"Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Photo update of Lucas
- Thread starter momto4kitties
- Start Date
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #662
Thank you so much Mani and Kelly, your words mean the world to me and Lucas. He is doing better, what he had last was a throat infection and he finished his antibiotics and is doing better. Lucas's itch is not as bad this time, it is around his face, ears and back. My heart tells me it is the food. I will get to the bottom of it. He has a good appetite, just have to keep looking for the right food for him. I will just use the colloidal silver for the demodex and no matter what the vet says , I don't think Lucas has demodex all over his body, just the ears and it is food related.
Ok, a photo update: This told me he was getting better of his throat infection.... Lucas is one of the best gifts life has given me..
Enjoying the new cat tower I got him two weeks ago (a great black friday deal at petsmart, half price) he loves it!
Just sleeping..... what an angel! H doens't have much hair in his neck, but still cute as can be!
Ok, a photo update: This told me he was getting better of his throat infection.... Lucas is one of the best gifts life has given me..
Enjoying the new cat tower I got him two weeks ago (a great black friday deal at petsmart, half price) he loves it!
Just sleeping..... what an angel! H doens't have much hair in his neck, but still cute as can be!
Aww Tammy, It's so good to see him feeling better. He was really on my heart this morning as I was driving to work. I was just praying for him, asking God to please heal this sweet, sweet boy. He's been through so much. Tears were welling up in my eyes. He was just really in my thoughts this morning.
He's been such a good boy through all of it too. Such a cutie popping out of that bag, & that picture of him sleeping, I just want to kiss him up!!!!
Who could resist that sweet face!!
Angel sleeps like that sometimes too. It's so cute!
He's been such a good boy through all of it too. Such a cutie popping out of that bag, & that picture of him sleeping, I just want to kiss him up!!!!
Who could resist that sweet face!!
Angel sleeps like that sometimes too. It's so cute!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #664
Thank you so much Kelly! I can't even tell you how much I appreciate your words and prayers. How is your little Angel? I hope he is doing good:-). My boy has been so brave and so good. He is doing a little better. Hugs to you and Angel :-)
You are more than welcome. Like I've said before, we're like family here.
Angel is doing good. He has been laying in front of the glass door in the sun this morning.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #667
I'm so glad Angel is doing good!! Give him some hugs and kisses from auntie Tammy:-) Yes, I've tried Atopica, but made him vomit everyday..
I meant other things like Gold salts, etc?
Will do!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #670
Hello everyone! Ok, after 6 years of dealing with Lucas' health problems, after making mistakes and trying different vets and meds.... After thinking that Lucas had lupus... Or not...after dealing with so many symptoms.... Finally, I know what Lucas has...
I read about it long ago, but didn't see all the symptoms on Lucas as clearly as I see them today. I know I've said many times that I knew what he had, but this time I know, I feel it and I have evidence...
I will let you all know tomorrow what I found out. I finally know and it is a relief to know...
Of course I will like to show you all and you can tell me what you think..
Hugs to all
Tammy
I read about it long ago, but didn't see all the symptoms on Lucas as clearly as I see them today. I know I've said many times that I knew what he had, but this time I know, I feel it and I have evidence...
I will let you all know tomorrow what I found out. I finally know and it is a relief to know...
Of course I will like to show you all and you can tell me what you think..
Hugs to all
Tammy
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Tammy that's great! I can't wait to hear what you have found.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #672
Hello everyone, here is what I'm almost a 100% sure Lucas has, it is Pemphigus Folliaceous. I've read about this disease many times and I really don't remember if I mentioned it on this thread, but the symptoms are too similar. I think this is what he has. Just to let you all know, Lucas is doing great right now, he is not sick, he is on his dose of prednisolone and doing better everyday. He was feeling pain when he swallowed and the antibiotic that was prescribed wasn't helping, so I started searching online and I found this disease and I think our diagnosis is here. It explains Lucas's swollen lymph nodes and all the other symptoms. Once I gave him a little bit more of prednisolone he started swallowing without pain and he is a happy boy again.
Here is some of the info that I found, it describes everything Lucas has had through the years...
Pemphigus Symptoms and Types
Foliaceus
Treatment of feline PF: Treatment requires immune suppression and immunomodulation. Do not treat pemphigus foliaceus without a diagnosis and elimination of other differentials.
Glucocorticoids are the most common initial treatment, as they are potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents. There are numerous mechanisms of action that are useful in the treatment of autoimmune skin diseases, but the most notable are the effect on humoral and cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte defenses, inhibition of inflammatory mediators, and suppression of autoantibody levels.
In the author’s experience in treatment of feline PF, glucocorticoid monotherapy has been effective in achieving clinical remission in most cases. Prednisone, prednisolone, triamcinolone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone are most widely used. Prednisolone and not prednisone should be used in cats based upon the assessment of some recent pharmacologic data. It has been shown that oral prednisone is not well absorbed and/or converted to the active form of prednisolone in cats. Some authors prefer triamcinolone or dexamethasone to prednisone.
