When I heard that Deena had an autoimmune disorder, my first thought was... So what does that mean?
Deena has an autoimmune disorder called pemphigus. There are several types and we think she has foliates, which is a milder type. It is not contagious and is caused by Autoantibodies: the body creates antibodies that react to healthy tissue and cells as though they are pathogenic (diseased). It can happen in dogs due to a hereditary predisposition or excessive sun exposure.
Deena's condition is easily managed with a daily low dose of prednisone. Prednisone is a drug that is often used for treating autoimmune diseases in dogs. It is a synthetic, inactive corticosteroid that is chemically converted by the liver into prednisolone, an active steroid. The benefits of using the drug for treating a number of conditions has been well established. So it is a standard treatment.
Without the prednisone, Deena gets sores around her mouth, in her ears, on her feet, and in her genital area. At one point she was doing fine with an every other day dose, but we decided to up it to 5 mg once a day, which is still a very small dosage. We suspect she could be transitioned back to every other day with close monitoring, but she is doing great with the once a day schedule. In fact, she loves taking her pills with cheese!
Her medication is readily accessible at your vet's office or online and is very inexpensive. It is only $0.19/tablet, for a total cost of less than $6 a month.
To read more about pemphigus click here.
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