Thursday, October 15, 2015

The Condition my Condition is In

Before we get to our scheduled post we have some information to share about our friend
 Sweet William the Scot
Many of us were surprised to visit his blog the other day and were told either
the blog had been removed - or we did not have permission to view it.
Mom heard from SWTS and Lee and it seems their blog was hacked.
They have shut it down for now while Lee makes sure everything is safe
It may not be back up for a bit as Lee will be having knee surgery on the 20th. 
We hope the surgery goes well and they will be back to Blogville soon.

Now on to our regularly scheduled post


Dearest Friends! 
A while ago we revealed to you my struggle with mange and we thought you would like an update on how I am doing these days
I am happy to tell you that for the most part - I am doing very well Thank you! 

Except for the Zen Collar which we will get to later in the post


So here is a Timeline of how things have gone

Mid June - diagnosed with Demodetic Mites. Sent home with Mitaban soak.
Mom and Dad were to mix a solution of this pesticide, soak me in it and then let me air dry. They did this on a Saturday morning, they had to wear gloves and they kept me separated from Bailey & Hazel till I was completely dry. It made me sleepy. They were supposed to do it again in 2 weeks , then recheck at the vet 2 weeks after that. The whole process freaked mom out so she started looking on the internet for alternatives. Meanwhile I started looking worse. We did not do the Mitaban soak again. 

Late June - Mom found a web site called Happy Dog Naturals. They had tons of information and also sold Holistic treatment solutions. One thing they stressed was not only killing the mites but supplementing the immune system. We bought a kit with 12 treatments (twice weekly soaks) and Mom also started putting several different supplements in my food.

July 18 - recheck with a different vet.  The holistic soaks were helping but slowly. Skin scrape still showed mites.  This vet recommended Oral Ivermectin as much safer than the Mitaban. We went home with 7 days of the ivermectin.

July 28 - recheck skin scrape showed mites but all appeared to be dead. Went home with another 7 days of Ivermectin, vet felt this should take care of it.

Aug 10 - recheck skin scrape showed No mites!

Aug 24 - Mom noticed a red spot on my eye. Saw a different vet this time, Since there was not much improvement in my skin, mom asked for a skin scrape and the vet found 1 mite. One is too many. 
She sent us home with ointment for my eye and 15 days of Ivermectin - slowily increasing the dose over the 15 days

Aug 31 - Recheck on eye - not much improvement - and had vet look at bump that had grown on front leg.

Sept 1 - Under anesthesia had bump removed, and scar tissued "rolled" on eye. Was also given a slow drip IV of an immune booster. Skin scraps showed no mites.

Sept 16 - Recheck on eye - looks like it is healing. Mom has gotten real good at "reading" my skin and although I am showing new hair growth in places she asked for a skin scrape on my neck - Mites !  arrggghhh!
This time the vet wanted to try something new.  A newer Flea & Tick chew called Bravecto that studies have shown also kill demodetic mites - and it lasts for 12 weeks. that is key - you must keep killing the mites as they hatch till you wipe them totally out.
 I scarfed it right down!
 That night I was very itchy - mom took it as a sign the Bravecto was working. 

Sept 30 - recheck at vet - I was looking well enough that no scrape was done. 
Since then I have continued to improve and I look almost normal again!!!!!

These two pictures were taken on August 24



You can see the darkness in my neck and legs 

Now here are two pictures that Mom took on Tuesday Oct 13



Mom is thrilled with my progress!


And that brings us to my "Zen" Collar.



I have stayed itchy since getting the Bravecto, mostly I scratch around my ears and I have made my head bleed and the skin around my ears a little raw.  Mom & Dad thought the Zen Collar would be better than a cone.I don't wear it all the time - just when I need to. 
I tolerate it fairly well but it makes some things difficult -
 like going in and out the doggy door! and Eating! 
Tuesday we went to the Vet and she seemed to think it was either an allergy thing or I might have a little bit of a secondary infection going on so now we have an antibiotic spray - I HATE sprays!  Mom still thinks it has something to do with the Bravecto and hopefully when it wears out of my system the mites and the itchies will be gone for good! 



