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AFGHANS ARE US -HEALTH JUVENILE PYODERMA SAFFY'S STORY Reproduced here with kind permission of Liz Floyd Text book birth and all puppies fit and well. Bitch and puppies checked by vet at six days who commented we had a nice healthy even litter all weighing within 100 gms of each other. Bitch developed a slight touch of Mastitis in one teat at fourteen days and she was given a Synulox injection and a course of tablets. Initially this appeared to clear up but after ten days the dosage was increased. I mention this because this did not really clear until the pups were fully weaned at around six weeks, so therefore all pups were getting a low dose of Synulox from early on through bitches milk. At four weeks of age I noticed a small mark on one of the pups lower right eye lids, no more than the size of a pinhead. The next morning, Sunday she had a small amount of rubbish in the corner of this eye, I assumed the little mark was maybe a blocked tear duct which had cleared and thought no more of it. During the course of the day the top eyelid began to swell and by the next morning, Monday, the whole eye was completely closed and the other eye was beginning to puff up, she also now had one neck gland slightly swollen. Puppy taken to see vet number one that afternoon who diagnosed an eye infection and that the swelling in her neck gland was just her immune system kicking in, she also had a slight temperature. Fulcithalmic eye ointment was prescribed to be applied twice daily to both eyes. I would like to point out that at this stage I did ask if this could be a Pyoderma puppy but somehow she managed to carry on talking and not answer the question. I do not know why to this day I connected the two as this was something I had only read about in one of my books. I had not heard of it and I certainly had no experience of it or tiny puppies in general come to that as this was my first litter. I wish now I had pushed for an answer and as they say hindsight is a wonderful thing. Appointment was made to check puppy Friday. Wednesday puppy was not making any progress, both neck glands were up and both eyes swollen so much that she could hardly open them. I understand now this to be classic text book signs. Her eyes were obviously very painful as she fought me each time I had to pry them open to apply the ointment. I had taken to bathing them several times a day with cooled boiled water as they were stuck together more often than not. I decided I could not wait until Friday so took first available appointment that day. Saw vet number two, senior partner who decided she needed some antibiotics so prescribed a course of Synulox and to carry on with the ointment. I did not mention Pyoderma to her because I thought she surely must know an eye infection when she sees one! Friday morning she was obviously getting worse, her whole head was now beginning to swell along with the neck glands and the tell tale pustules where on her lips and chin. I was now convinced this could not be an eye infection and started to ring a few Afghan friends seeking advice. One good friend came up with a horror story of a Pyoderma puppy she had bred years ago and I was now positive that this was indeed what I was dealing with. A few more calls and I was given the name of someone who had had a Pyoderma puppy some months previous and could give me the help I needed, unfortunately she was not in so I was unable to speak to her until after our next vets appt. Saw vet number two again and I knew by now that if this was indeed a Pyoderma puppy she required specific Steroids and antibiotics quickly as we had already wasted best part of a week. So tongue in cheek baring in mind this was a senior partner I put the puppy on the table and declared " If this is not a Pyoderma puppy then what is it because it couldn't just be an eye infection ? ". I was some what surprised when she declared she did not know much about Pyoderma puppies and proceeded to check the Internet. I explained I knew we needed specific Antibiotics and a Steroid in high doses but couldn't get hold of the one person who could give me the information. I know you don't just give any old Steroids so on her suggestion puppy was given a non Steroidal anti-inflammatory injection to help her in the mean time until I could contact this person. The surgery was closed over the weekend and vet number two was off anyway so an appointment was made to see her on Monday. I was assured that if I needed anyone over the weekend that the vet hospital was open and she would email them so they were aware what was going on. That evening I had all the information I needed for her treatment in just one phone call. Saturday morning came and when she banged her chin and it started to ooze blood I decided not to wait for Monday and contacted the vet hospital for an appointment. Vet two had emailed as promised and they had all the details. The nurse when requested checked that the drugs I required where all available in the pharmacy and so off we went. Vet number three was seen who turned out to be an arrogant young man, he led me to believe he had seen Pyoderma in a Retriever, had heard of it in Boxers and Westies but never in Afghans ! He gave me the Steroids I wanted but refused to change the antibiotics, he told me to trust him he was the vet and I would see a change in a couple of days, he even joked that I could smack his backside if he was wrong. So she was still on Synulox. My husband will tell you he had to practically drag me from the surgery and it's not that young mans backside I'd now like to smack! Monday morning puppy was still no better so I rang and asked to speak to vet Number two who at least took me seriously. She rang me straight back and I told her what had happened and the puppy was still very sick and that if she was not prepared to give me the antibiotics I wanted she was wasting my time and I hers and I would go elsewhere. She obviously realised I meant business and said she would work out the correct dosage for the puppies weight and they would be ready for me to collect at the appointment already made for later that day. She even agreed to just check with her vet school that nothing had changed treatment wise over the last few months. MEDICATION Antirobe one 75mg capsule twice a day for five weeks Rilexine one and three quarters of a 75mg tablet twice a day for two weeks Rilexine half a 300mg tablet twice a day for remaining three weeks Prednisolone one 5mg tablet once a day for one week " " one and a half once a day for one week " " one once a day for a five days " " half once a day for five days " " Quarter once a day for five days " " Quarter once every other day Once on the correct treatment it was very straight forward and all she has to show is a slight bald patch on the end of her nose and slightly watery eyes occasionally. She was kept with her siblings as far as possible and was just rescued when it got a bit too boisterous for her, obviously her head and face where very sore but she would have been more upset by being segregated.. Jabs were delayed a month to let her immune system recover from the Steroids. She was having lots of Goats milk which lined her stomach as I understand this can be damaged with the medication. Since my experience I have spoken to many people and it would seem it is very common and has been around for many years not only in Afghans but in all sorts of breeds. Not long ago at ring training a lady told me she had lost two Westies out of several in a Pyoderma litter because the vet did not realise what he was dealing with and she herself did not know at the time. It took me five visits and three vets to get my puppy the right treatment so my advise would be if you think you are right argue your case. It might also be worth asking your vet what they know about Pyoderma puppies when you take your bitch to be checked over before you mate her, you might not get the answer you want to hear! Liz Floyd - 09-01-07 See more about JP here Juvenile Pyoderma
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