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  #31  
Old April 21st, 2016, 10:14 AM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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If it is a bowel infection, the pred could make it worse.

But if it's an autoimmune disease, the pred could cause a fairly quick reversal of symptoms since it will suppress the immune system (though not a great deal with such a short course of the drug). That might be the reasoning behind the meds.

If it were something like irritable bowel disease, the intestine would be inflamed, causing diarrhea and bleeding from the intestinal membranes into the stool. That could cause anemia, and eventually show as black, tarry stools. In that case, the steroids would help cut the inflammation in the bowel and help with both the diarrhea and the bleeding--and from experience, I can tell you the pred can work pretty quickly. But in Chibbs case, the symptoms don't really seem to fit, except that he seems to perk up on vitamin supplements (IBD can also cause lack of nutrient uptake).

Did you have a heart-to-heart talk with your vet? Find out what the rationale is, what each treatment is intended to rule out, and possible alternative courses of action? Sometimes what seems like the 'shotgun' approach is actually a plan of action...
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  #32  
Old April 21st, 2016, 12:47 PM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Yes, exactly what HRP said.

My dog has inflammatory bowel disease and lupus. Pred is often used to treat that and brings rapid response (not for her though!). If there is an inflammatory component, the pred might help a lot. This is where you want to look at things like the albumin or total protein on the chemistry.

Has there been any changes in bowel function? Bad to good? Good to bad? Same? Etc?
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  #33  
Old April 22nd, 2016, 10:26 PM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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update

Got chibbs bloodwork back today.
Reasons for the prednisone earlier was to rule out imha and addisons which was the inital thought of his issues.
I didnt have a chance to talk with her today as she had left out of town but left a mesaage stating she wanted him on the doxy for 2 weeks 3.5 pills a day.
I immediately went to the vet and got his pills and lab results.
She will be calling me monday to explain more.
Your predictions seem about right maxalisa as maybe he had a minor infection and these roids ramped them up causing a spike in his wbc count now amongst other things.
He is still doing well with more improvement, his stool has been regular as well.
Any enlightenment on his blood work would be appreciated!!
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  #34  
Old April 22nd, 2016, 10:31 PM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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bloodwork

Its not letting me upload anything at the moment. Will post later
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  #35  
Old April 23rd, 2016, 01:28 AM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Looking forward to seeing the bloodwork. Two weeks won't be enough most likely, particularly after being treating with the pred.

Is he still on pred?
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  #36  
Old April 23rd, 2016, 03:12 AM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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So this uploading still wont work so ill type it out on my phone.
Chibbs has 3 more doses of the pred 25mg every other day. He will be done wednesday.

RBC 3.0
Wbc 17.9
Hemoglobin 85
Hemotocrit 28
Mcv 93
Mch 28
Platelettes 644
Neutrophils 14.5
Lymphs 2.5
Monocytes .9
Esonphilis .36
Basophils 0

Some are reading as high from this lab but when in comparison to other lab parameters they fal within normal range??
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  #37  
Old April 24th, 2016, 04:35 PM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wibblers View Post
So this uploading still wont work so ill type it out on my phone.
Chibbs has 3 more doses of the pred 25mg every other day. He will be done wednesday.

RBC 3.0
Wbc 17.9
Hemoglobin 85
Hemotocrit 28
Mcv 93
Mch 28
Platelettes 644
Neutrophils 14.5
Lymphs 2.5
Monocytes .9
Esonphilis .36
Basophils 0

Some are reading as high from this lab but when in comparison to other lab parameters they fal within normal range??
I wanted to compare these to the normal values in the previous test - these were also sent to the lab and not done in-house, right? http://www.pets.ca/forum/attachment....1&d=1460563382

It's difficult to tell how much of those changes are from the steroids, which could be all or none: http://www.endocrinevet.info/2012/04...-complete.html

IMO, the real abx therapy doesn't start until the steroids are done - for now, it's just trying to hold off any damage the steroids might do, if there is infection. With doxy, you do need to make sure you give with food, walk after meals, etc, to help reduce any possible stomach upset.

No chemistry was run?
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  #38  
Old April 25th, 2016, 10:55 PM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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chemistry

I had thought they did but i guess not. Maybe next visit ill ask for it. However he is still improving which im happy about!
Hopefully a good sign.
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  #39  
Old April 25th, 2016, 10:59 PM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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I too had thought the steroid may have caused the jump in some blood values..
However i guess its better safe than sorry to keep on the antibiotics no?
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  #40  
Old April 26th, 2016, 08:10 AM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wibblers View Post
I too had thought the steroid may have caused the jump in some blood values..
However i guess its better safe than sorry to keep on the antibiotics no?
I definitely would. Take careful notes on how things are going on the abx.
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  #41  
Old May 15th, 2016, 06:24 AM
Wibblers Wibblers is offline
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long awaited update

Again I would like to praise all the contributors to the forum and those that expressed their concerns and shared their knowledge with me, it wasof great help!!

Chibbs just finished the last of his antibiotics. Hes been off the pred for a while now and all his blood values are almost normal.. his rbc is about 4.3 so almost there!!!
He seems to be back to his normal self almost even better.
If not sure if i had mentioned of not that he was also taking a bio algea supplement i got in a last ditch effort..however within the 2 days of him taking it there was a major noticable difference. This was at the beginning of the prednisone as well..
Whether or not they helped im not 100 % sure although i believe they did something!!
I will note his coat is the softest and shiniest ive ever seen with little shedding at all !!

Anyways thanks again everyone ill continue updates however wont be as regular.
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  #42  
Old May 15th, 2016, 02:34 PM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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Great news about Chibbs, Wibblers!
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