Help Me, Please - Lupus?

[~Anne~]

Hey everyone, I haven't really been on for some time and im back because Dol is the only place I can think of where I might find some answers.

Olivia, my now almost 12 year old pug, is suffering badly at the moment and my vets are scratching for answers. It seems that the veterinary pathologists are also.

Approximately 8 weeks ago the skin on Olivia's abdomen became very red and inflamed and small hot spots began to spring up all over her body. This began to spread to her chest and under her front legs. It has continued to intermittently worsen. It's spreading slowly and is far more severe than ever. Her skin is blistered in places. She has some days of respite where it begins to clear and then it comes back, worse than ever.

She's had 2 cortisone shots, is on prednisone, antibiotics, and various creams including neocort and Novasone.

She's miserable and not eating very well. I've managed to keep her going on chicken and cream cheese but this becomes harder every day. She's a pug and not eating is really unusual and a measure of how unwell she is. She's drinking more water.

The vets finally pegged it as discoid lupus erythematous and have taken biopsies. The tests were sent to a specialist laboratory as it requires specialist diagnoses. They've now sent it to another specialist laboratory as the results are unusual. I'm not sure yet what that means.

Meanwhile, a week after the biopsy and 8 weeks in, she is still suffering and it's worsening. Her spine is showing, her ribs are beginning to show. She's flat and miserable and I feel useless.

It's not an allergy. There is nothing that suggests she has suddenly developed one. The pred tabs, cortisone injections, and crimes are not working.

Does anyone have any clue? Has anyone got any experience with lupus?

Edited June 25, 2016 by ~Anne~

[Staff'n'Toller]

No idea sorry...I found this from one of our skin specialists in Vic: http://www.skinvet.org/downloads/2584026/Discoid+Lupus+Erythematosus+in+Dogs.pdf

Also this: https://www.zoetisus.com/Conditions/Pages/Dermatology/lupus-erythematosus.aspx

You need a consult with a skin specialist or internal medicine specialist if her condition is not improving.

You might also need to consider some critical/urgent care high calorie prescription food and/or nutrigel to help keep her condition- but check with your vet first to ensure the food is compatible with her medical history i.e. no previous pancreatitis etc.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Staff'n'Toller

[Kavik]

Zoe was diagnosed with Lupus when she was 13, similar presenting sypmtoms of skin issues, though hers were only on her lower legs. She was also diagnosed with kidney failure around the same time. The vet suggested regular washing with Malaseb, and due to her kidney issues I put her on the K/D diet.

Actually, sorry, I think the Lupus she was diagnosed with is the other one, the systemic one, not the skin only one.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Kavik

[~Anne~]

Thanks. I've read similar documents and she's been on the appropriate treatment for DLE for 9 days now and it's still getting worse. It initially began to improve but then flared up wprse than ever on Thursday.

The pathology lab can't give any answers yet as they're now consulting with another specialist lab because of the 'unusaual' results. The vets are hoping for an answer on Monday. The biopsy was taken Friday before last.

[~Anne~]

Thanks staff - just read your edited post. She only has one functioning kidney and is on cd Prescriptives. I've been trying to encourage her to have this by adding freshly steamed chicken. The creme cheese is for the medication.

Any suggestions of food types for her?

Thanks, Kavik. I was washing her with malaseb but can't at the moment because she has sutures from the biopsies. The other issue is the cold. Hair dryers on hot will hurt her skin more nad it's far too cold to leave her damp. I've begun to use cold cloths on her skin to try and ease it for her. It's awful. She looks like she's suffering burns all over her body. .

Edited June 25, 2016 by ~Anne~

[Scottsmum]

No advice - just wanted to show support. What a stressful situation for you both.

[Dogsfevr]

My dog who has always had chicken of some form started to come out in hots spots,scabby sores & little blisters,He was 7 yrs old

Now has no chicken of any form & all is good,he was tested for varying things with no answer,over 12 months now & everything has settled no sores to be seen .

The chicken may not be an issue but never say never .I would maybe discuss changing her diet to see especially if losing condition

Some suggest rubbing coconut oil on the sores with the issue your dog may have but how proven that is is another thing

[westiemum]

No advice Anne - just support and big hugs. Really feeling for you and your girl.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Thanks staff - just read your edited post. She only has one functioning kidney and is on cd Prescriptives. I've been trying to encourage her to have this by adding freshly steamed chicken. The creme cheese is for the medication.

