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!  

[Camilla and Darwin]

Hey Nancie, I just saw this. I'm so sorry that Gracie is having a rough time... :-(

I don't know anything about the medication but wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and Gracie.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

dearest Nancy and Gracie Doodle - advice really except to get a second opinion, from a specialist or university doctor.  Check out Ellen Case Codner's site.  She is outside of San Francisco (closer to San Jose).  She is one of two doctors in the US that is double qualified in internal veterinary medicine and veterinary dermatology.   We are all thinking kind thoughts for  you and your family and Gracie.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Nancie, we are so very sorry that Gracie is having bad reactions to the very medications that are supposed to help her and has such awful sounding bacterial infections.  I know how devoted you are to Gracie's well-being and how frustrated you must be not to get more specific "This is how to fix this" from the vet about her treatment and reactions to treatment.  Ned, Clancy, Gordie, Skip and I all send our love and support.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I also think that your next stop is to a specialist. 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Good luck, Nancie! I hope the new medicine works with no side effects. I will continue to keep sweet Gracie in my prayers. I really hate that she is going through any of this stuff.

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci: This is a large group of staphylococcal species that are usually lumped together. They are commonly found in or on healthy dogs and cats as part of the body's normal bacterial population. They are less common causes of disease. There is currently minimal concern about transmission to humans

http://www.wormsandgermsblog.com/2008/06/articles/animals/dogs/meth...

****

This is a different strain than the MRSA that is so resistant to antibiotics.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks Linda for the link.  I now feel a bit better where DH and I are concerned.  I was sort of creeped out last night laying in bed with my arms around Gracie thinking of all the bacteria but it still didn't stop me from kissing her and whispering in her ear.  The last two nights DH has managed to coax her up on to the bed with treats which she did every night without treats before.  She will let me snuggle her for maybe 10 minutes then she leaves or goes to the foot of the bed.  It just gets too hot for her.  

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Nancie, the picture of you 3 together warms my heart. I hope things improve by leaps and bounds soon.

[Christine & Camus]

Hi Nancie,  I agree with the suggestion that you have a consult with an animal dermatologist.  Camus is being treated by Dr. Boord an ACVD board-certified veterinary dermatologist in the San Diego. (I really like her.)  This is a link to all ACVD board-certified dermatologists in the San Diego area can be found at this link:

https://www.acvd.org/locator/locations.asp?Srch=w

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I 'm so glad that your vet agreed to try to contact Dr. Shelton and that you're looking for a university-connected specialist.

UC -Davis is one of the the top veterinary schools- #2 I think - right behind Cornell. A university/research facility will probably have seen many more specific cases like Gracie's and treated them successfully.  I hope that a team approach works for Gracie. I'm also thinking that if the prednisone has suppressed her immune system, this may not be an allergy --she may just be more prone to these secondary infections from bacteria that's found in a normal environment.  Oh for the day that medicine can reset an immune system to "healthy."  All our love and support -- we're praying for you and Gracie Girl.   

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thanks Cheryl...boy I agree with you...some day maybe for the "reset button".  Actually, I live in San Diego and it is University of California San Diego that Dr. Shelton is located.  UCD is the Davis campus which is the one with the fantastic veterinary school but way up in Sacramento 10 hours away.  Christine (Camus) works at UCSD and so she has been a great help with sending me links.  We will start with the second opinion appointment on Thursday and then take it from there.  I am researching the specialists now.  Thanks for such concern.  And how is Finn doing?  We get so wrapped up in our misery that we forget to reach out to others in the same situation.  Is the medication still working for him to be able to run and play with a pain free hip?  

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Isn't this a wonderful network of great people!  Finn seems to be doing well on the Dasaquin. No more episodes (knock on wood) of not being able to get up or limping.  I took him to VA last week and he got his first chance to romp on a beach. OMD he had the time of his life.  No doubt, FInn's idea of heaven is a beach.  But I was also worried about the stress of running on sand.  He was a little stiff afterwards but not enough to need pain medication.  He was more in danger of drowning since he ran into the waves with an open mouth and a big doodle smile on his face!  LOL. For the record, my sister says no self-respecting lab would do that :)  He goes back to the vet in a couple of weeks, and I've ordered the fish oil Karen suggested.  I'm also researching another supplement suggested by his breeder mom (she's been very concerned and supportive through all of this), My sister has a 15 year old mini dachshund, who was about to be euthanized 3 years ago for spinal problems. As a "hail Mary" she put him on the Dasaquin and last week he was doing a darn good job of keeping up with Finn.  Thanks for asking.