sent it to the lab to be cultured.  He looked in his microscope and saw "rods" instead of the round cells you usually see.  He said rods are not good because it is a different type of bacteria that is harder to fight and requires a specific type of antibiotic.  That is why the culture is being done.  They need to find an antibiotic to give her that will kill the bacteria.  He is confused because dogs are put ON Prednisone a lot when they have hot spots or skin allergies.  My Doodle is responding the wrong way...she should NOT be getting skin sores on her body!  Gracie's skin has always been perfect with not one hot spot or sore...100% healthy and perfect...until now!  Last night she was playing in the back yard with her "monsters".  DH throws them over the roof from the kitchen porch and she runs out and intercepts them on the lawn.  They do this all the time.  But this time she came in with a dripping bloody foot.  She had lost her toe nail on the outside back toe and all that is showing is a white pulpy looking stump!  WTD now?  There was blood all over the walk way from the lawn and then on my sea grass rug under the kitchen table.  I tried to clean it up but she was none too cooperative and I just needed to get the bleeding to stop. Finally I put a huge gauze pad on it and wrapped it with the stretch wrap.  Then I put one of her Muttluks on.  Today we washed her feet with an antibiotic shampoo and I then put one of my socks on and wrapped it to keep it on.  She wants to lick it but is also walking with her toes up in the air putting her weight on the back heel of her foot.  For the last couple of weeks her toe nails have been bleeding on the end because she is wearing them down to the quick from running for her tennis ball.  But this is an activity she has done every day of her life!  This leads me to think there is something wrong with the integrity of her nails and they are softening up because of the Prednisone. 

So my question is...if Prednisone can cause you to lose your hair then can it cause your "nails" (claws) to fall off?  I am only asking because both hair and nails are made of the same thing, therefore if it is attacking the hair might it also attack the integrity of the nail or nail bed?  Needless to say...Calling the Vet in the morning!  I am suppose to hear from him this week about her culture and go pick up her antibiotic.  I also am making a call to another vet to get a second opinion!  I don't know how much more this happy, sad, happy, sad girl can take (Gracie...me too!)  If she could only talk and tell me where she hurts and how she feels.  So sad :(

UPDATE

Today we got Gracie's culture back for the skin problems.  She has three types of bacterial infections going on in her body!  I am going to list them because I know of at least two of you who are going to give it some thought and research.

1.  Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

2.  Pseudomonas aeruginosa

3.  Methicillin resistant coagulase negative staph species

Organism #1 has an abundant growth , #2 has a Moderate growth and #3 has a Moderate growth.

The vet then had to look at the list of antibiotics that are resistant and ones that work and come up with one that will take care of all three.  Lucky for me...It is only $200 for a one month supply giving one tablet a day.  Zeniquin 100 mg.  I then asked what the side effects would be with THIS drug.  He said oh...maybe some diarrhea and upset stomach.  I just got her back to normal from a huge case of diarrhea.  All I know is that every time we add a new drug we get huge set backs and something else crops up!!

 

I did mention this Dr. Shelton who is at UCSD right here in San Diego who studies neuromuscular diseases one of which is Gracie's Masticatory Myositis.  She is the one who discovered the 2M Antibody Blood Test which we had ($400).   You can't e-mail her unless you are a Vet.  I asked my Vet if maybe he should try to contact her and he asked me why??  I just sort of went blank.  He said we know Gracie has it and we are treating it exactly as the protocol calls for.  It is the Prednisone we are having issues with.  So I guess that is out and he won't be contacting her.  Now that I have the culture results back I am ready to call another vet for a second opinion.  I wanted to have the most updated facts available to give him before making the appointment.  So I am off to make a phone call!  

