Update on Colleen. NOT good. - Paw Talk

corgimom · #1 12-30-2006, 02:15 PM

I am just going to copy and paste what I posted on another message board, so that I don't have to type it out all over again.

Colleen has a very bad case of demodex mange. Again. If not treated, in about 3 months she would look like the bald dog she was when her foster mother found her. He guesses that this has been in the works since we got her, and it's possible that her original case of demodex mange never really went away.

There are two main ways that this can be treated. The easiest, and cheapest, way is with something called ivermectin (this is the ingredient in Heartguard brand monthly heartworm preventative). Unfortunately, an estimated 80-90% of collies are ivermectin-sensitive. If she is ivermectin-sensitive and we give it to her, it could lead to coma, or even death. There is a test that can be given to determine if she is sensitive, that costs around $200.

The other treatment option is called interceptor. This is the brand of montly heartworm preventative she is on. Interceptor works at killing mange, but not as well as ivermectin. It would take approximately 3 months of daily treatment at more than double the dose she currently gets once a month for heartworm prevention. The vet did the math for me. It will cost an estimated $1700 to $2000 to treat her with interceptor.

My vet has a few friends in other cities who are veterinary dermatologists. He is going to contact them on Tuesday to see if they know of anything else that will work that is cheaper than interceptor.

He is going to call me Tuesday or Wednesday and let me know what they say. If our only two options are interceptor and ivermectin, we will have her ivermectin tested. Yes, it's a $200 test, but if she can take ivermectin, treatment will cost approximately $200 instead of up to $2000. If she can not have ivermectin, then we'll have no choice but to treat her with interceptor.

Carissa · #2 12-30-2006, 02:31 PM

aww, im sorry. thats alot of money... I wish you and her the best of luck! Hope she gets better!

Nara · #3 12-30-2006, 02:34 PM

Oh, poor Colleen.

I really hope either you come up with some other options from talking to the other vets or that she can take the invermectin. Give her kisses for me.

mulder · #4 12-30-2006, 02:42 PM

wow. best wishes. our rotty roxanne had mange for a year, we had cream for it. oh my gosh. I really hope colleen's okay, and you are too.

Leo · #5 12-30-2006, 02:44 PM

Sorry to hear that

... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the ivermectin will work for her.

Have you talked with your vet at all about the possibility of referring her into a university study of skin disorders?
LSU's Veterinary School site.
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/

Give her a belly rub from my family and tell her we hope she is feeling better soon!

storminstaffs · #6 12-30-2006, 02:59 PM

i hope she gets better soon

millie121 · #7 12-30-2006, 05:28 PM

Poor baby, she's been through so much already. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.

Mel · #8 12-30-2006, 10:15 PM

Poor baby. I hope you figure it out and she gets better asap.

sara8 · #9 12-30-2006, 11:18 PM

I'm so sorry to hear that. I was really hoping it was dry skin. I hope all turns out well with the test. I will keep you guys in my thoughts.

Formula86 · #10 12-30-2006, 11:36 PM

Aw, poor baby! I hope she gets better. I'm so glad she has you guys now.

Vanilla_Rat · #11 01-01-2007, 11:44 PM

Oh my goodness! I am soooo sorry.It has been a rough road with Colleen,but you guys are hanging in there.Thats greyt and I wish you best of luck and hopefully she feels better soon!

Bea · #12 01-01-2007, 11:49 PM

Sorry to hear that - i hope she can have the ivermectin.

corgimom · #13 01-02-2007, 01:52 AM

I sent an email this weekend to the Houston collie rescue (we live in Louisiana and the Louisiana collie rescue is quite small). We'd looked into adopting from them before, so I know that they've (unfortunately) had numerous dogs with demodex. I asked them what they'd recommend for Colleen, and they said that they cannot afford to use interceptor on all of their rescues or get them tested for ivermectin sensitivity, so they treat demodex with an amitraz dip and a preventix collar in between dips (has the same medicine as the dip). She said that it normally takes 4-6 dips to cure the mange. I checked with drfostersmith, because that's where I order their flea/heartworm preventatives from, and the dip is only $30/dip, so $120-180 for treatment. The collars are about $12.50 each.

When my vet calls me back tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm going to ask him about this and see if he's willing to try it.

animal-lover · #14 01-02-2007, 02:14 AM

i will say prayers for colleen, i hope all will be well. and for you too, it's a hard situation you are going through but i know my prayers will help you. say some prayers which i am sure you will i can almost guarantee all will turn out well.
trish

Mel · #15 01-02-2007, 02:25 AM

Oh, I hope it works for you!