Brandi is not feeling well at all. Just returned from vet.

[dawn27]

Oh my where do I begin, Well I had Brandi in to the vets office today after noticing a considerable weight loss and hair loss in the past week. The visit did not go well.

Doc did extensive blood work, UTI test and a test for mange. Both test for mange and a UTI came back negative.

GLU/1000, KET/50

Low results: EOS, HCT, RBC, HGB, CI/101,
High: WBC, MONO, NEU, REDIC, PLT, PCT 2ND TEST: ALKP, GLU

All of which are things I don't understand even after she explained it in detail but still its hard for me to understand the meaning.

On top of all the other issues my girl is suffering from due to the Lupus the blood work shows that she now has Diabetes. Which is causing the loss of appetite and weight loss. The hair loss is a symptom of extensive use of the Cortisone/steroids. She's had to be on such a high dose of the cortisone during the regulating the dose through all of this the sadly it is the cause of most of her issues at this point. I knew there was that chance that using it would eventually cause other issues and I was totally prepared for that but I never realized it would come to this so soon. Its only been just over two and a half months since the first outbreak and onset of the infection that led us to the Lupus diagnosis and now this.

I just don't get how this sweet gentle soul can be riddled with so much at one time and all at once in her short 7 year on this earth. Its like two separate diseases fighting for control over her body. On one hand you have the Lupus and all of the internal issues that the meds are causing and will eventually cause, now hair loss and infections fighting to take over at every turn and on the other hand there is the Diabetes. In order to treat one you have to eliminate the only meds that are keeping the other at bay. Unfortunately we can not take her off of the only medication that is keeping the Lupus under control in order to treat the Diabetes.

I am just so sick over this. In just a short amount of time my girl has gone from this 18 lb energetic, vocal and beautiful soul to a 14 lb frail, sad little pup who has been riddles with illness and uncertainty. The vet said that she has never seen a dog with Lupus and that it is very uncommon for a Yorkie to be diabetic. I just feel so bad for her, I love her so much and it is just killing me to think of her one day not being here with us.

[dawn27]

I forgot to mention that she is also Anemic, which is just one more thing she has to suffer with on top of this already complicated situation.

[Lolasmom1211]

Has this sweet girl seen an internal specialist? I can only suggest that would be the next logical step.There may be something else they can do for her. It would certainly be worth a visit. Sending prayers for Brandi.

[Cherie6446]

This is such sad news. Praying that Brandi can have a healing outcome.

[ladyjane]

I have no idea at this point why you have not taken her to a specialist. Prayers that you will do this in the near future and get to the bottom of all of her issues.

[dawn27]

Originally Posted by Lolasmom1211

Has this sweet girl seen an internal specialist? I can only suggest that would be the next logical step.There may be something else they can do for her. It would certainly be worth a visit. Sending prayers for Brandi.

Thank you for keeping her in your prayers ladies!

No, she has not, I did speak to someone at a specialist office (mentioned above) some time ago and they said that my vet was on the right cores of treatment. There was nothing that they would be doing differently. That with Lupus not much else can be done other than to prevent any secondary infections form accruing. The Lupus is the worse of the two diseased and needs to be treated. We would have to take her off of her meds in order to treat the other and that cant happen.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by dawn27

Thank you for keeping her in your prayers ladies!

No, she has not, I did speak to someone at a specialist office (mentioned above) some time ago and they said that my vet was on the right cores of treatment. There was nothing that they would be doing differently. That with Lupus not much else can be done other than to prevent any secondary infections form accruing. The Lupus is the worse of the two diseased and needs to be treated. We would have to take her off of her meds in order to treat the other and that cant happen.

I have NEVER had a specialist get on the phone to discuss a pup with me that they have not laid eyes/hands on. If you have not been to a specialist, my guess is that you don't even know for sure she has Lupus .. you have been playing guessing games all along and avoiding taking her to a specialist. Just giving her steroids to mask symptoms. It is extremely difficult to read about....extremely. And a glucose of 1,000???? and she is not hospitalized??