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

F...I knew I could count on you for some research but WTD?  You mean we, the humans, are in danger of these bacterias?  I never gave it much of a thought but now I can see that we probably are.  Geez, I am doomed if so.  I hug Gracie all the time, stroke her legs, massage her neck and head and work on her feet (which is where the sores are).  Besides, she walks all over the house on the carpet and hardwood floors, she is up on our bed, in my car...she is everywhere that we are.  I guess I need to get on Google and see if I can find anything out.  Thanks for the heads up!  The vet did make a call to the Dr. Shelton so we might be hearing back.  Meanwhile, a Lab came into the clinic today and was just diagnosed with the same disease!  WTD?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well, the staph also know as MRSA is resistant to the usual antibiotics. I think you should be fine but be wary if you have any open sores or cuts. But yes, these bacteria certainly do infect people. Just wash up well after touching Gracie, impossible I know. Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon. I'm glad your vet called Dr. Shelton. Maybe some good will come from that.

[Jennifer and Jack]

Geeze they look like my cultures! I have Pseduomonas too. It is very common and lots of good drugs to get rid of it. I highly recommend probiotics for her....that will help her tummy a lot....I am glad you are getting a second opinion it is always a good idea.

Sometimes I found they treat. Dog infections with the same antibiotics as humans..I have given a to of really expensive antibiotics to the animal hospital...if they change her antibiotics or add any let me know..i have just about every antibiotic known to man for PA and MRSA. And I will be happy to send you some to save money.....

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Jen, you are just so sweet.  What a nice thing to offer.  I have Pet Insurance and I am pretty much sure they cover her Rx.  Not maintenance ones like vaccines, etc. but ones for a medical problem the yes.  Boy, thank God for insurance!!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Oh Nancie ~ it really upsets me when a person gives me a response like that.  She is your "baby" and of course you just want her to get the best treatment possible so she can get well asap! I do hope your appt Thursday goes well.  Best wishes! 

[GBK]

Me too!  Can't wait to see what the second opinion is.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Linda...I went back to the vet this afternoon to pick up some spray for Gracie's feet and the vet came out.  He said that he did send either a Voice Mail or E-Mail to the UCSD doctor so maybe she will get back to him.  Oh, by the way, he had a Lab come in this afternoon that he just diagnosed with the same disease...and I thought it was suppose to be rare!  Maybe that is what lit a fire under him to make the contact.  Thanks, I'll update and I go!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I think a second opinion was a perfectly valid request and one that your vet should have happily agreed to. 

This is what I read.

Azothioprine therapy may be added in cases that do not respond optimally to corticosteroids alone or where the side effects of the corticosteroids cannot be tolerated.

I am hoping that you get some answers and direction leading to a good outcome for Gracie very soon.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I think that the current plan that my vet has is to get Gracie to the one pill a day which happens next Thursday on September 6th.  Then we wait and see if in a week or so the jaw pain comes back.  That is what happened last time we went from two pills to one pill.  If that happens then she goes back up to two pills and we add the Azothioprine.  I will be asking about all this this Thursday when we meet with the other vet for the second opinion.  He was Gracie's original vet and then he left the clinic and I was unable to locate him.  I Googled him and found that he purchased his own Animal Hospital but it is not immediately in my neighborhood.  No matter, it is only a 1/2 hour drive and I would drive to the ends of the earth for Gracie Doodle!  Thanks for the info.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

So glad you are getting a second opinion Nancie. I just can't seem to get Gracie off my mind and have been wondering if a second opinion might be the way to go. Just to have someone take a fresh look at her that hasn't already made up their mind.  Hoping for better days soon for all of you!

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Nancie, I am so sorry Gracie is having such a bad time.  I wouldn't worry about bacteria #3, it is common in normal, healthy dogs.  The pseudomonas will respond to the Zeniquin.  From what I read on the Vet sites the side effects are more likely lack of appetite and vomiting. "The following signs were reported in less than 1% of cases in dogs: increased thirst, soft stool/diarrhea, behavioral changes, shivering/shaking/tremors, and ataxia".

I don't know what to say about #1; I read it is more common in farm animals.  It can cause infection (pus).  I haven't found what they treat it with.  Maybe someone else can chime in.  Kisses to Gracie from Webber.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks for the info Linda.  I am off to Google away all my questions.  F brought up the fact that the staph could possibly be transmitted to us so I have to see if I can get an answer to that question.