Mr. Maxwell

Max seems to be doing a little better- though we still don’t know for sure what’s wrong with him. I feel so bad for the poor guy. The vet that we currently go to has no idea and told us they have never seen anything like it. Awesome. They have cut back his nails (which is extremely painful), given him antibiotics, foot soaks, pain meds, and the dreaded cone of shame. Boooo.

After doing some research, I came across something that many veterinarians have little or no knowledge of, but is all over the internet- Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy. SLO is an autoimmune disease that can cause severe claw problems in dogs. Some signs are: multiple nail loss, separation of the nail from the quick, limping, infection w/ visible oozing & odor. Max either HAS or has had each of those symptoms. The photos that are shown online look exactly like Max’s paws.

There is no cure for SLO but it can be treated with Fish Oil, Vitamin E, and changing their diet to include only hypoallergenic foods. Loose and painful nails need to be removed and pain meds help since the condition can be very painful. The disease is usually life long, but can almost always be controlled.

So, we’ve decided to change vets. On our first visit, I’ll bring along the information I’ve found to present to them and we’ll see what they say. It sucks to see him in pain, limping. Sometimes we even have to carry him up the front steps :( I say it’s worth a try- Mr. Max has been suffering way too long! Maybe he’ll even be able to take the cone off soon- he’s had to wear it for over a month! (See photo a few posts down.) Wish him luck!

1. bmoneywhat posted this