Audrey's $500 "routine" Vet Visit

Audrey Hepbull

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Apr 23, 2012
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Audrey Hepbull
So Audrey went to the vet today. I said in my intro post that Audrey is new to my fiancé and I. She is a 15 month old female bulldog. She has demodex mange and came from an abusive and neglectful home. She currently weighs a healthy 50 pounds, but in Jnauary, her old owner had starved her to a scant 28 pounds.

So at the vet we found out that in addition to her mange, she has a ton or bacteria on her skin, so the vet has put her onto Cephalexin for the next month. Audrey smells awful and while I thought this was due to the mange, it is actually because of the bacteria on her skin. Hopefully the antibiotic will help take care of the "burnt rubber" smell that is coming off her body. :cry: She continues to need baths 3x a week with Pyoben shampoo and a rich conditioner.

Because demodex is a problem brought on by a weak immune system, the vet has also put her on a natural "immune boosting" supplement that contains vitamins, antioxidants, green tea, medicinal mushrooms, and selenium. She has to be on this supplement for at least 6 months.

Audrey already is also taking probiotics, digestive enzymes, kelp, and fish oil. She has been switched to a raw diet (luckily we have a holistic vet who is totally on board with that). The vet has also recommended she start on Apple Cider Vinegar taken by mouth daily.

Turns out Audrey also has entropion on her upper and lower eyelids on BOTH eyes. She said it is not super severe and there is a slight chance she may "grow out of it" when she gets over the mange and her body's swelling and inflammation goes down. If not, then it will need to be corrected with surgery. She has scarring/cloudiness on her left eye. She isn't totally blind in that eye but she cant see out of that eye in the dark at all. They stained her eye and it is not an active ulcer, just a scar.

She also has a Histiocytoma on her chest. It is a small mass. The vet says it is benign (but ugly looking). She said sometimes these rumors disappear on their own over time. Hopefully that will happen.

Audrey also gets idiopathic head tremors. The vet is having us log when, how often, and for how long they happen. She says she is nor familiar with that condition, but I don't plan to put Audrey on any anti-seizure meds for it. Vet says she thinks the tremors may decrease with age.

Audrey also likely has hip dysplasia. When she walks, I can feel her left hip "popping" maybe her right hip too, but the left hip's popping is more pronounced. We are focusing on the mange treatment right now and then we will eventually have her x-rayed so we can address the hips. My fiancé and I are hoping she won't need surgery on her hips AND eyes. That would be SOOOOO expensive. :(

She has a recheck in a month. The vet is confident she will fully recover from the mange, but it will take several months of aggressive treatment. Once she gets I've the mange, she has many more hurdles to go. Please keep us in your thoughts.
 

bullmama

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Oh boy that is a lot to take in all at once. Makes you wonder about her previous home. Too bad they did not put her in rescue so she could have been taken care of the issues she has prior to adoption. But she is so lucky to have you, giving her a chance at actually feeling good!! Your vet is right about the entropion, maybe once everything clears up it will get better. Are her eyes swollen around them?

Let us pray about those hips... :pray: and hope it is not too serious.
 

JAKEISGREAT

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Poor Baby! I'm sure she knows she has finally ended up with someone who loves her. I will never ever understand how people can and do treat innocent critters so badly. But then, sometimes people get treated pretty badly too. I know she will blossom and in no time her "real" self will emerge. :bravo: to you both for taking a chance on her...and it will pay off hugely! (ummm..I'm not talking about it paying off for her vets..:eek:)
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Audrey Hepbull
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Well we got her from the lady who bred her. I am not impressed with the woman. She sold Audrey as a puppy to a many who neglected and abused her. He brought her back to the breeder to "trade in" Audrey for a different puppy. Luckily the breeder said "heck no!" and kept Audrey. Bur she is a backyard breeder. All of Audrey's problems are GENETIC faults. She only breeds to make money. :( When we "adopted" Audrey from her, she asked us no questions about our names, address, Bulldog knowledge, etc. We could have been animal killers! She never asked us a thing! I don't know who is worse, the man who abused Audrey or the woman who bred her. :(
 

cowsmom

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wow what a story. I cannot understand how people can do this to animals. thank goodness she has you now n can know how it feels to be loved. maybe you could list the names of the supplement n things you are giving so someone else whose bully has immune problems can benefit. bless you for this from someone who has also taken in an abused dog. :hug:
 

