Auto immune… cancer

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
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Scout went to the vet today. He’s always been a skinny dog but now looks dreadful. He’s also got small patches of non healing scabs. He’s just had two weeks off so I know it isn’t overwork (and actually he only did 6 days in December). He’s not quite as bouncy as usual, but not hugely so.
Vet thinks either auto immune disease or cancer. The in house bloods show his liver, spleen and kidneys are ok. The external bloods will be back Tuesday.
She found a lump under his tongue and one lymph gland is slightly enlarged. He’s going in next Thursday for a GA and scan and (I think she said) tube down the throat. She talks really fast and this was a phone call while I was driving (on speaker). OH had taken him in.
What could cause the auto immune problem? Might it be curable? I’m obviously clutching at that as the preferable of the two options.
 
I had a dog (Lurcher) who had an auto immune condition, initially the vets were unable to diagnose and thought either auto immune or an aggressive cancer. Some of the symptoms sound similar but it was very rare and usually breed specific (she was not the breed usually affected) so vet’s found it difficult to diagnose.
I am happy to provide more info if it would be helpful.
 
BigRedDog said:
I had a dog (Lurcher) who had an auto immune condition, initially the vets were unable to diagnose and thought either auto immune or an aggressive cancer. Some of the symptoms sound similar but it was very rare and usually breed specific (she was not the breed usually affected) so vet’s found it difficult to diagnose.
I am happy to provide more info if it would be helpful.
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Yes please. Pm if you prefer? Scout is a lab.
 
Don't Dr Google - wait until you have more info from the external bloods and the ultrasound/GI scope. Some things are more treatable than others so without a more solid diagnosis it's very hard to look any further.

Auto immune diseases are genetic/breed related or spontaneous and can be triggered by environmental factors like certain meds, toxins, infections etc (but it can be very difficult to pin point a specific cause for non breed related ones!!)
 
druid said:
Don't Dr Google - wait until you have more info from the external bloods and the ultrasound/GI scope. Some things are more treatable than others so without a more solid diagnosis it's very hard to look any further.

Auto immune diseases are genetic/breed related or spontaneous and can be triggered by environmental factors like certain meds, toxins, infections etc (but it can be very difficult to pin point a specific cause for non breed related ones!!)
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Thank you for replying. I haven’t googled! I think the vet said they can’t really diagnose auto immune conditions, they are what’s left when other things are ruled out? I have absolutely no idea what can have caused it, if that’s what it is 🤞
 
Sorry no experience but wanted to wish Scout and you well.


We've not really had any health problems with Labs, just one with PRA (in the days before testing) and one with Hodgekins Disease at 18 months. We've been very lucky.
 
I’m really sorry to hear about this. I hope it’s something that can easily be treated. I wonder about something environmental re the scabs? Brig suddenly had dozens of hotspots one week, it was really bizarre. I read, possibly on here, that athlete’s foot cream could be useful, clipped all the bare patches, smeared on cream, they were all gone within a couple of days. Meanwhile, I walked him in a totally different area miles from the usual walk. The swellings, however, don’t tie in with anything environmental in my (limited) experience.

I hope you get some answers very soon. I know you research massive amounts before getting your dogs: can you approach the breeder and see if they’re aware of anything?
.
 
My big dog, rottie/mastiff cross had auto immune disease - diagnosed by exclusion. His symptoms were very bad joint pain that standard painkillers did not touch and to be honest, steroids were the last ditch attempt before PTS as he was in so much pain despite industrial quantities of gabapentin, metacam and tramadol all at once. He had another 3 years of good quality life on quite a high dose of steroids - everytime we tried to reduce the dose, the pain returned - and I lost him very suddenly due to a type of sepsis/infection which I believe isn't uncommon with high dose steroids?

I don't regret that he stayed on the high dose, even with the risks as without them, he was in a lot of pain so would have been PTS as there was no QOL with the way he was suffering. Steroids aren't expensive and are easy to administer. Ideally the dose would be reduced once the original flare up is under control which brings the risks right down and the noticeable side effect of an increased appetite probably isn't that different to a 'normal' lab :)
 
My mum's lurcher had an auto immune thing where the body attached it's own platelets

She survived and lived to nearly 17 . Steroids were used with unpleasant side effects, but ultimately it worked.
She had no further vaccinations in her life.
 
cbmcts said:
My big dog, rottie/mastiff cross had auto immune disease - diagnosed by exclusion. His symptoms were very bad joint pain that standard painkillers did not touch and to be honest, steroids were the last ditch attempt before PTS as he was in so much pain despite industrial quantities of gabapentin, metacam and tramadol all at once. He had another 3 years of good quality life on quite a high dose of steroids - everytime we tried to reduce the dose, the pain returned - and I lost him very suddenly due to a type of sepsis/infection which I believe isn't uncommon with high dose steroids?

I don't regret that he stayed on the high dose, even with the risks as without them, he was in a lot of pain so would have been PTS as there was no QOL with the way he was suffering. Steroids aren't expensive and are easy to administer. Ideally the dose would be reduced once the original flare up is under control which brings the risks right down and the noticeable side effect of an increased appetite probably isn't that different to a 'normal' lab :)
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He’s so thin the increased appetite would only be a good thing! Although he’s already in double recommended quantity of high quality food, being fed 4 x day and having protein porridge.
 
sarah.oxford said:
My mum's lurcher had an auto immune thing where the body attached it's own platelets

She survived and lived to nearly 17 . Steroids were used with unpleasant side effects, but ultimately it worked.
She had no further vaccinations in her life.
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Yes I wonder if I have caused it in some way. He was wormed recently, but hasn’t had bravecto for months and his jabs were in April.
He does eat rubbish on walks, so could have scoffed something.
 
I have had a dog with an auto immune disease, a Lancashire heeler. She had skin lesions and even her throat was affected so couldn't eat, we thought we were going to lose her but she responded really well to steroids and lived until she was 15.
If it is an auto immune condition please don't think you have caused it by protecting him from disease.
 
Clodagh said:
Yes I wonder if I have caused it in some way. He was wormed recently, but hasn’t had bravecto for months and his jabs were in April.
He does eat rubbish on walks, so could have scoffed something.
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You’ve done the best for him, do not blame yourself because you’ve looked after him.
 
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One of my rough collies was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder when he was about 17 months old. He had initial treatment and then didn’t have another serious episode/flare up till he was an old man. He didn’t have to be on meds forever but I did admittedly watch him like a hawk. I think stress sometimes caused small flare ups that went as quickly as they came - being a rough collies = super sensitive. He made old bones and I honestly think it wasn’t until the last few months of his life that it was very notable/prevelant and requiring steroids.

I really worried about it at first and thought it would be so life limiting. Thankfully, for him it wasn’t. I know that’s not always the case so don’t want to be one of those ‘stop worrying’ dicks. A cousins lab had an auto immune issue, well a plethora of them, that showed up in later years and he took some managing, it was manageable though.

Keeping everything crossed for you.
 
No experience of auto immune thankfully. Just wanted to wish him all the best for his scan. Beans is having a full abdominal ultrasound on 15th Jan as 3 of his bloods aren't right, he's a bit anaemic and given his history of spleenectomy they want to have a look inside. He has a heart murmur too so they'll have a look if that enlarged too. The difference is that he's 11 next week and has a lot of co morbidities.
 
Clodagh said:
Vet just rang. He’s low on folate which suggests a malabsorption issue. Still going in on Thursday morning.
We are hoping they’ll find an old lump of sock in his gut somewhere.
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Knowing labrador's that would be highly likely and an easier fix than the previous possibilities to lets hope for that.
 
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