Update on Rudy's Health

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog entry about Rudy and his continuing health troubles. He has made significant progress so it is time for an update.

He continues to take Cyclosporine daily and this is making a major positive impact on his health. The most visible is his coat. He is growing hair, lots and lots of it. It is dark and wavy and shiny, so different from his previous coat that was light in color, dry looking and very sparse. He even has hair on his chest and is regrowing hair in his many bald spots. Eric and Katherine visited recently and said that Rudy looks like a different dog. When he goes to the vet, they ooh and ahh over his coat. He looks good.

He is completely off the Prednisone which was doing so much damage to his system. He even had to have some teeth pulled during the summer because the Prednisone was eating away at the enamel. Recent blood tests show that his adrenal glands are working and there is no sign of the Cushing's disease.

He is going up the steps to the second floor with more frequency. He used to come upstairs with us all the time when we went upstairs to change clothes. He was a frequent visitor in my sewing room. All that changed when he was at his worse in the summer. In the last few weeks, he sometimes climbs the steps to be with us upstairs. He is still reluctant to climb up the stairs from the basement, although he dashes down them every chance he gets.

He is eating well and sometimes plays fetch. It is not like "old times" but he does sometimes chase and return a ball. He seems to have more energy and zest than he did this spring and summer.

He was back to the vet's yesterday because we have noticed a strong smell coming from his body that we thought might be the beginning of another yeast infection. The vet said that the smell is coming from his mouth and his feet. The Cyclosporine is causing on-going stomach distress, so she is prescribing Pepcid AC before his medication to help with this. This should also stop some of the excess drooling which is coming from the upset stomach. She also said that Rudy has an infection between his toes which causes the scent glands that are located there to produce so much odor. So he is back on Cephalexin for the infection and a spray between his toes twice a day. This should take care of the infection and the smell. Hopefully the spray will work because the next step would be returning him to a low dose of Prednisone, which of course we don't want to do.