We are The PugRanch Kids
Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

35 comments:

  1. you sure have been through the wars little one - hopefully this is all behind you now and you be bouncing around all pugnacious in no time

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yikes lil grrl! Yu have been thro the ringer!
    Paws crossed yu keep on gettin better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hari OM
    I would put money on the latter itchies being reaction to medication... but a small price to pay if all else is in balance!!! Looking good Mable... hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Aw girl!! You sure are cute and sweet tho. Big hugs to you!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Mabel!
    Wow, thanks for the info about Sw Wm! Hope he gets back soon. OMD girlie you've had a rough time and way too many dogtor trips. I'm sending you a bunch of my super-duper healing vibes. Hate the cone and any of its relatives! BOL You most definitely are looking much better now and crossing paws for better days now.
    Grr and Woof,
    Sarge, Police Commish

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh dear...those mites are such a pain in the rump to get rid of! I feel your pain with the itchies, since I tend to have bad allergies. My vet gave me Apoquel for the itch and it works WONDERS!!! I wonder if it would help you, little one?!? If your itchies don't stop, maybe your mom could ask about that.
    Oz

    ReplyDelete
  7. Holee Molee! What a time you've had. Sending a little POTP in the hopes that soon you'll make a total recovery and not need that over-sized neck thing! ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh poor sweet Mabel, you haf been through soooo many treatments! Butt I haf to say you do look adorable and your furs look very very healthy to me. I had a reaction to my tick treatment when I went to the Tower and did the ear scratchy thingy, made the peeps panic that I had a grass seed hidden in there!
    Soooo glad yous getting better Mabel, keep up the good work sweetie
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a mess! Close your eyes tight when the sprays come out. Hope you get better soon
    Lily & Edward

    ReplyDelete
  10. Furst... thanks fur telling us about Sw. Wm. and the Blog and Miss Lee's impending Surgery.. We are thinking good strong thoughts fur Both of them..

    NOW about that New (continued) itching... could it be a seasonal allergy? We have been sort of itchy since the Leaves have been falling from our trees.

    OMD Girrrl you have really had a Rough time of it... we hope that the meds. did kill off all those Mites... They are hard to get rid of...

    LOVE to you...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh dear! We hope you get better very soon!

    ReplyDelete
  12. We are glad things are looking up for you Mabel. Of course we noticed that your beauty was shinning through the other day. It is about time for everything to be just fine so we have our paws crossed!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

    ReplyDelete
  13. Demo is NO fun at all. I remember how itchy and yucky I felt back in the day. It took a while to get rid of my mites and grow back all my lovely furs, but I DID it. And now you are too! Woohoo!!! Keep at it!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Demo is NO fun at all. I remember how itchy and yucky I felt back in the day. It took a while to get rid of my mites and grow back all my lovely furs, but I DID it. And now you are too! Woohoo!!! Keep at it!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear oh dear Mabel,
    What an ordeal. BUT you are looking good now and I am hopeful everything will be right soon.
    Thanks for the update!
    Love Noodles

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mabel darling bless your little pug heart! You are one brave and resilient Pug...we know you will 'lick' (no pun intended) this latest irritant in true Pug style. Hang in there girl friend
    and hugs to your loving family. AND I STILL THINK the Zen Collar is so YOU and you wear it with supermodel flair!
    Hugs madi your bfff

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh Mabel..I feel your itchies and raise you an ear infection....Life for little brave pups like us can be so very itchy. I hope yours clear up real soon, I am headed to the dogtur next week for my ear and my never ending itchies.

    Itchy Smileys!
    Arty

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mabel, You are looking wonderful! Looky all the new beautiful furs you have!
    Mites be gone,, I say!!!
    I am so glad your mom has come across some medicines that are working!
    Now we need you itchies to go away,, and your ears to be better.
    You are such a beautiful girl Mabel. ,, so beautiful.. And your loved so much.
    Your pawrents are taking such good care of you!
    Yay to the vet doctors who are trying to help you too.
    It wont be long and you will have lots of new furs,,, and no itchies.
    love
    tweedles

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh Mabel, you look SO good! Except for that darn cone! (But still... you make that cone look good even!) Hope you get to be free of the cone - and the itchies - for good really soon!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh Mabel-- I feels yer pain-- or yer itchies, in dis case.

