Bella & Callie's 4th Birthday!

Callie, Bella, and Annie

Callie (front left), Annie (back), Bella (front right with Lucy behind her)

 

Callie & Bella will be 4 on October 8th, 2012.

 

Annie is doing fantastic and her allergies & skin issues are under control with few flare ups.

 

Everyone is happy, fun, and healthy.

 

Mocha, not pictured, has slowed down and sleeps alot but she's still funny and grumpy!

Mocha's Sac Impacted Again

A day after I finished treatment on Mocha's reputured anal sac, it became impacted again.  It was weird because Wednesday everything looked great and when I checked her behind Thursday before bed, it looked like the picture.  Naturally, I was horrified and I could tell she was in pain too.  The next day I went to work but left an hour early and got Mocha to the vet as a walk-in. I did not see the same vet (even though he was there) but saw the COS.  I didn't mind actually because a second opinion is a smart choice even though I did not doubt the other vet's course of care.  Anyway, the vet suggested two plans - one was to drain and keep treating but add extra antibiotics (Zeniquin and Clavamox) or do the first plan plus run a culture test to see what bacteria is growing. That test is expensive and takes about a week, but it will tell us what is going on in there and why it did not originally clear up with just Zeniquin. The combo Z & C may work, but just in case it does not, our next step is to treat based on culture results.  I really would like to avoid surgery if at all possible but if it came to that, then that's what I have to do.  Anyway, I feel bad for Mocha as I know she does not like it when I clean her behind several times a day or force medicine down her throat (she doesn't like pill pockets and can eat around the pill if I mush it in food).  In five days we go back to the vet for a recheck and make sure it's healing well and possibly get the culture results.

Mocha also has asteroid hyalosis which is where it looks like she has stars/asteroids in her eyes.  It's a phenonemon in older dogs and humans too.  No treatment for it and not sure how bad it affects her vision. 

Mocha's Anal Sac At-Home Treatment

It's been a few days since my initial post about Mocha's anal sac that ruptured.  Every morning I clean her bottom, wipe away the part that crusted over the hole, and clean the area as much as possible. In the morning, I am the only one who can handle Mocha and treat her behind so it's nearly impossible for me to hold her in place, stop her from squirming, lift up her tail, and flush the hole all with one hand. I've tried it and it's not working.  So instead, after I clean the hole, I put warm compresses on the area that is treated with the flushing liquid.  After the warm compresses I fill the hole with the medicated cream.  This routine in the morning is working out well and she's not as upset with me.  Our two other treatments involve flushing and all the treats in the world do not calm her down. However! Tonight after a bit of squirming and warm compresses (I get her used to me being back there with the warm compresses and she seems to like it), Mocha let me get the entire syringe of fluid in the hole without freaking out.  Progress!

Mocha's Anal Sac Ruptured

Saturday evening I noticed Mocha, my 10 year old chihuahua, was straining to go poo but eventually she went. Although it was soft, there was no blood or anything else noticeable in it to cause alarm.  About an hour later she went poo again - straining first but eventually going.  Before bed I decided to check her bum to make sure there was no poo dripping stuck to her butt and that's when I noticed how dark her behind was and there was an overwhelming smell of blood.  I soaked up the blood with several paper towels while quietly freaking out. What could it be?  She was in good spirits, she ate well, her poo was basically fine, she didn't seem to mind me cleaning up her backside either.  I couldn't see where the blood was coming from and she continued to bleed.  I Googled symptoms and after awhile, from the information that I found, I suspected it either had to be a hemrrhoid or that a sac ruptured. I made her comfortable and ready for bed. I put a towel under her on my bed, a place she's slept for all of her life, and we slept. 

Next morning, I woke up, let her got to the bathroom. She didn't strain this time and the poo was normal. I took a sample and brought it with me as a walk-in to my vet. Surprisingly, we didn't have to wait long to see the vet. The vet asked me some questions, examined her, cleaned her bum and saw that the abscessed ruptured. I had no idea her sac was a problem because I didn't see her scoot. She's got a chunky butt, so I just didn't notice and she didn't act strange. Anyway, after he cleaned her up I did see the open wound. I left her at the vet for 3 hours while they ran her bloodwork (she had one due on the plan and I opted to check her T4 too since she is chunky - but she has lost a pound in a few months on weight mgmt food!).  He also was going to clean out the sac, etc. When I collected her a few hours later, I was sent home with the following items: Resortin skin ointment (to put on and inside the opening), Rimadyl (for pain), Zeniquin (antibiotic), and Chlorhexidine Flush bottle & syringes (inserting the syringe filled with Chlorhexidine and water into the opening, flushing out everything 3x a day).  Mocha reacts so violently when I flush and I could barely insert 3/4 of the solution in the syringe into the opening. I bribe her with food, have someone hold her, give her breaks in between and she still squirms, pants and gets so upset! How can I keep this up for 9 more days?!

