Sorry this is so long

My parents have an elderly Leonberger (she is 10) that has been having a few problems of late as would be expected however for the past year or so she has had a re occurring problem with a hole appearing under her tail by her bum!  I looked in to this knowing that this is a symptom often found in GSD's called Anal furunculosis and found out that it is also a well know problem now in Leonbergers so told my Mum to tell the vet this as it is a very nasty disease.  My Mum suggested this to the vet who shrugged it off but did ask the opinion of another vet who said it's not AF so assuming that the vet knows best my parents proceeded to have tests done etc, given antibiotics, cut open, stitched up, cut open stitched up, given steroids, taken of her Metacam that she has to her HD as it was apparently making her have blood in her faeces , they also suggested that she may have Colitis but never linked that fact that AF and colitis come pretty much as one but after some simple research I found this out and also the fact that blood appears in faeces as a result of the AF!

Well now after a year, Mum has to see another vet as her normal vet is away, she also (after I told Mum to) suggest AF again to this vet and the fact that it is common in Leo's, she was not sure about this and said she would look in to it. Well today she rings my Mum to say that it IS AF and that they needed to start her on drugs soon but the drugs needed are very costly - now the problem is that because this has gone on for so long the insurance will not pay out as its over a years treatment for the same area / thing!  I am so angry because this could have been sorted at the beginning and the insurance would have paid for the treatment but instead my parents have to face the predicament that they are unlikely to be able to afford £500 per month so have to consider having her PTS as the drugs may not work anyway as the AF is so advanced.  I have told my Mum to go back to the vets having a go etc but she seems to have given up the fight already.  This is probably due to her GSD that she had to have PTS last year, yet again after the vets could not find out what was wrong with the dog for over and year as she became so skinny and lifeless the ended her fight....personally I would have seeked a second opinion but my parents were adamant that the vet was doing all she could but I have my doubts especially after this.

Sorry to whinge, I just had to get it of my chest as I am so angry - wishing that I had actually called the vets to make them test her for AF myslef!

Poor Cassy, she has suffered due to their ignorance / stupidity!

Aww I'm so sorry to hear that - I think I remember you posting originally and I asked whether it could have been AF that your dog had because I lost my German Shepherd dog to this dreadful disease nearly two years ago.  We were lucky because our vet diagnosed it on the first visit.  We were not so lucky though that within 3 months of diagnosing it he had to be put to sleep.  He could have had an operation but the vet didn't give us much hope and we didn't want him to suffer anymore :-(  I was talking to another couple near me that had a German Shepherd dog and they apparently lost theirs to the same disease.  They struggled for over 12 months trying to treat the condition and spent well over £2000 but sadly to no avail.   Its a terrible disease and unfortunately one that there is no cure for.

That's the trouble and as she is old it is probably best not to let her suffer any more but you can't help but think that if the vets had listened we may have been able to sort it :(

I think you may have replied actually so thank you for that, just a shame that we were not heard.  I also did some research on the net and found so many things that added up to it being AF but they just said it wasn't so the poor girl has had a hole on her tail on and of for over a year. 

It will be heart breaking for my parents to have to say goodbye to her, esp after loosing 2 GSD's last year but I think Cassy would rather be at the bridge with her best mates to be honest :(

I know a Leo owner/breeder and she had AF in Two of hers (so stopped breeding).  She ahs found that using Echinacea and Alo vera Gel keeps on top of the symptoms and kept her girls comfortable.

She advised this for my freind wqith a GSD that had Cryosurgery, but the condition came back, and he has been fine using this for the last five years.

Oh right, so even with a huge hole that smells and is clearly uncomfortable for her this is OK to use? Thanks for the info Brainless, maybe this will be an option?

Trouble is as this has been untreated for a year we are afraid that it is too advanced and as she is nearly 10 do we want to put her through it?  Any info is greatly appreciated :)

No advice to give just wanted to say what a d*mn shame for your parents and the poor dog!!!

I can well understand how angry and frustrated you feel :(

No advice but found this article by Trevor Turner (vet) don't know if you've read it but thought it might help.  He suggests that a hypoallergenic diet may help ;)

Good luck with this.

Trevor wrote some articles which are on here.

http://www.videxgsd.com/GSD_Health.htm

Don't know if it's the same link Dill, it wasn't showing on your post.

Hope this helps and I fully appreciate how you feel, Enf, how sad for your parents and their dog. :-(

Thanks for that Spender :)

don't know what happened, CD site seemed to freeze then meltdown as I posted :rolleyes: I've only just got it back

the article is here http://www.videxgsd.com/Anal_Furunc_1.htm so I guess it must be the same site you gave :)

really interesting article :) but so glad I've never come accross the problem, it seems such a cruel thing for the dogs and the owners.

Oh Kelly I am so sorry to hear this, please pass on my concerns to your mum and dad. Have passed your email on and replied. Poor Cassie.

Dee

Thanks for the kind words and info, I did see the article on the Videx website and found it interesting - we just don't know what will help now seeing as she has been untreated for over a year - just think of the damage to her insides :(

It is a rotten disease, but my last shepherd overcame it, but with the use of the very expensive drugs I expect you're talking about. It was cyclosporin. However, you can get a private prescription from the vet, and then check round the pharmacies for the best price, and it is a lot cheaper. If it is going to work it does work quickly, and then you can phase down the dosage to a more manaeable level financially, finding out the level that keeps it at bay. We eventually phased out the drugs altogethr and it never came back. We were very lucky indeed.

Wish you well
Kat