    I's got my paws crossed yer itchies goes away when da meds where off. I knows only to well whut it's like to be a highly allergic pup.


    Momma is readin' 'bout a new med comin' on da market for super dooper itchy pups like me dat has already done da allegen therapy. It stops da itchin' fur a month or more wiff a shot-- it is not a steroid or an immuno-suppressant.... looks promisin'...

    http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150803006322/en/Zoetis-Receives-Conditional-License-USDA-Canine-Atopic#.Vh_tMtaaJFJ

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your furs DOES look a lot better and that collar is definitely better than the hard plastic cone of shame.

    Get well soon!

    Abby Lab

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your furs DOES look a lot better and that collar is definitely better than the hard plastic cone of shame.

    Get well soon!

    Abby Lab

    ReplyDelete
  23. Oh Mabel, you have been through so much, and your Mom and Dad are so wonderful to keep finding a way to make those mites go away for good!!! We hope that you are finally mite-free and can shed that collar soon. Just so you know, you are just beautiful in our eyes no matter what.

    Woos - Ciara and Lightning

    ReplyDelete
  24. Holy cow, you've been through a lot! We are also on Bravecto! No itchies like you, but Tallulah would vomit on Comfortis if she didn't eat an entire hamburger bun and two giant tablespoons of peanut butter. That never sat well with mom.
    Your skin sure is looking better though.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Bless your heart. I am so very sorry for your troubles and your itches. I hope that you clear up quickly. You are looking better so we are hopeful you are almost out of the troubles.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Glad da mites are gone, but itchies are no fun. Hope dat ya can get rid of em.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am soooo glads you told us abouts SW! I've been tryin' and tryin' to gets onto his bloggie to say hellos, this solves the mystery! I hopes Lee's surgery goes well...I am sendin' lots of healin' vibes and POTP her way!
    I am glads you are finally on the mend! butts I do knows about those itchies! They suck! I hopes that you can gets rid of them for good! Healin' vibes comin' your way gurl!!!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

    ReplyDelete
  28. It is great to see you looking better. We hope your itchies go away and you get the life jacket off our neck. Sending you lots of prayers for continued improvement and an answer to your itches

    ReplyDelete
  29. It is great to see you looking better. We hope your itchies go away and you get the life jacket off our neck. Sending you lots of prayers for continued improvement and an answer to your itches

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh Mabel!! What an ordeal for you. Here's the good news: I used to hate sprays, too, and now I like them a lot cuz they get rid of bad skin stuffs. YOU are so cute!!

    -Otto

    ReplyDelete
  31. What a long ordeal. But you're a champ, Mabel! You look really good - and I hope those mites stay away and that the itchiness stops very soon! You're lucky to have a mom who takes such incredibly good care of you!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Poor Mabel, I hope everything is going to be alright!
    You're such a sweetheart.
    Hugs,
    Suri

    ReplyDelete
  33. O...M...D!!! You poor thing! You've really been through the wringer! We're keeping our paws crossed that the mites are now gone for good, that the itching stops and that your eye keeps getting better.
    Wally & Sammy

    ReplyDelete
  34. You know, your mange pictures look very much like what the top of Chico's head looks like. The vet thought all of the sores were from some kind of allergy, but he didn't know what. I don't think he has mange, I think the hair loss is from the sores he had that apparently were quite itchy. He's on steroids now and they seem to have done a world of good for him in only a week's time. He'll be on them for quite awhile, so hopefully it'll kill whatever is in him.

    I'm glad that Mabel is doing so much better. Poor thing! She's lucky her furever family cares enough to go to all that trouble. My dad's ancient beagle had mange, but the vet really didn't do anything for her. It's good that you tried different vets and different products/medications. I hope that when the Bravecto wears off that she won't itch any longer and won't need the Zen Collar anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Sorry those mites have been such a pain in your bum all summer! I'm so glad to hear that things are looking much better now though. It looks like all your little polka dots are vanishing which is a good sign, right? Sorry you have to wear that little inflatable cone - although it does look more comfortable than the plastic ones that prevent us flat-faced dogs from sniffing anything. Keeping my paws crossed you'll be back to 100% soon!

    -Love,
    Sid.

    ReplyDelete