Billy's Health Journey

10/23/2020 Billy's Health Recovery Update:

He is now 7months old!

This is a long post about the journey we are at with our pet puppy, I am not sure if you will be interested in reading this long post but I just wanted to share this and hopefully there's someone who can help or in the same condition that we are having right now. This post will be updated from time to time as he progressed with this condition. Thank you! 

A couple of months ago we had our first puppy, Billy! He was then seven weeks old, a Japanese Spitz. We are a first-time dog owner. We had dogs when I was young but it was a guard dog, he never stepped foot inside our house. So the petting, play, and all the cuteness were never experienced before, same as with my kids. When my kids were little they got fish and a rabbit for pets. Never in my wildest dream that one day we will be taking care of a pet in our home. What made me say yes to my daughter? She convinced me good and also with the lockdown and the quarantine that happened since March I said yes! I believe the responsibilities for owning a dog my daughter can handle as she is a grown-up now. When we waiting for him to arrive we prepared the house, my daughter DIY his bed, pull-up some of her old toys for him to own, bought food, some essentials too...thinking that all we need to do when he arrives is to feed, potty train him and all the cuteness he can bring us. And, yes! we were not disappointed in that area when we got him and brought him in, the first 24-hours was so beautiful...we all felt that having him was the best thing- until after the following days.

The first week was a little tiresome, we were all over him, following and trying to teach him things in the house but the cuteness and the feeling of we have a pet at home was overwhelming. There were lots of sleepless nights because he was crying at night and we wanted him to teach on where to sleep and it's night time and time to sleep. 

One day of the first week, my daughter noticed a skin rash on his right elbow, where was a little patch of hair loss and skin was dry...so we thought that it was a normal thing. Days passed by and one veterinary dog visit along with his vaccine shot we got our consultation. The vet recommended Madre de Cacao cream to be applied twice a day, so we did that, the routine of applying the cream started to be part of the daily routine for him. But, the rashes get worse by day, the itchiness was getting severe and he tends to scratch his skin so much and starting to get bruised up, his fur falls off and he was irritated. He could play anymore, we tried to be with him all day and made him wear socks to prevent his skin from getting a bruise. We contacted the vet I asked if we can give him oral anti-histamine to lessen the itchiness so we started him on that. And with a couple more vet visits, more tubes of Madre de Cacao cream, sulfur soap, Caniderm ketoconazole shampoo, Papi powder, socks, dog cone - the majority of the time was made DIY because we couldn't find one in the market here. We were able to shop at Lazada after more than a month, I also boil Madre de cacao leaves (Kakawati leaves) for his bath wash, I also juice the kakawati leaves and sprayed on his fur just to relieve the itchiness, as advised by some friends and family. All these were in 30 days with the initial diagnosis of Dermatophytosis. I find all these products giving him a temporary relief. 

 Newly added cream Furfect herbal cream

Php 200

rubber muzzle bought from Lazada

 Php 168

 Madre de Cacao Doggies choice anti-fungal cream

Php 180

 Infinity Pet Care Caniderm Ketoconazole

Php 360

plus Sulfur soap Php 180

VetMate Papi powder

Php 120

 

 

With the diagnosis, we continued doing what we been told to apply the cream etc...but the condition was not improving. He lost a lot of his fur- the affected areas were the skin elbows, ears, nape, neck, and legs. The rashes were all over his body. That is when we decided to consult another vet doctor! He gave Billy a steroid shot to prevent him from the itch, the shot will last for a month ( I felt relief when I heard that). We follow-up some more visit at the vet for his vaccines and during one visit the doctor said that Billy's condition was hereditary- that there is no cure for it, that we need to have him on steroid injection maintenance every month until he reaches a year old and switches to oral steroids, I felt so sad when I heard that :(. I saw his future being restrained, limited, and not having a normal dog life and will be under medication all his life or up until when his skin recovers? All the questions I have in my mind. He was also given oral antibiotics for seven days along with the initial steroid shot. 

We brought him home from the vet, went to our daily routine the next day, I must admit that half of our time was devoted to him...the attention and the caring that we are giving him just for him to feel relaxed and comfortable and not to scratch unexplainable. Right about now I am making this post, he is on my lap napping. Our everyday lives revolve around him now. 

He's lost a lot of his fur and his skin dries up and making it so sensitive when touched. His diet is still the same, from Royal Canin to Special Dog puppy food. He loves to drink milk but the doctor said we need to stop giving him any dairy drink because of the skin condition, that milk drink used to be given to him as a treat but we stopped it. We are trying to stop giving him yogurt and Yakult as these all are milk-based drinks. He loves sponge cakes, giving him bits en pieces of it after every meal. He loves honey syrup, cake icing, breadsticks, and anything sweet.

Our last vet visit was last Saturday, July 11 for his last regular vaccine and more additional skin consultation. We were advised to give VCO (virgin coconut oil) for skin massage to prevent skin dryness and 5ml to be given orally. I bought Prosource VCO for P238, 250ml, we started giving him 5ml for three days now straight now and applying and massaging the oil twice daily. 

Our VCO journey for healing, skin-soothing, and other health benefits he can get. So far, with the three days of topical administration of VCO, his skin improved, less the dryness feel and some wound and scratched he made before started to heal fast leaving and starting the crusts to fall. Oral intake of VCO is a little struggle to give as he refuses it especially the first time. We are using the plunger of the syringe to give the oil. No changes in his stool, which is a very good sign. He still wears his cone, socks, and sometimes the rubber mouthguard to relieve his neck with the weight of the cone though it is made from a light plastic material. 

he was able to reach his legs and bite and make another fresh bite wounds so we extend the cone using light-weight bendable plastic. 

I am in full hopes this can help and ease the itchiness and skin condition from inside to out that our baby Billy has. He will be turning 4 months on the 23rd of July. 

To all fur parents out there who experienced or experiencing the same situation, our puppy has kindly shared with us any tips and treatment you might have? 

***This post will be updated with his progress...