Pemphigus Foliaceus

On December 16, 2009, we took Ellie into our local vet.  Well, local would not be a good work to describe it.  I knew the vets in the area due to have a horse here four years ago (military moves a lot, this is our second round at Fort Bragg).  I knew which vets to avoid, so we decided to drive 45 minutes south to see a new vet.  The clinic, Cypress Lakes Animal Hospital is proud to have Dr. Marie Burris.  I called that day to see when Ellie could be seen.  She was lethargic and had these sores on her face and ears.  They got me in the same day!

During our visit, Dr. Burris determined that there was some sort of autoimmune skin disease affecting our pup.  Her urinalysis showed some sort of infection, so we knew we had to treat that as well.  We had Ellie fitted in for surgery the next day.  The skin biopsy would determine exactly what was wrong.  On Friday I dropped her off for surgery.  My two year old son was with me and I did not think much about the effect it would have on him.  I was wrong!  He cried for twenty minutes after we dropped her off.  He didn't understand why we had left his puppy!  Surgery was uneventful and we picked her up that afternoon.  She had six stitches located on her nose, lip, and left ear.  Now for the waiting game.

On December 23, Dr. Burris called with the results.  She was diagnosed with Pemphigus Foliaceus.  Dr. Burris wanted to start treatment immediately.  We were due to leave town for the holiday so we decided to stop by on our way out of town.  She was given five different meds.

For those unaware of the disease, pemphigus is an autoimmune disorder affecting the skin.  An excerpt taken from VeterinaryPartner.com; " Pemphigus Foliaceus is when the attachment of the granular cells to one another is attached.   Pemphigus foliaceus is the most common immune-mediated skin disease of dogs and cats.  The separation of granular cells creates crusts and ulcers generally around the eyes, ears, footpads, groin, and bridge of the nose" 
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2202

Now, the treatment.  Ellie is on five different meds.  Fatty Acids, Prednisone, Carafate, Clavamox (antibiotic),  and Famotidine.  Typically dogs are treated with high doses of steroids.  The side effects of all of these medicines is heartbreaking, which brings me to my next topic.

We have an appointment with a holistic vet in Raleigh on January 15th.  Dr. Bowman with the Bowman Animal Hospital and Cat Clinic is a holistic vet with experience in acupuncture, dietary needs, etc.  I wanted to take the approach initially and my conventional vet (Dr. Burris) was very supportive.  However, during a consult with the veterinary dermatologist at Un-named University, he insisted there was no holistic approach to treating this disease.  While researching dietary needs, I had a friend suggest a book, "The Nature of Animal Healing" by Dr. Martin Goldstein.  In his book, he states that in his clinic, 95% of the cases can be treated in a holistic manner, including cancer.  This gave me hope.  Maybe I don't have to keep my one year old sheltie on steroids for the rest of her life, resulting in secondary conditions and early death.

This is my journey: healing my dog, maintaining health in my other pets, and who knows, maybe improving health in my family along the way.  I know it's not going to be easy.  It will be a long process requiring patience and lots of love.  But I am determined to save my dog.  The dog is not just any dog, she has chosen my son as her person.  They have a bond that I cannot properly put into words.  I love this dog because she unconditionally loves my son. 

Here is a picture of her after surgery.  We have been taking pictures of her daily to note her progress and I will be posting those gradually as well.