Tommy Coyote Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Tommy came down with idiopathic arthritis about the 1st of September. Prognosis? No way to know. About 15% of dogs die. Some just get better and it never comes back. Some have to stay on a maintenance dose of imuran forever. And of those that get better about 50% have the polyarthritis return at some point. It has been slow going. She was just so sick at first. High fever and she hurt so bad she didn't want to be touched at all. There were days when I had to carry her from place to place. She was on high dose pred and also imuran. But she has slowly progressed to pretty much normal again. About a month ago she quit limping completely. And now she has started playing again. That is a wonderful indicator that she feels good. First she started playing with Ellie - my old border collie. Then I looked up and she was throwing a sock in the air. Then she started playing with her other toys. She hadn't touched her toys since she got sick. And finally - last night she was playing with Ellie. She was up on the bed and Ellie was on the floor. She kind of crouched down, leaped over the top of Ellie and zoomed off, down the hall, into the kitchen, back down the hall, back over Ellie and onto the bed and then around and off the bed again. First time in five months. It was so good to see her do that. She is down to 1 imuran tablet every three days - trying to get her weaned off now. But she is also having some kind of allergic reaction to something - scratching all over so I am giving her stuff for that. I am really hoping that we can get her off all the medicine now. Vet is afraid to say anything. She may have to stay on a small dose of imuran always. But I am really hopeful that she is just going to be OK now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 That's good news. I'm glad to hear she's feeling well enough to do zoomies. I hope she continues to progress and that you can wean her off all meds as well. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 That's good news. I'm glad to hear she's feeling well enough to do zoomies. I hope she continues to progress and that you can wean her off all meds as well. J. Oh, thanks so much. I really am starting to think we are going to make it all the way back. We keep cutting down on her meds and she is just continuing to get better and better. The only problem is that her immune suppresant medicine also retarded her fur growth. She kind of looks like a smoothcoat right now - or a coyote with mange. It will be fun to see what she actually looks like with hair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Great news, those moments of bright sunshine are usually the ones that bring tears to my eyes after enduring all the worry and uncertainty. Fingers crossed that her health will continue to improve with little to no set back, but if she does relapse always remember that this one day is an indicator that there will be good days again and enjoy them when they are there. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Zoomies are a good sign. Scooter did that just yesterday for the first time in about a month and I had to laugh. He usually lies outside the bedroom door in the morning and when he sees me, he races down the stairs, down the hall and around and around the love seat and sofa table till I get there, then plops down, smiling and panting. DH says he's "announcing" my arrival. Hope Tommy continues to improve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Yeah for Tommy It's such a drain to see them so sick you quickly forget how wonderful they can be when they feel better. I'm sure her feeling better is making you feel better too! Enjoy each zoomie moment as they come and try to look forward to more! Sounds like she's enjoying her new found health too! Go Tommy...go Tommy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted January 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 Ya. I love to see her playing again. And she is outside a lot each day - she much prefers being outside to being in the house. She gets too bored inside. Its just so good to see her little face in the window again - she's always watching for me when I pull up outside. She's a cutie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Late to the party (as usual!) - life is a wee bit chaotic here. I really feel for you - it's been a long road! But that's such WONDERFUL news about the zoomies! I'm rooting heavily for Tommy being in that fraction for whom the polyarthritis never reappears. Our best mojo in your direction!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted January 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Late to the party (as usual!) - life is a wee bit chaotic here. I really feel for you - it's been a long road! But that's such WONDERFUL news about the zoomies! I'm rooting heavily for Tommy being in that fraction for whom the polyarthritis never reappears. Our best mojo in your direction!!!! I just wish there was some way to know what caused it in the first place. That would make it so much easier to deal with. But doctors don't know what causes it. Could be environmental or genetic - maybe a combination of both. I have given her flea treatment and Sentinel here lately and she didn't have any reaction ot either one. I don't use any kind of chemicals on the yard and no poisons of anykind in the house. But there is no way to know what floats in on the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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