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!  

[Pauline Rackley]

Hi, We live near the University of NC vet school which is the best place for difficult cases. There are specialists in every field and their medicine is comprable to human medicine. Unfortunately, I have had to utilize their services several times. To get an appointment, a referral from a veterinarian is needed or you can go in as emergency to their emergency clinic. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to take advantage of their knowlege. Time is of the essence when dealing with complicated issues as sometimes more damage can be done with the wrong treatments. (ps I am a registered vet tech for many years and work at a hospital with several vets who utilize this resource freely)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Nancie, no advice here all I can do is offer you prayers and let you now that I am thinking of you and Gracie.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Nancie, I have no advice either. I just wanted to say I will keep Gracie in my prayers. Hugs to all of you!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm so sorry that you and Gracie are going through all this.  It must be so difficult to watch her and not be able to do anything to make her better.  Sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers....and a big hug.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Nancie,  I'm so sad to hear this. I pray that you get some answers and that Gracie starts to feel better soon.  Hugs!  

[Pam & Trixie]

I too have no advice.

But wanted  to say that I hope you can get some answers from someone soon.

My prayers for you & Gracie Doodle.  I hope she feels better very soon.

[Margaret & Pebbles]

Prayers being said, so sorry this happening to your beautiful girl.

[Michele, Biscuit & Mo]

Nancie, I'm not a vet but this just does not sound right.  Our Penny was on Prednisone for over a year with her mast cell cancer and experienced the usual side effects that others have mentioned here.  The odd thing is that the side effects you DO mention often come with chemotherapy drugs.  Your vet may have all good intentions, but I would get Gracie to another vet for at least a second... if not a third... opinion.  My heart breaks for you - keep us posted and give Gracie a big gentle hug from me!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, now that you mention this, the hair loss, skin sores and toe nails coming off were all symptoms my mother experienced with chemotherapy drugs.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Is is POSSIBLE the meds got mixed up when being dispensed?

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Great thought Anne.  I highly doubt it because I have had to renew the Rx quite a few times and I would think the mistake would only be a one time thing and not over and over!  But...???

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

What if it got written incorrectly or recorded incorrectly or misread the first time and every time you get it, you get the same mistake?????? hmmmmm....