I bought diapers so she can sleep in my bed without leaking.  :)

I tried to take pictures tonight but my camera battery is dead - of course.  Maybe tomorrow.

Annie's Allergies

After months of treating Annie (Pookie Bear) for itching, licking, biting, redness, yeast, bacteria, my vet referred me to an vet dermatologist.  At the time we went, Annie had to wear booties on all four paws because she was attacking them.  They were so red, bloody, and scabby.  Luckily, there was a cancellation and Annie was seen a few days later.  The vet dermatologist tested her paws for bacteria and results came back shockingly high.  The blackheads, the scaps, the dryness, the waxiness, the yeast, are all secondary issues but the main problem is allergies.  Annie was tested for environmental allergens and then put on anti-itching meds, antibiotics, atopica, a rx shampoo (1x week bath, 1x week foot soak), special food (she gets it mixed with regular food), and within a few days the itching started to lesson.  A couple of weeks later, I began to adminster allergy shots.

(Pic of Annie after first visit with vet dermatologist -- her paws are scabby, sore and discolored from licking)

Today we had a follow up visit with the vet dermatologist.  She doesn't itch as much but does still itch.... her skin is darker, but the vet said that was normal and would eventually lessen, the bacteria level went down considerably but he still wants to keep her on another two weeks of antibiotics.  He said she is doing so much better and has improved so much in such a short time.  I thought so too.  Not perfect... not completely healed... but definitely on the road.

These vet visits can be quite expensive but her comfort is worth it.  I sacrifice here and there to afford it... and really, the initial tests, medicine (Atopica can be pricey but they do offer a rebate) and serum are the big initial costs. 

The staff at Animal Specialty Clinic in West Palm Beach are so nice and knowledgeable. 

Update and introducing Mocha

Annie "Pookie Bear"
 

Bella after a haircut

Callie after a haircut

and... The Mo... Mocha, my 9 year old chihuahua. 

So it's been a few months since I've updated.  We've temporarily moved back home and although the house is filled with little dogs, we have worked out a great routine and everyone seems happy.  I am happy that the dogs get along very well and that someone is mostly home with them too.  However, Pookie, Bella, and Callie love their mid-afternoon naps!  They run to their crates around one pm for about a two hour nap!  It's so funny!

Callie & Bella are in great health.  Pookie had been pretty stable but then when the fluconazole ran out, she started licking furiously at her paws.  She developed several very bad sores that looked so terrible.  Inbetween her toes gets so crusty and scaley.  The comedones are still there too.  She was on antibiotics for two weeks, back on fluconzole for life most likley, and a shot of cortisone about 2.5 weeks ago.  My vet is going to suggest we see a vet dermotologist just to see if he/she has any other ideas.  Other than the licking  -- which I usually make her wear booties to avoid that - she's a happy dog!  She runs, plays alot, loves her sisters, and toys... and poop!  UGH!  Sometimes she burps in my face and it's sooo gross!  I have to figure out a way to get her to stop that!!  Love her soo much though... she's a sweetheart.  We go for recheck Tuesday.

I've added a picture of Mocha-moo too.  She's my baby.  My MooMoo.  She's so happy I am back home... she sleeps in my bed... sits on the couch with me like we used to do at night... I am happy to have her with me again and I don't think I will leave her with my parents when we move.  I did take her to my old apt but she barked during the day and someone complained so I had to let her go back home where she seemed more comfy anyway.  She's having her teeth cleaned Tuesday.  Worries me because she's older, heavy... and I just worry about losing her.  I'm sure everything will be fine.  Her eye seems better too but not 100%... never really got a final diagnosis from the opthamologist vet... and since she's not squinting, then that is good he said.  All the tests he ran were negative so he said to bring her back when she squinted... and she hasn't.  Her eye is just a little smaller now and watery... shrug...

Anyway, that's my quick update...