The info I found also mentioned other options like the gold salts that were mentioned on this thread, and I didn't know about them, thank you for mentioning them, I will get more informed. In one of the articles I also found that this conditions sometimes have been linked to food allergies! And Lucas seems to have that too....
But what got me the most were the photos:
It is amazing how much they resemble what Lucas has. Take a look, in the first pic of each set is a cat with pemphigus and in the second theres my Lucas. I always document pics of his symptoms to be able to help him.
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
cat with pemphigus (Lucas ears have been as bad as this many times)
Lucas
cat with pemphigus -dark nail fold
Lucas ( he has had dark nail folds for years)
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
I just think it is too much of a coincidence to have so many similarities, like the toes, ears, eyes, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained fevers.... it is too much, this is what he has.
Here is some of the info that I found, it describes everything Lucas has had through the years...
Pemphigus Symptoms and Types
Foliaceus
- Scales, crust, pustules, shallow ulcers, redness, and itching of the skin
- Footpad overgrowth and cracking
- Occasional vesicles: fluid-filled sacs/cysts in the skin
- The head, ears, and footpads are the most commonly affected; this often becomes generalized over the body
- Gums and lips may be affected
- It is common for the nipples and nail beds to be affected in cats
- Swollen lymph nodes, generalized swelling, depression, fever, and lameness (if footpads are involved); however, patients are often in otherwise good health
- Variable pain and itchy skin
- Secondary bacterial infection is possible because of cracked or ulcerated skin
- The sun can worsen this condition, so it is important to protect your cat from excessive exposure to the sun.
Treatment of feline PF: Treatment requires immune suppression and immunomodulation. Do not treat pemphigus foliaceus without a diagnosis and elimination of other differentials.
Glucocorticoids are the most common initial treatment, as they are potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents. There are numerous mechanisms of action that are useful in the treatment of autoimmune skin diseases, but the most notable are the effect on humoral and cell-mediated immunity, phagocyte defenses, inhibition of inflammatory mediators, and suppression of autoantibody levels.
In the author’s experience in treatment of feline PF, glucocorticoid monotherapy has been effective in achieving clinical remission in most cases. Prednisone, prednisolone, triamcinolone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone are most widely used. Prednisolone and not prednisone should be used in cats based upon the assessment of some recent pharmacologic data. It has been shown that oral prednisone is not well absorbed and/or converted to the active form of prednisolone in cats. Some authors prefer triamcinolone or dexamethasone to prednisone.
The info I found also mentioned other options like the gold salts that were mentioned on this thread, and I didn't know about them, thank you for mentioning them, I will get more informed. In one of the articles I also found that this conditions sometimes have been linked to food allergies! And Lucas seems to have that too....
But what got me the most were the photos:
It is amazing how much they resemble what Lucas has. Take a look, in the first pic of each set is a cat with pemphigus and in the second theres my Lucas. I always document pics of his symptoms to be able to help him.
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
cat with pemphigus (Lucas ears have been as bad as this many times)
Lucas
cat with pemphigus -dark nail fold
Lucas ( he has had dark nail folds for years)
cat with pemphigus
Lucas
I just think it is too much of a coincidence to have so many similarities, like the toes, ears, eyes, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained fevers.... it is too much, this is what he has.
It really does look as though you've found the answer, Tammy.
Lucas does seem to do better on steroids. Have you been using the correct ones?
From the bit of reading I've done, one of the biggest problems is decreasing the steroids too quickly, which
can result is longer periods on higher doses of steroids than if doses were reduced more slowly.
I'm just so hoping that you can come at it from this perspective and that it works!..
Lucas does seem to do better on steroids. Have you been using the correct ones?
From the bit of reading I've done, one of the biggest problems is decreasing the steroids too quickly, which
can result is longer periods on higher doses of steroids than if doses were reduced more slowly.
I'm just so hoping that you can come at it from this perspective and that it works!..
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #674
That is exactly what I'm worried about right now. He seems to be responding to the prednisolone for now. Since one of Lucas's problems is the food allergies, what I'm doing is keeping him for now on hills z/d which always helps him ( can't make any experiments with other foods right now, most of them have failed)... He is doing wonderful right now. Once the food allergies are under control I will try to slowly decrease the dose of prednisolone he is on now which is 7.5mg daily. He went through a crisis and I had to give him that dose so he could get better. I will keep him on this dose for a week and then will slowly try to go back to his dose of 5mg and go from there. I'm at least glad to know what he has so I can know what to do since none of the vets can. They have seen all the symtoms and have never helped, in fact, if I had listened to everything they had told me Lucas would be dead right now.
the last time the vet saw him, he wanted me to give him ivermectin for demodex, and his skin has all cleared up with the prednisolone and the hills z/d....I will take him to the vet with all the info I have found and all these photos, so they can see for themselves and understand what he has and that he really needs to be on steroids to be ok, they have been wanting me to take him off steroids for years and every ttime he gets sick...it is crazy and I won't listen to them anymore, I will just follow my instincts and do what is best for him. He is happy right now and that is all that matters...
