Bear's Update

The last update I have on our blog for Bear is June 15th.  To be honest, it has been a roller coaster since then of progress, regression, medication changes every few weeks, 7 different medications, at times he was on 6 different medications, and 14 different Ophthalmologist/Dermatologist appointments.  We are MOST grateful for the fact that we have been able to maintain his vision up to this point, but he has definitely struggled along the way which is heartbreaking for us to watch.  I have posted some pics from the past 6 months below.  He has lost most of his skin pigment (body hair, pads of feet, nose, and mouth), but we have been reassured that this part is not painful.  Of course, he is still handsome to us.  I can count 3 times in the last 6 months where his eyes have become inflamed and his vision was minimal.  Thankfully, high doses of Prednisone tablets (40mg/daily) and drops have helped get this back into a functional range.  Our norm has been going to the Ophthalmologist every 1-3 weeks depending on his eyes to check the eye pressure, check for tears, ensure the retinas have not detached, check the swelling in the optic nerve, and check for swelling in the pupil and iris.  Since June, he has also gained 19 pounds (due to the steroids and lack of activity) making his weight 78lbs.  It has been difficult to watch Bear be lethargic and sometimes sad.  The kids have done a great job helping him get around, reminding us of his medication schedule, and snuggling with him daily.  He is definitely VERY LOVED!  3 weeks ago, his eyes were doing poorly, and we moved our apt to see the doc.  After checking his eyes and getting an aggressive medication schedule to save as much vision as we can, Dr. Griggs referred us again to a dermatologist and recommended a biopsy to check for a slew of auto-immune disorders since he was in the middle of an "active flare-up".  We scheduled and were able to get in to see Dr. Osborn (Vet Dermatologist) 2 weeks ago on 11-21-19.  At that apt, we did proceed to have biopsies done on his mouth and nose.  Bear did great and has not even messed with the 4 stitches since then.  Both doctors suspected an auto-immune disorder called Uveodermatological Syndrome (Canine UDS).  We took him off of the Mycophenalate (auto-immune medication) as he was receiving high doses and still having flare-ups.  This was an indication that the particular medicine was not working for him. In the last 2 weeks, he has become even more lethargic and developed large sores on various parts of his body (3 on back, 1 leg and 2 on tummy).  We have been praying for weeks that the results give us answers and a clear direction to take from here.  

Today, we were able to go in for the biopsy results with Dr. Osborn.  The appointment was a productive one.  We removed his sutures, cleaned up a large area of sores on his back, and discussed the biopsy.  The biopsies were positive for Uveodermatological Syndrome (UDS).  According to VetStreet "Uveodermatologic syndrome is a rare genetic disease in which the dog’s immune system forms antibodies against its own pigment cells in the skin and light-sensing cells in the back of the eye. It causes red, painful eyes, skin depigmentation on the face and footpads, and premature whitening of the hair. Because the skin and hair issues are cosmetic, treatment focuses on eye problems, which are typically ongoing and can lead to permanent blindness."  Like most reported cases, Bear has been diagnosed with Uveitis and Vitiligo.  He will need aggressive and ongoing treatment for the rest of his life in order to give him the best possible chance of keeping his vision.  It was extremely hard for me to hear the diagnosis, although I had already researched and knew this was likely the case.  Every Mom just wants her baby to be healthy and happy.  I am no different.  I want him to enjoy running in the country again and chasing after his "babies" (stuffed animals).  So, where do we go from here?  Well, we added 4 new medications to our daily routine for now.  2 are more of an antibiotic for his open sores, and the other 2 work together as a strong autoimmune medication.  The doctor said it could take a full 6-8 weeks before the medication takes full effect in his system.  Until then, we will proceed with check-ups every 3 weeks to monitor his progress and adjust anything needed along the way.  We are in constant prayer that the medication works fast and that we are able to STOP the progression of UDS for our sweet baby.