Perianal Fistulas - Page 1

Are these genetic?? If you have a dog who has these now..should you be planning to breed him in June?

Perianal Fistulas are a TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE health problem. They are believed to be an auto immune disorder and can be very difficult to treat. A lot of dogs infected with perianal fistulas have to be euthenized. One of my friends just euthenized a very nice female with perianal fistulas, there was no treatment for her and she was in pain. It was devestating. Any dog with Perianal Fistulas should ABSOLUTLY not be bred and should be castrated as soon as possible.

Thanks Olga an Janette..I was reading the prodog site and a breeder was saying her dog has these and was very sick and taking meds and not eating etc..then when I went to her website and she has just put on her notes from the past few days that she is planning on breedeing him in June....so i started to wonder..

I had a friend with a GSD that had PF and I have done several years of research and spoken to many vets on this topic. PF is not genetic but it just happend to occur in GSD's more often than any other breed. Other breeds get PF but GSD's are at the top of the list. The cause at this point is Unknown and there is no cure, However,by using cyclosporine combined with ketaconozole. This allows a much lower dose of cyclosporine to be used thus reducing the cost, although of course the ketaconozole then has to be paid for. This is much more reasonable than the cost of cyclosporine so the treatment becomes almost affordable. Combine the treatment with corticosteroid therapy and a suitable diet, usually involving an alternative protein source and a high success is achievable long term and the dog can usually live a somewhat normal happy life. Cyclosporin recently has been developed into a generic form so instead of the cost being 300.00 per month, the cost is about 150.00 per month. I hope this helps.

I know your dog suffer from this problem...please read above posts to help heal him...I try to post to your guest book to tell this to you but it didn't work out.

the videx article on this previous discussion of the disease explains more than I have found anywhere else. http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/39047.html she has pups she is trying to sell from him right now along with all those other litters. Their owners read this board I just checked her website and do not see anything on there of him having it but I did read recently that her dog was dying on her website but she still bred him and will again she is trying to keep having litters till her replacment stud can breed those bitches in his place. The income has to keep coming in from pet sales!!

bcoats could you please tell us if your dog with this had other skin and or other allergies or health issues?

i just read that the dog is being treated with 100 dollar creams and is pretty advanced and in great pain but was even recently used for a litter, the owner goes on about needing to put the dog down as it is suffering but is not as her young male is not old enough to take over the breeding. This is not hear say but is from her own hand about how and what it even feels like to rub cream on this poor dog! I am sorry but yet again I find myself shocked at the length people will go to for puppy money and pet trade, again I am sorry but after the reading I have been doing on a non german shepherd site by this so called breeder I am sickened, images of this dog suffering while she is litteraly bragging of her new lap top, big screen tv and bose system while still mateing this dog who she claims is hard to get him enough to eat to take his medicine on a full stomach!! The dog is gravely ill and in pain and suffering, yet all she thinks of is the females that need breeding and her other male is only a year old as of 2/8 I can only feel pity for what her next stud might have to endure such an awful thing to happen.

OMG...I hope Gino is ok...I was reading about him on another board..this is terrible for the dog. I hope he doesn't suffer. Yeti maybe you should try to get the info to Pat so she can try it on Gino.

I have a dog with Perianal Fistualas. Male, steep croup, low tail set, with allergies. It is not a death sentance but it is a horrible condition. We have had great success with surgery (going on 1.5 years). There is a yahoo group, PF-L which is very supportive and provides many options. My male is neutered so breeding is not, never was a consideration.