Any suggestions of food types for her?

Thanks, Kavik. I was washing her with malaseb but can't at the moment because she has sutures from the biopsies. The other issue is the cold. Hair dryers on hot will hurt her skin more nad it's far too cold to leave her damp. I've begun to use cold cloths on her skin to try and ease it for her. It's awful. She looks like she's suffering burns all over her body. .

You can ask your vet to call Hill's helpline and liaise with the technical vets there, your vet can also forward them any relevant history and they can make the best suggestions - it's a free service. :)

I'm not sure where you reside at the moment but I think you can do email/skype consultation with Rob Hilton - he would charge for this though.

Best of luck.

[~Anne~]

Thanks everyone. Showdogs, we've ruled out allergies because of the presentation. Her skin isn't itchy, it's sore and blistered and it's not just her skin. She's losing interest in food, is low in energy and I'm scared that I'm losing her.

Staff - I live on the south coast of nsw. If the pathologist can't give me an answer on Monday or Tuesday I'm heading to Sydney to find someone who can help before I lose her. I'm sure SASH or Sydney Uni will have someone.

A Canadian friend is currently treating a dog with mrsp and pemphigus. I'm wondering if she could have something coupled with mrsp too.

[persephone]

sounds as if her old body is fighting hard ...

So sorry , Anne .

[~Anne~]

I've driven her up to Sydney and she's been admitted to the ARH. She's on oxygen, in a closed in perspex cage thing, and they're testing her. I was getting too scared I'd lose her and rang my old vets at West Ryde and spoke with David. I wish I had spoken to him earlier.

Anyway, I feel relieved she's in good hands. Fingers crossed for my miss muppet.

[persephone]

Oh Dear poor old girl is really struggling - but that extra care will make her more comfortable .

[Scottsmum]

I've driven her up to Sydney and she's been admitted to the ARH. She's on oxygen, in a closed in perspex cage thing, and they're testing her. I was getting too scared I'd lose her and rang my old vets at West Ryde and spoke with David. I wish I had spoken to him earlier.

Anyway, I feel relieved she's in good hands. Fingers crossed for my miss muppet.

Good luck - lots of good vibes coming your way. Hope she picks up.

[Papillon Kisses]

I've driven her up to Sydney and she's been admitted to the ARH. She's on oxygen, in a closed in perspex cage thing, and they're testing her. I was getting too scared I'd lose her and rang my old vets at West Ryde and spoke with David. I wish I had spoken to him earlier.

Anyway, I feel relieved she's in good hands. Fingers crossed for my miss muppet.

Oh I am so relieved. Would you believe it, I was about to recommend you have your vet refer her to ARH as an urgent case but thought I'd refresh before posting. They are top notch there and so lovely too. Your little miss muppet is in excellent hands. Thinking of you both. xx

[luvmybulldog]

Fingers crossed here for you and Olivia, Anne.

[Boronia]

How is Olivia this afternoon Anne?

[~Anne~]

We've got good and bad results so far. Her red blood cell count is very low but the good news is it hasn't dropped any further. They were considering a transfusion if it dropped any more. She's off the oxygen and she's apparently a little brighter. She's also been on fluids and glucose as her glucose levels were very low so this would explain her feeling brighter . There are other blood results that are also not so great but most have improved.

The bad news - an ultrasound shows her liver is enlarged. This could be from the prednisone she's been on for the potential lupus diagnoses, but the lymph nodes around her liver also show change and this they believe means there is a strong possibility of cancer of the liver. They're reluctant to do any aggressive testing as test results also show she's having problems with her blood not clotting so the ultrasound is the best they can do at this point.

The meds she's been on for the skin issue is making everything worse and she's not able to tolerate them on many levels. This means if it is lupus, it's a possible death sentence unless we can find other solutions to treat it . If it's not lupus and it is something we can treat that won't kill her, or complicate the fact she may have cancer (in her liver or somewhere), then we can keep her going until the cancer issue gets her.

It's a mixed bag.

[RuralPug]

I've been offline for a few days - I've been wondering about Olivia. I'm glad that she is in specialist hands but unhappy about the prognosis. Sending heaps of hugs to you and lots of puggy healing vibes for her.

[Papillon Kisses]