HI All

Just a quick update on Hamish, i spoke to the homeopathic vet yesterday and the drugs trial he put him on for thyroid disease have had no effect on him at all, his energy levels are still very low and in fact his skin has started to get worse instead of better, he said this isn't a very good sign and that it has proved that it is not thyroid which he was positive from all his syptoms that it was, he said unfortunatly things are now not looking good for my poor wee man and that we are getting backed into a corner, i have noticed over the past week that he has got crusty scabs forming on his breast bone and the fur is starting to fall out he is also starting to bite and attack around his rear end and is very itchy, he is on piriton tablets each day but things don't seem to be easing, the only thing that helped was the atopica but this damaged his liver and gave him behaviour problems.
The behaviour is improving slowly since being off of the medication but it is the skin i am worried about because he looks like he is starting to go downhill like he did before, we cannot go back onto the atopica because of the damage to his liver so we are in a no win situation, he said that it now looks like it is a genetic immune disease that can be very hard to treat if they can ever get it under control, as he doesn't get better with steroids and also the thyroid drugs have failed he said it is a very bad situation as we are unable at the moment to even be able to control him, his energy levels are so bad that he doesn't want to go out for walks and if i do manage to get him out he only walks a little way up the road and he is panting and struggling so at the moment the vet said it may be best to just let him go out the garden and do what he wants to go, he sleeps most of the day and has not got much interest in his food, but the vet said that dogs with liver problems do not always want to eat so this is nothing to worry about, just let him eat when he feels like it, in the mornings he won't touch a thing but we are managing to get him to eat his evening meal.
I am just so worried for him as i cannot see an sign of improvement and i am worried skin that his skin will go back to how he was 18 months ago when we nearly had to have him PTS because he was in so much discomfort, i am back at the homeopathic vet with him on Tuesday for his checkup and the vet said he will reassess him then and go from there, there are a couple more treatments he can try but he said he was pinning his hopes on thyroid disease as this would have been a better prognosis for him and easier to treat, he said that he has got so much wrong with him and that he was hoping that it wouldn't prove to be a genetic disorder.
Will keep you all updated as to how he gets on, i am just so worried about him and just wish i could wave a magic wand and make him all better.

Helen and Hamish

Sorry there is no improvement. Keeping paws and fingers crossed here for the little man.

Lordy what a nightmare you must be going through right now :( I feel so bad for you both..

I take it you've had all the allergy tests done already? What are you feeding? Treats?

I hope the vet makes a definitive prognosis, and quick!

There has GOT to be a reason of why this is happening.

Good luck,fingers and paws crossed for your little man

XX

It's probably a stupid question to ask, but have they done a skin scrape, or checked for flea allergy?

Really hope that Hamish's problems start to get better soon.

Hi All

Yes we had all the allergy tests and skin scrapes done also blood tests were carried out nearly 2 years ago, he has got so many allergies that are high that the vet said they cannot desensitise him which was a shame, he is really suffering at the moment he just plods around and then goes back onto his bed again to sleep, he is definitely not a happy little boy.
I have got the weekend off with him which will be nice i have worked the past 3 days and he has not settled all the time i have been at work he has been sitting by the door waiting for me to come home, he didn't eat last night until i got home and then seemed to settle but my mum said he has been crying most of the time i was gone, he definitely isn't happy at the moment.
The homeopathic vet is going to order a different drug in for him to try but it could take around 2 weeks for him to get it in so we are back for a consultation on Tuesday with him, i will keep you all informed as to how he gets on.

Helen and Hamish

Hey. Just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of Hamish's problems. My mongrel was exactly the same however we didn't put her on steroids so probably not quite so bad. She is also allergic to loads of stuff. We tried desensitisation and it didn't work so that was a waste of money (thankfully we have insurance) then ...

we put her on a raw diet. 1month later and she was almost itch free. It was amazing the turnaround we saw. One day she was itching constantly the next she didn't even scratch. She can even eat the food she is allergic to with out a problem (with the exception of lamb). She is just starting to slightly itch recently but that is due to the Summer allergies arriving. Even so it is no where near as bad as she was before - she itches but she doesn't bite her self raw. Any way just wanted to say it might be worth a try. It has helped Pesto no end and she is a healthy happy pup now.

good luck
Anna

That is so sad, poor little fella. You must sometimes think he is being tortured, to much to carry on, and blame yourself for not finding a cure for him? Well it's not your fault and you have the determination to succeed so you will. Don't give in.
There must be an answer somewhere and it'll be right under your nose when you find it. Perhaps you should try BARF as suggested? cut out all the drugs and potions and give it a good go. What have you,or hamish got to loose by trying it and miracles DO happen on BARF?
But whatever you decide to go with I wish you, as we all do, the biggest of good luck.