Yes, we are all praying for her...and praying harder for you to see the light here. This is so unbelievably frustrating to see this over and over and over ..

[OwnedByJezebel]

Originally Posted by Lolasmom1211

Has this sweet girl seen an internal specialist? I can only suggest that would be the next logical step.There may be something else they can do for her. It would certainly be worth a visit. Sending prayers for Brandi.

+1,000,000

If your vet has never seen a case of lupus, then it's time to go to a specialist. Actually, LONG past time. I don't care if you have talked to a specialist over the phone, the specialist needs to do an exam. Of course the specialist told you the course of action is correct, but that is going off the assumption that the diagnosis is correct .... which it may not be. After all, it was diagnosed by guessing and by a vet that has never seen a case of SLE before.

If this were my pup, I would want to know for sure and have a hand's-on exam and diagnosis by the specialist. If they confirm lupus, then you know you are doing what is right. But what if they find it is something else that requires a different course of action? That possibility definitely exists and I would want to know for the sake of my dog and for my own peace of mind. I don't understand your reluctance to have an exam by a specialist.

[JuliannaB]

Just read this thread... how sad a situation. I can only imagine how you, and Brandi of course, are feeling at this point and time. Positive thoughts your way to getting to the bottom of all that ails her, and finding the road back to health again. All the best!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by OwnedByJezebel

+1,000,000

If your vet has never seen a case of lupus, then it's time to go to a specialist. Actually, LONG past time. I don't care if you have talked to a specialist over the phone, the specialist needs to do an exam. Of course the specialist told you the course of action is correct, but that is going off the assumption that the diagnosis is correct .... which it may not be. After all, it was diagnosed by guessing and by a vet that has never seen a case of SLE before.

If this were my pup, I would want to know for sure and have a hand's-on exam and diagnosis by the specialist. If they confirm lupus, then you know you are doing what is right. But what if they find it is something else that requires a different course of action? That possibility definitely exists and I would want to know for the sake of my dog and for my own peace of mind. I don't understand your reluctance to have an exam by a specialist.

I don't either.

Dawn, I have offered to take Brandi and care for her and you turned me down. Fine...then do it yourself...or I am going to make a suggestion that might horrify some people: take her and humanely put her out of her misery. I see you selling puppies and selling your dog clothing but don't see you giving it back to Brandi in vetting. You might say it is not my place to judge, but I am because sadly you keep putting it out there to torture all of us who do care. I cannot fathom leaving a pup to suffer like this with one excuse after another. This is one of the most depressing threads I have ever seen on YT. It just keeps going on and on and on. It has been THREE months and poor Brandi has no voice and no say in her care.

[IDPiper]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I have NEVER had a specialist get on the phone to discuss a pup with me that they have not laid eyes/hands on. If you have not been to a specialist, my guess is that you don't even know for sure she has Lupus .. you have been playing guessing games all along and avoiding taking her to a specialist. Just giving her steroids to mask symptoms. It is extremely difficult to read about....extremely. And a glucose of 1,000???? and she is not hospitalized??

Yes, we are all praying for her...and praying harder for you to see the light here. This is so unbelievably frustrating to see this over and over and over ..

If you feel the need to reprimand/belittle her please do it privately. It is very disrespectful to do it here.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by IDPiper

If you feel the need to reprimand/belittle her please do it privately. It is very disrespectful to do it here.

Back atcha

[mimimomo]

Originally Posted by dawn27

Oh my where do I begin, Well I had Brandi in to the vets office today after noticing a considerable weight loss and hair loss in the past week. The visit did not go well.

Doc did extensive blood work, UTI test and a test for mange. Both test for mange and a UTI came back negative.

