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I live in Mesa, AZ. It's been around 113 degrees (F) here lately….......that's why they call it "The Valley of the Sun"! Sometimes it doesn't get below 90 at night!
My 3 red & whites get really hot on walks and at the dog park in the summer. They LOVE to go, but poop out so fast in the summer. Lately, if we don't get outside by 6 or 7 a.m......we just don't go at all. It's CRAZY hot and dry and there's very little shade anywhere! (I don't think people were actually meant to live here!!!!)
You would think in a place like this that a cooling garment would be popular.....but, I've NEVER seen one on any dog! I've never even heard of them until I read this post. (It's possible my head has been in the sand......it IS the desert after all!) So, I'm going to check in to this type of product. If it would help my "kids" have a bit more stamina for exercise and fun at the dog park it may be a good investment!!!
Thanks for enlightening me!
Sadie
Welcome Angelilca!
I'm the "mommy" of a B girl with Fanconi, also. I really encourage you to join the fanconi yahoo group. It's a GREAT resource! I have learned so much just from reading the posts of people with current issues and the experienced fanconi dog owners' replies. Also, they keep a list on the website of vets that are known to be knowledgable about the disease and are willing to communicate with Dr. Gonto (who wrote the protocol) directly when needed - because not all are. The list is by state and you can find it on the site under "files".
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/fanconidogs/
Good luck with everything and keep us posted!
Sadie
Wow Chealsie508! You've got a little angel one minute and a Tasmanian Devil the next! What a dilemma! Only thing I can add is that the one thing we tried that CURED Haley's separation anxiety is: we got another dog!!!!!!!!! :eek: Extreme, I know! Just sayin'…. she no longer rips everything up and pees all over the house when I'm gone! ;)
Oh…..one last thing......I think the doctors where I live REALLY have a responsibity to verbally tell their patients that if they use topical hormone replacements on their arms that the skin has to be covered. For goodness sakes, this is the PHOENIX area! We RARELY wear sleeves!!! AND we are menopausal! ;)
Was there some sort of warning (pamphlet) that came with the spray? If not, I would contact the the drug company/FDA. This is a serious matter. If they indicate that you can spray it on your arms, the drug company/FDA and doctors need to know you have to apply it to an area that is covered.
APPARENTLY THE FDA DOES KNOW
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm220185.htm
Yes, the drug I was using comes with a pamphlet. I believe it now says it must be used on the forearms and after it dries the skin should be covered. I started using it 3 years ago which was a couple years before the FDA put out their warning. I remember reading all the warning information that came with it the first time I used it, but I don't remember it saying to cover the skin. I do remember it saying to let it dry before touching anything. So, I don't know if the pamphlet's warnings have changed or not over the years. I do remember questioning the doctor about it's safety to others and he assured me it was fine as long as I let it dry. I think that was the general feeling three years ago, and there wasn't any FDA warning at the time. BUT, after the FDA put out the warning over a year ago, it would've been nice to have my doctor alert his patients of it each time we go in to have our RX renewed. Unfortunately, I have learned a huge lesson that I should always read the literature that comes with each prescription EACH time it's refilled (which was every month with Evamist) and not overly rely on what the doctor tells me. Which is sad. We should be able to rely on them…..to, at least, inform us when there is a new warning from the FDA. And, truthfully, it never occured to me that I should be reading the little folded up pamphlet with tiny print every month just in case something had changed. I thought I'd learned long ago as parent that I needed to be my own and family's advocate....but, evidentaly, I didn't learn it good enough. The lesson has slapped me upside the head again!
ALSO: Yesterday I talked with a woman who was using a hormone replacement therapy that effected her dogs. She was using an experimental Estradiol and Progesterone cream on her forearms. Her dogs - a young male Boston Terrier and an older female Vizsla - licked her arms a lot. The male ended up with SEVERE hair loss and an extremely affected prostate gland. Most of his prostate gland and penis had to be removed and then a hole had to be created for urinating…..which caused kidney stones.....then more surgery and a new hole for urinating......and Testoterone shots...etc. etc. etc. This after only 1 to 1.5 yrs exposure to her drug. He now (a year or so later) has all his hair back, but is left incontinent, on meds, and in diapers. The owner is left $20,000 poorer.
The female Vizsla had cancer and died before the anyone connected the HRT with the dogs' symptoms.....but, before she died her vet was amazed and confused by her extremely large vulva.
This is a horrible story and I cannot stand the thought of it ever being repeated........
UPDATE: It's 2 1/2 weeks after the doggies stopped being exposed to the topical Estradiol. I am definately seeing new hair growth on Prince! I think I can see a little here and there on Haley, too. I believe from the skin biopsies that her skin was in worse shape than Prince's…..and she did have 1 more year of exposure than he did. Also, I've started a blog called Our Hormone Dilemma so I can try to connect people with similar stories and help those who are in the research phase of this crazy ordeal. If you know of anyone (female OR male) using topical hormone replacements of any kind, please give them this URL: hormonedilemma.blogspot.com