Go on girl.....chuck him those chicken wings

Hi All

Thanks for all your replies, he is currently on naturediet lamb and rice and he seems to be doing ok on this, he has got an allergy to chicken so afraid chicken wings are out of the question, he is allergic to wheat, cereals, potato, peanuts, a few herbs and also many other allergies, i am sticking to the naturediet for now and just keeping my fingers crossed, i know its still early days with the homeopathic vet and i cannot expect miracles overnight so am looking and hoping that in the future we may hit on the right tablet or potion for him that will work wonders.
Thank you all again for your kind messages, hamish and i appreciate it, i am giving him lots of love and cuddles at the moment and hoping love will help him get through.

Helen and Hamish

Hi Helen

Just wondering if you've tried adding spinach to his diet?  I think it's Jane Lilley in Dog World who's written about this on a couple of occasions.  You can buy it fresh, or tinned or frozen - I think each is just as effective.  Might be worth a try?

Hi
What does spinach do for them? Haven't heard about this before but am interested to find out anything that may help him.

Thanks
Helen

Hi Helen

Not too sure, actually, but I do know that Jane Lilley has written about it being successful in a few cases - even with very serious skin problems.  Maybe it's worth a try?  Do you get Dog World?  I think her contact details are in there.  If not, let me know, and I'll see if I can find them for you.  One of mine has itchy skin but we're trying the series of injections at the moment - this vet seems to think it'll help.  Thankfully Tanzi's problems are nothing like as serious as your poor lad's - she just gets itchy toes and rubs her chin on them, and is prone to ear infections. 

Good luck anyway - I do feel for you and Hamish
Best wishes
Carina

Edited to say - Have now pm'ed you Jane's phone number

Hi Helen
Just wondering how poor Hamish was doing?
Carina

Hi

Sorry not posted been busy at work, i took Hamish to the homeopathic vet on Tuesday, he is not happy that he didn't improve on the thyroid drug and that his energy levels did not improve so this has now ruled out thyroid disease, he checked him all over and said he definitely isn't a happy dog and that there is definitely something going on, his liver feels a bit enlarged but he said this is down to the liver disease, unfortunately there is nothing specific that we can pinpoint on the cause of this and the vet still feels this is a genetic disorder that has been bred into him because he said usually skin cases he gets under control by the 3rd visit and we are now on the 4th visit with no sign of a slight improvement infact he seems to be getting worse, he is whining quite a lot and just generally not good in himself, the behaviour has improved since stopping the atopica drug so this is definitely the cause of his bad behaviour but things are now deteriorating, his ears are becoming a problem and 1 of them is inflamed which i need to keep an eye on and if it gets any worse take him for some ear drops, he has now tried him on 1 final course of drugs but has said that this is the last resort and if this doesn't work we are then at the end of the road with homeopathic remedies, the other vet is only offering atopica or he is also out of ideas.
We had all the allergey tests done around 2years ago and he isn't allergic to rice this is why we put him onto the naturediet and he has done well on it but since coming off the atopica things are going from bad to worse, he just isn't the same happy dog that he used to be before he started with the bad skin and then of course since then all the other problems have started up, he just sleeps nearly all day now and has no interest in going out for a walk or even into the garden, his keeps stretching a lot which the vet said shows he has got some pancreatic pain in his stomach and he is not at all happy about this, we now have to try these new drugs for 2 weeks and then take him back for another checkup, i am just hoping for a miracle but i know i have got to be sensible.
He said that the next few months are going to be critical for poor Hamish because once the pollen levels really kick in his skin will possibly go into overdrive and really kick off, so i am just trying to take things day by day and keep him as comfortable as i can, as i said at the moment his skin isn't too bad he is itchy but not biting or scratching too much, it is just his energy levels and not being happy.
Will keep you all updated thanks again for all your kindness.
Helen and Hamish

>he is currently on naturediet lamb and rice

He couldnt have an intolerance to rice,could he? I also know of a few dogs who are highly allergic to kelp and alfalfa.

I think a raw or slightly cooked completely home made diet,with zero grains to start would be the best bet for this dog.

If he had the tests a couple of years ago could he maybe have developed an allergy to the rice now?

I agree with Ktee, as dogs don't need grains, I'd drop them from the diet completely. I think it would be worth trying the raw route, you've got nothing to lose and it may help. The more natural the ingredients, the better for him.

My dog had allergy tests at the end of last year. Chicken & Rice are two things he can't have. Bizarre really, in the past I would give him both of those if he had been unwell. His main skin problem is caused by meadow grass but the improvement since cutting out rice is amazing.

I know people who have tried colloidal silver and say it works. Its supposed to kill bacteria. I am presently trying it for my dogs chronic ear infection. You can drink it, spray it on and also get drops for ears.