GLU/1000, KET/50

Low results: EOS, HCT, RBC, HGB, CI/101,
High: WBC, MONO, NEU, REDIC, PLT, PCT 2ND TEST: ALKP, GLU

All of which are things I don't understand even after she explained it in detail but still its hard for me to understand the meaning.

On top of all the other issues my girl is suffering from due to the Lupus the blood work shows that she now has Diabetes. Which is causing the loss of appetite and weight loss. The hair loss is a symptom of extensive use of the Cortisone/steroids. She's had to be on such a high dose of the cortisone during the regulating the dose through all of this the sadly it is the cause of most of her issues at this point. I knew there was that chance that using it would eventually cause other issues and I was totally prepared for that but I never realized it would come to this so soon. Its only been just over two and a half months since the first outbreak and onset of the infection that led us to the Lupus diagnosis and now this.

I just don't get how this sweet gentle soul can be riddled with so much at one time and all at once in her short 7 year on this earth. Its like two separate diseases fighting for control over her body. On one hand you have the Lupus and all of the internal issues that the meds are causing and will eventually cause, now hair loss and infections fighting to take over at every turn and on the other hand there is the Diabetes. In order to treat one you have to eliminate the only meds that are keeping the other at bay. Unfortunately we can not take her off of the only medication that is keeping the Lupus under control in order to treat the Diabetes.

I am just so sick over this. In just a short amount of time my girl has gone from this 18 lb energetic, vocal and beautiful soul to a 14 lb frail, sad little pup who has been riddles with illness and uncertainty. The vet said that she has never seen a dog with Lupus and that it is very uncommon for a Yorkie to be diabetic. I just feel so bad for her, I love her so much and it is just killing me to think of her one day not being here with us.

In bold just says it all...I am w/everyone that thinks Brandi should be seen by a specialist...this should have been done from the beginning. Thinking of your precious girl, please take her to a specialist this has gone on for too long.

[joyce evans]

Wouldn't it be great if Brandi saw a specialist and this was an easy painless fix???? I will pray!!

[dawn27]

I realize that a specialist would be a great source of insight into Brandi's condition but to be honest I can not afford a specialist plane and simple! Does that mean that I don't love my dog or that I don't want what is best for her NO it does NOt. Even if I could afford it I honestly do not feel that going to a specialist will change the outcome. I am sorry if that seems irresponsible but that is the way it is. My family and I are prepared for the undividable. We know that one or both of these diseases will eventually take her life, we know that and it is a struggle every day to watch her and know that one day she will no longer be here. But I am doing everything humanly and financially possible within our means to get her the care that she needs.

My vet has done more intense research on Lupus since our initial visit and has also consulted with the senior vet in the office and she too is confident that she has Lupus. All of the symptoms are there, the blood work is consistent. We have finally got her to the correct dose of medication. We have had two outbreaks and twice I had to watch my baby suffer. Each time it took three weeks for her to completely recover. So you think that I like seeing her in pain, seeing her face swell up like a soft ball, her glands swell to the size of golf balls as she gasp for air, her lips so inflamed and full of puss, her throat swollen beet red to the point of blistering and oral ulcers. And that is not all, she cant eat her eye swell and fill with mucus. Meanwhile we have to increase the steroids dose to double just in order to help fight off the infection which is partly to blame for the issues she is having now. It would only take on missed dose and the infection would be back again.

I am sorry if some of you seem to think that I am not doing what is necessary to treat her but you would be wrong. I am the one seeing what is going on with her watching each day as she gets worse. I see how it is affecting her and I am doing my best to see to it that she is NOT SUFFING and I will continue to do so with the assistant of my vet and her colleagues weather you agree with me or my vets finding or not. So, please understand this in not easy for me and let me deal with these horrible life threatening illnesses without judgment.

Thank you to those of you who are praying for Brandi. I too pray that by some miracle she can recover from this but I know that wont happen. I will return if and when there is any further updates and until than your prayers are very much appreciated.