Optimus

April 2011

Our dog has been ill for quite some time. It took his doctors several months to figure out exactly what was going on with him.

One summer day, Optimus was sick - he was throwing up, wasn't eating or drinking, barely going potty (pardon the Mommy term), and was clearly uncomfortable. The vet's office recommended we bring him right in. He was kept overnight for tests and observations, and by the next day seemed better. He was sent home. A few days later we noticed his eyes weren't right. They seemed to roll up into his head, which was actually his third eyelid protecting his eye, and he was producing a lot of discharge. He was seen at the vet's again, where it was discovered that his pupils were different sizes. The dr. thought he had a continuation of the virus he had originally come in with earlier in the week, was showing an allergy to something, or had experienced trauma of some sort. He was prescribed an eye ointment.

A few days later, we noticed the skin on his nose was very dry and literally flaking off. Then he began to lose the hair around his eyes, as well as the pigmentation around his nose and jowls. Again, the doctors didn't know if this was a continuation of the original visit symptoms or something more. Optimus was prescribed antibiotics, which seemed to help. However, when he finished the dosage, his eye and nose symptoms returned. It was now time for biopsies. He had samples taken from his eye, nose, mouth, and paw pad.

Optimus was diagnosed with a superficial skin disorder similar to Lupus. Since his diagnosis, he was put on a two month round of medications. Originally, they seemed to help. Some of his hair was coming back, though it was coming in white instead of black, and it looked as though he was getting some of his pigmentation back in his jowls and nose. More recently however, he started to become quite irritated around his eyes, and he started losing more fur on his face, and it started to extend to his ears. He is losing so much fur, we seriously can't keep up with it around the house. As of Friday, he was prescribed steroids.

While this disease doesn't seem to affect him pain-wise, his features are so sad to look at. He's been nicknamed by our daycare provider as "racoon," which is an appropriate description of what he looks like.

Nevertheless, he is still as naughty, loving, and crazy as he's always been!