Thursday, July 29, 2010

Lips & nostrils summary

August 1, 2010: smoother with cobblestone texture. Full pigmentation.



June 28, 2010: loss of cobblestone texture, cracks around nostrils that often bled.

May 31, 2010:



February 9, 2010:


January 19, 2010:


December 8, 2009:






August 1, 2010: Complete return of pigmentation. Continued lowering of prednisone dosage. Every other day pred 20mg / skip a day / pred 10mg / skip / pred 20mg/ skip / pred 10 mg... Next step will be pred 15mg EOD then gradually 10mg EOD. All other meds and eyedrops remain the same.



June 28, 2010: After intense period of aggressive medication to put the disease back into remission. See earlier posts for medication routine.


May 31, 2010: at the start of the aggressive medication approach as the disease became more aggressive:




March 20, 2010: Relapse mid March. Increased pred from 5mg to 10mg for several weeks at no avail.



February 9, 2010: Continued improvement and stabilization with low doses of prednisone 5mg every other day alternated with azathioprine. Con't with niacinamide and Veterinary Immune Tabs daily. See earliest posts for complete medication program.


January 19, 2010: After several weeks of initial treatment and maintenance of 5mg pred every other day alternated with azathioprine. See earliest posts for complete med program.

December 8, 2009: Just biopsied and diagnosed as UVD. On the surface the disease attacks the margins at mucous membranes where pigment meets hairline; the lips, nose bridge, eyerims, paws, anus. Internally it also attacks the eye retina and nostrils and other mucous membranes. Here, prior correct treatment, Corky lost all black pigment on his lips:

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

JULY 6TH, 2010 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORKY!

Today he turned 7! Isn't he gorgeous! Today is a good day!

Luckily you can't see the bald spots except for the one on his front leg. More on the pred side effects later. For now we are celebrating his happy day. Today he is full of life and loves his new birthday ball. Simple things...


Monday, July 5, 2010

July 5, 2010

Here is a quick update for now... photos before we started the intense therapy course and after. Scroll down to earlier posts for details of medication adjustments and more photos. We have tappered the prednisone down from 60mg for 18 days then 40mg 10 days, 30mg 10 days, and are now down to 20mg per day. All other meds remained the same. We are aiming to get him on an every other day maintenence schedule again. I will update after the next eye exam in a few days and also comment on the side effects of the high dosages. He is still full of energy and still has a great attitude. He is just the best sport ever. I hate to see him as the poster dog for this disease but if this blog could help someone else, here it is. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate his 7th birthday tomorrow. Today he had a fun hike along his favorite trail up Mt Lemmon with the family and tomorrow he'll get to party more... Every day is precious. Did I say how much I love him?...

More later, for now here's a comparison of the pigment changes since May 23:

July 5, 2010:

May 23, 2010:

July 5, 2010:

May 23, 2010:


July 5, 2010:
May 23, 2010:
July 5, 2010: Notice the hyperpigmentation in a place he never had pigment before. It is not consistent this time around:
May 23, 2010: