Bailey Update & Test Results

[take4roll10]

Just wondering how the natural approach is going with Bailey? Are you seeing any results?

Caro, thank you so much for asking about Bailey. I was told that the natural medication takes about 4-6 months to see results.

Bailey is mostly the same. I think she is drinking and urinating less than a few weeks ago. But it varies, some days she drinks a lot and pees every two hours and some days, she doesn't ask to go out for 6+ hours. Her fur looks slightly better, but she still has no undercoat and it looks dry and thin. I guess I'm used to it, but the first thing people who haven't seen her in a while say is "why is Bailey so thin or what's wrong with her coat?" And her fur just isn't growing in certain spots. I trimmed her ears about two months ago and it hasn't grown back . Her paw fur has grown back, but not as fast as it used to.

I am actually bringing her to the vet tonight. I found a little lump on her thigh two weeks ago. I don't think its changed, maybe gotten a hair bigger, but I can't really tell. Hopefully, just a fatty tumor, but I want to make sure.

 

[Mally's Mom]

Thanks for the current update on your beautiful Bailey.

Keeping you and her in my prayers.

Please continue to keep us posted. Thank you.

 

[Ann]

So glad that Bailey tested in the mild range!

Ann, would you mind sharing where you purchase your supplements. I am interested in trying milk thistle and a probiotic with one of my boys who will be on doxycycline.

Kathy

I think milk thistle is a must whenever a dog is on an antibiotic, especially a longer-term one like doxycycline. It's available in drugstores, and you can feed the supplements made for humans, but I like this one. You can get it on Amazon. It's easy to adjust the dose because it's a powder so you don't have to open capsules or deal with pills.
http://www.amazon.com/Herbsmith-Mil...8975743&sr=1-2&keywords=milk+thistle+for+dogs

For probios, I use Natures Farmacy Digestive Enhancer. I love their supplements and use several of them. All my dogs get this, every day.
http://naturesfarmacy.com/store/products/dogzymes-digestive-enhancer-dissolvable-powder-1/

They also make a stronger one called Probiotic Max, for dogs who need a more powerful supplement.

 

[Caro]

I think milk thistle is a must whenever a dog is on an antibiotic, especially a longer-term one like doxycycline.

That's interesting, how does it help? Tully is on long term AB for her hip and I have her on prebiotics but hadn't heard of milk thistle.

 

[trini]

Her fur looks slightly better, but she still has no undercoat and it looks dry and thin. I guess I'm used to it, but the first thing people who haven't seen her in a while say is "why is Bailey so thin or what's wrong with her coat?" And her fur just isn't growing in certain spots. I trimmed her ears about two months ago and it hasn't grown back . Her paw fur has grown back, but not as fast as it used to.

I am actually bringing her to the vet tonight. I found a little lump on her thigh two weeks ago. I don't think its changed, maybe gotten a hair bigger, but I can't really tell. Hopefully, just a fatty tumor, but I want to make sure.

Randi, coat improvement with Cushing's takes a long time...Simba was dx'd several months before your Bailey and I am just now starting to see some improvement. His coat is still no where near "normal" but gradually some of his undercoat is growing back in (he had lost it all) and his guard hairs don't look quite so "ratty".

What did you find on the lump you were having checked last night? Hopefully it was dx'd as just one of those lipomas that Shelties seem so prone to getting.

Trini

 

[Ann]

That's interesting, how does it help? Tully is on long term AB for her hip and I have her on prebiotics but hadn't heard of milk thistle.

First, Randi, I meant to say that I hope Bailey's lump is nothing more than a fatty tumor, and I echo what Trini said about Cushings fur taking a long time to come back. One of my horses had it and once we got her regulated on the medication her coat did return. I hope it's the same in dogs.

Caro, I've been told that milk thistle is recommended to protect the kidneys and liver from damage by antibiotics. A nutritionist I worked with when Pixie was a small puppy taking flagyl for coccidia had me put her on it, and I've done it ever since. My vet recommends it also, along with probios. I think it has other properties too but I'm not sure what they are. Here's a good article that explains it in more detail.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/milk-thistle-for-your-dog/

 

[take4roll10]

Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I changed my appointment to this morning so we could attend an agility class last night.

The vet said the lump was a sebaceous cyst. When the vet was examining it, she squeezed it and the cyst popped internally and is gone for now.

She said Bailey has a touch of arthritis in her knees.

 

[trini]

Randi, that's good new on the lump being just a cyst.

Trini

 

[Chris]

I'm glad it isn't Cushings, too! What a lovely Sheltie!!

 

[take4roll10]

I'm glad it isn't Cushings, too! What a lovely Sheltie!!

Thanks Chris! She does have Cushing's. We just caught it very early.