dozersmama

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???
t. i am vdery sorry that she has all these issues and you are great for taking her in and im sure you didnt expect all of this. so im just going to come out and say thus and please dont thik im passing judgement. I dont know you or your financial situation and im sur you are alreay attached to Aubrey , but this sound like an extreme case where she requires thousands in medi al care. if yoy cannot sfford it no one would fault you for finding a rescue for her . please dont think im suggesting that yiu cannot or should nor keep her , i'm just saying imsure you didnt plan for this. and if you dont have the resources to do it a rescue might be a good option.
i wish you the best of luck in either case
 

MamaAndi

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Awww...that's so sad that she went through all that. The good news is that you have her now and things can only get better from here! I know unexpected vet costs hurt the pocketbook though, would pet insurance cover any of this if you got it now? Or do they do "preexisting conditions" like people insurance?

Good luck with her, she is a pretty girl :)
 

dozersmama

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???
sorry for the crazy looking post, still getting used to this stupid tablet.
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Audrey Hepbull
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Audrey's Supplements: Geneflora (Probiotic/Digestive Enzyme); Nature's Logic Omega 3 Sardine Oil; Lifeline Organic Icelandic Ocean Kelp; CAS Options (Her immune supplement, made by the company "Resources"). It is mainly used in pets with cancer or undergoing chemotherapy, but can be used in the case of demodectic mange because it is an immune system issue.
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Dozersmama. I have worked for several years as a veterinary technician and our pets come before we do. I am very comfortable caring for Audrey. Audrey will get all the care she needs, no matter the cost. Since she is the only dog with issues we are caring for, we are better able to pay for her medications/surgeries, and also give her the hands on care she needs. I am not saying rescues don't care for their dog's, just that when a dog has this many problems, sometimes being the ONLY animal with problems means they can get more focused care. I know you weren't saying I can't take care of her, so please don't think I am upset with you. I'm just saying that when we got her, we DID know she had issues just not the extent of the issues. She will get whatever she needs, even if it is two new hips and fixed eyes.
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Audrey Hepbull
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Pet insurance wouldn't cover any of these issues because she was not already insured before she was diagnosed with these problems. My papillon IS insured though, through PetPlan. He had double knee surgery when he was 11 months old. He will be four this year. His knees aren't covered on his insurance plan, but he has no other medical problems so if something comes up, it will be covered.
 

Twice

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Oh my that is a lot to handle all at once. No wonder the poor things immune system took a walk! Thank God she found her way into your heart. You're an angel for taking her in and loving her.

How bad is her mange? You can dab her with some neem & lavender oils or spray her with lemon water. I'm using both atm, Abby is clearing up great. It will also help with the smell :) You can also put the ACV right on the spots to help stop the itching.

How much kelp is he suggesting you give her? I only ask because kelp is a diuretic and very high in sodium. Her body is a war zone right now, keep a check on her for high blood pressure and kidney/bladder issues.

If you are going to give her fish oil every day (which is a great idea!) you might want to ask him about giving her vitamin E every 2 or 3 days. Giving fish oil long term can get in the way of her natural vitamin E absorption and her body needs that for circulation and cell regeneration (it will also help her nervous system which might help with those tremors).

I don't know who is worse, the man who abused Audrey or the woman who bred her. :(

I'm going to vote BOTH are equally horrible. Ms Hepbull is in my prayers for a quick, complete, speedy recovery. Her new life is waiting :)
 

Saalwi

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Wow...that's a lot to manage....I was feeling a little blue over my guy's issues (at the moment)....but it's nothing compared to your girl's current challenges. Hang in there, it's sounds like this bullie found just the right people to help her enjoy life!
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Audrey Hepbull
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Audrey has severe generalized mange so it is all over every inch of her body. Her hair is just now starting to come back. The kelp is just 1/2 teaspoon per day, so hardly anything. There is vitamin E in the immune boost supplement hat she is taking.
 
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Audrey Hepbull

Audrey Hepbull

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Audrey Hepbull
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We loved Audrey from the first moment we saw her. We knew she had mange before we ever got her. She is the sweetest dog. I just wish there would be changes to the Bulldog breed so that they wouldn't get all these horrible problems :(
 

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