My vet believes my 5 1/2 year old german shepherd is developing perianal fistula. I searched the forum and any discussions I found were a few years old. Does anyone have any experience with this condition and are there any natural ways to treat it?
My vet is suggesting prednisone as a treatment. Any help would be appreciated.
PA's are an autoimmune disease. In humans, the closest analog is Crohnes disease. All treatment approaches need to be with that in mind.
My old guy, Chance, had PA's for the last six year's of his life -- it's a chronic but managable condition.
I'll add more later ...
1) No more vaccines -- ever.
2) Cyclosporine and Ketaconizole are the current 'gold standard' treatments. About six weeks of relatively high doses and you can taper off to a maintenance level or treat as it flares up.
3) Topical use of Protopic (tacrolimus) can also be effective.
4) May people have had good luck with going to a salmon-based diet.
One of my last GSDs suffered from this complaint although I must say it never seem to bother him.My vet treated it with Cyclosporine and apart from the high cost was pretty successful.The cost of the drug was half the price in Spain as opposed to Ireland but trying to import it nearly landed me in jail.
For some reason my vet was not keen to use the Ketaconizole as an extender.A friend who is a breeder of GSDs has treated the problem without recourse to these expensive drugs but I would have to ask her for more info.Good luck with the dog.
just wanted to add having read the original post again.Prednisone is a steroid isn't it?I haven't got my old dogs vet book to hand but I think we tried that first as the less costly option and it did not work at all.not to say it wouldn't in your case only mine.
Edited by Jack Gingell (12/08/2011 02:08 PM)
Edit reason: additional info
Thanks for the info and yes prednisone is a steroid. My vet was very open about the likelihood of long term side effects and what they were. I am giving him the prednisone at this time but do not want him to be on it long due to the side effects. Thanks again for the info.
Thanks for all of the info it is greatly appreciated.
Hey Charlie you mentioned that no more vaccines and a salmon based diet may help. I was curious why no more vaccines and how a salmon based diet helps. I would appreciate the info.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: chuck moore
Thanks for all of the info it is greatly appreciated.
Hey Charlie you mentioned that no more vaccines and a salmon based diet may help. I was curious why no more vaccines and how a salmon based diet helps. I would appreciate the info.
There are several indicators linking overvaccinating with perianal fistulas (along with breed, GSDs and Irish Setters being in the forefront, unfortunately, of breeds susceptible to anal furunculosis), but regardless, vaccines are not meant for any but healthy dogs anyway. If the vet happened not to be aware of this, the package insert would spell it out clearly: vaccinating is for healthy dogs only.
With a five-year-old vaccinated dog, for me, there is really no question. I would not even consider the so-called annual boosters at this age, period, but certainly never with a dog who has this serious condition, and I'd get a titer-waiver for the rabies vax (the only one that has a legal requirement).
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: chuck moore
Thanks for all of the info it is greatly appreciated.
Hey Charlie you mentioned that no more vaccines and a salmon based diet may help. I was curious why no more vaccines and how a salmon based diet helps. I would appreciate the info.
I read about the salmon-based diet for perianal fistula in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association a few years ago. Right now I can't find a link, though.
Anecdotal evidence does indeed support a novel-protein diet for this condition, and if this were my dog, I'd probably give serious consideration to making that novel protein salmon.
I'll try to find reference to that article, from I think 2008 or 2009.
All JMO. Not a health professional.
eta
Even better, maybe Charlie has a link.
Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/11/2011 11:21 AM)
Edit reason: eta
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