I have a 7 month, toy poodle, 5 lbs., spayed female. I just ordered Immugen and Moducare, and am wondering if she is old enough to take these two supplements, and if they may be taken together? I am hoping these might help with her demodectic mange.
She has localized demodectic mange around her eyes and forelegs. The vet I see is conventional. He wants to treat her with Ivermectin, but she had vomiting, diarrhea and shaking after taking the lower dose HeartGuard tablet, which is the same ingredient. She also had the same reaction to Interceptor for heartworm. She had a site reaction to her last booster, and a seizure after her rabies shot which was given 2 weeks later.
She has a history of untreated Giardia (3+ months), which was eventually treated with Flagyl, and after a second recurrence, treated with Fenbendazole in the form of SafeGuard. Prior, the vets (3) told me she just had diarrhea and to live with it. She was given her puppy vaccinations throughout the Giardia (I did refuse the last booster since she was so ill, until after she recovered), as well as Panacur and 2 treatments of Albon despite repeated tests and no diagnosis of Coccidia. She also has Puppy Pyoderma at her vulva area, which has spread upward on her stomach over the past 5 months. The vet does not treat for this. She is also fighting ear infections in both ears, which thus far, the vet sees no reason to treat (there is a yellowish white, creamy pus substance coming from both ears) – this started immediately after her spay with 3 baby teeth pulled and she was on an antibiotic. She also had a UTI which was treated with an antibiotic during the undiagnosed Giardia.
We have no holistic veterinarians where I live, and only after I strongly requested the Eliza test for Giardia was she diagnosed and treated. We are at a loss for good veterinarians in our area. I think my dog has a compromised immune system due to the untreated Giardia, and due to boosters given while she was ill. I will not be allowing rabies, and must fight my vet for titer’s – he’d rather do the boosters with reactions.
She has a severe loss of appetite now, and is extremely lethargic – most unlike her. There have been no changes in the home atmosphere.
Also, she is allergic to chicken and grains – even home cooked chicken thigh meat , and the only food she tolerates is Natural Balance Limited Ingredients Diet Sweet Potato and Fish, dry kibble and canned. This is a high fiber, low protein food. Attempts with higher quality, higher protein foods have met with mucousy diarrhea.
To sum, local demodectic mange, puppy pyoderma, ear infections, loss of appetite, lethargy, allergic to chicken and grains, reactions to just about every booster/maintenance medications given.
I would appreciate any advice regarding giving a 7 month, 5 lbs. toy breed your Immugen and Moducare.
Thank you, Suzanne
Hello Suzanne,
It appears you have a very complicated case. It is safe to give your poodle both the Immugen and Moducare at her age and they should help support her immune system. You may also add Parasite Dr. by PetAlive, though it’s labeled for internal parasites the wormwood should also help the skin parasites. PetAlive also makes a mite shampoo and spray that may also help as a topical for both the mites and pyoderma.
The food allergy may be more problematic that she may need an even more natural diet. The chronic pyoderma and ear infections both indicate there is still a diet issue. There are even more holistic diets such as the Honest Kitchen, Wysong and Bravo these are all raw, and sometimes that is what it takes to turn the immune system around. Since your dog has such a sensitive GI system, I would always recommend taking 2-3 weeks to change a diet. A strong probiotic such as Gastriplex or Vetri-Probiotic BD should help her normal healthy GI bacteria during a diet change. It should also boost her bacteria since she was on multiple antibiotics for so long which usually kill off the good bacteria.
Even if there are no holistic vets in your area, you may want to ask around to see if there is a conventional vet that understands and respects the complexities of your poodles’ system. You may also want to check in surrounding towns that may have an integrative vet. Here are some web sites that you can look up vets in neighboring areas. www.ivas.org, www.tcvm.com, www.ahvma.org. Best of luck.
Sincerely,
Colleen Smith DVM, CVA