.
the last time the vet saw him, he wanted me to give him ivermectin for demodex, and his skin has all cleared up with the prednisolone and the hills z/d....I will take him to the vet with all the info I have found and all these photos, so they can see for themselves and understand what he has and that he really needs to be on steroids to be ok, they have been wanting me to take him off steroids for years and every ttime he gets sick...it is crazy and I won't listen to them anymore, I will just follow my instincts and do what is best for him. He is happy right now and that is all that matters...
.
Tammy, that's wonderful news! I'm so glad you fugured it out, & listened to your instincts! I would love to see the look on the vets face when you present them w/ this!! It's such a shame that they, as Dr.s didn't figure it out, but you did! I know you are so relieved. Now you can go from here w/ the knowledge you needed. "Answered prayers indeed!!" I will continue to pray that you will be guided on figuring out all of this, & what will work for Lucas.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #676
Thank you Kelly, I hate doing that to the vet but I'm so tired of them treating me like I"m crazy for giving Lucas the prednisolone everyday. It is a clinic with three vets and only one of them seems to understand a little that Lucas has to be on steroids, the other three are a nightmare and always give me a hard time.
Another thing that comes to mind is that before Lucas was born, there was a cat that roamed around the neighborhood, he looked exactly like my Lucas and I used to feed him everyday. I remember one time he came and he looked like he had mange or like he was burned all over, it was horrible, I remember telling my mom that someone most have burned that kitty. I continued feeding him and couldn't take him to the vet because he was feral, and like a month after he was as good as new! I was surprised! Then after that, one day he came limping with one of his front paws swollen, it was double the size and the skin was infected. I gave him amoxil on his food everyday and it got better. Then his ears was infected, I thought he had gotten in a fight or something, so I got him antibiotics once again.
I started thinking that maybe he had this disease. That cat dissapeared long ago, he dissapeared just after I found Lucas. I don't know what happened to him. Who knows? Maybe he was related to Lucas and maybe LUcas inherited this disease. I read it can be inherited.
I will just keep helping my boy and making sure he has a happy life
Another thing that comes to mind is that before Lucas was born, there was a cat that roamed around the neighborhood, he looked exactly like my Lucas and I used to feed him everyday. I remember one time he came and he looked like he had mange or like he was burned all over, it was horrible, I remember telling my mom that someone most have burned that kitty. I continued feeding him and couldn't take him to the vet because he was feral, and like a month after he was as good as new! I was surprised! Then after that, one day he came limping with one of his front paws swollen, it was double the size and the skin was infected. I gave him amoxil on his food everyday and it got better. Then his ears was infected, I thought he had gotten in a fight or something, so I got him antibiotics once again.
I started thinking that maybe he had this disease. That cat dissapeared long ago, he dissapeared just after I found Lucas. I don't know what happened to him. Who knows? Maybe he was related to Lucas and maybe LUcas inherited this disease. I read it can be inherited.
I will just keep helping my boy and making sure he has a happy life
That's interesting about the other kitty. It sounds like it may have been a relative. As far as the vets, well, I hope they take it as a lesson learned, & that they should continue learning, & do more research for their clients!
Hugs to you & Lucas!!
Hugs to you & Lucas!!
Who/how was Lucas diagnosed with Lupus? Not to be rude, but it sounds like your vets could use some help from a university or something.
I had a horse with pemphigus. It was diagnosed by biopsy. Gold salts was the go-to treatment in horses, but we opted not to do it since he had other conditions that took precedence. Most of his problem was the secondary bacterial infections and his lesions were easily taken care of by topicals.
Are you using anything topically on Lucas?
I had a horse with pemphigus. It was diagnosed by biopsy. Gold salts was the go-to treatment in horses, but we opted not to do it since he had other conditions that took precedence. Most of his problem was the secondary bacterial infections and his lesions were easily taken care of by topicals.
Are you using anything topically on Lucas?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #679
Hi, you are not being rude, it is the truth, all the vets I've seen have dissapointed me.
No biopsy, no vet has ever ordered that. I don't use topical meds on Lucas, and the truth is now he is better so ge doesn't need it. He is responding well to prednisolone. He is not even scratching. He is also active and happy:-)
The vets Lucas is seeing now are supposed to be the best in our area... But they have failed us too.
But I'm confident we will be ok, my Lucas is getting better everyday:-)
No biopsy, no vet has ever ordered that. I don't use topical meds on Lucas, and the truth is now he is better so ge doesn't need it. He is responding well to prednisolone. He is not even scratching. He is also active and happy:-)
The vets Lucas is seeing now are supposed to be the best in our area... But they have failed us too.
But I'm confident we will be ok, my Lucas is getting better everyday:-)
