Pauly's autoimmune syndrome - Page 1

I have a friend who's GSD was recently diagnosed with this autoimmune syndrome.  Anyone have any information on treatments?  Can this be cured, or just managed?  Anyone here gone through this?

Any helpful advice?

OH, Her boy is 18 months old.

thanks

Have been going through it for 1 year in 11 more days. No, no "Cure". Managed to a point depending on severity. Controlling his enviorment, his food intake and stress levels...all important. An allergy test the best thing we have done so far. I was amazed at what people had suggested he most likely would be allergic too versus what he actually has been identified as being allergic too. Of course this will be differnt for each dog. I have him on a special diet and try to control his surroundings as best I can. He is also on a  series of injections to try and build some resistance to the items he is most allergic too. He is now in the maintenance phase of the injections (one every 21 days). Just don't do as so many people told me.....go raw diet... prior to testing him. Or assume he is allergic to all grains automatically...boy did I blow that one. I was making it much worse by doing the Raw diet and by avoiding all grains..assuming it was best for my boy...oh well live and learn.....please feel free to PM me if I can be of any help by sharing what we have been through...to this point. My boy is almost 15 months old now. I  have to say after investing more then 5 grand now and still increasing fast...he is worth every penny of it. He is awesome and so loving....if I can just keep it all under control....I hope the best for Pauly and know what he is going through....and it's a shame any GSD has to suffer thru it all.......

I should have stated the allergy test we used......VARL Liquid Gold Test

The shots I give him are to help build some resisitance to the items he tested as allergic too. These Items are listed with a 1, 2 or 3 next to each item, with a 3 being an item he is highly allergic too. Item with a one bother him but don't send him over the edge......

This is Aqueous Allergen Immunotherapy

So far it seems to be helping and we are on the maintenance phase now. We will re-evaluate him in April.

A few items that really surprised me were:

Chicken -3

Eggs -3

Peas -3

Human Dander -3

Sycamore Tree -3

Well you get the idea.......A Raw Diet of other then Beef would make him go nuts.....

Hope this info might help your friend....I'll be glade to share any info we get as we continue going through his treatments....

Like Maxbear's dog mine to as an autoimmune condition, he is now on a duck and rice diet, my dog was fed raw from the begining and is extremely allergic to Chicken, Turkey and white fish also dust mites, next down the allergy list but less severe reactions, Lamb, Sheep, Venison, Beef.

I would deffinately have allergy testing before changing anything, my dog was 2yrs when he started triggered by the stress of several attacks on him and a period in kennels.

I tried various treatments over the years that were inaffective (costing over £4,000), he is now maintained on a daily dose of steroids with regular blood tests to monitor the affect on his organs. For the last 6mths he has been the best yet, and apart from a few bald patches on hocks and elbows that probably wont grow back due to scar tissue he is back to how he was 2 yrs ago prior to the start of this.

Pam

Wildmoor....I'm glad you offered your experience here too. I wish I could do the duck and rice...but I can't. He tested out a 2 for Duck and a 2 for Rice. I am glad I got the testing done. I was going around in circles with no real battle plan till after testing. I tried all the hypo food's and suggested foods...about 12 different types for 2-3 weeks each...no relief....of course now after testing I know why.....I even went into the special area I built for him and removed all plantings...and grass...yup allergic to Hosta's/Plantain and even many types of grass......the things we do for our pup's...LOL. After many, many hours of constant supervision and contact I have noticed that as long as his mind and body are occupied, he does not need to scratch or itch.....IE when training or in a training enviorment.....he "Never" scratches...too bad I can't work him 24/7...LOL. His worst times are when waking after sleeping all night...for about an hour to an hour and a half...a bad time for him...then he does rather well for a few hours....then on and off bouts during the day. I also have him on Hydroxyzine Pam  50MG 3 times a day. I am trying not to go the steriod route till I run out of all other options. All I have read leads me away from the steriod/antibiotics unless no other action possible. But having said that, the Vets I have had him checked by..All..say it will come to that...sooner or later...:O(. Oh well...till then we will just enjoy life and train and enjoy each and every day..and every minute of each day. Well time for the nightly walk and sack time....

Hi MaxBear

I wouldnt worry to much if you need to eventualy go the steroid route, I have a friend in Denmark whos dog also has the same problem he was put on steroid at the age of 2yrs he is now 10 1/2yrs.

For a period of 9mth my dog was put on Cyclosporine capsules, eventualy he started to react to these with muscle wastage, extreme hunger, nausea, aggression, siezure activity he also was still itching, not sure how much was the drug or the gelatine capsules, but I know he never siezured before this drug and hasnt since he was taken off it in May.

I much prefer how he is now full of life, happy, itch free, if he has a shorter life due to the steroids so be it at least hes happy and to me its about quality of life not length.

Pam

Thank you all, I will pass on the information,

thanks again