Shasta's EI-1 blood panel results

Here is will I show the results of Shasta's EI-1 Blood Panel results with the dates so you can see her progression: EI-1 Lab Results Normal Range Results from 8/13/13 Results from 9/10/13 Results from 10/10/13 Results from 1/31/14 Cortisol 1.00-2.50 1.97 1.59 0.88 1.09 T3 100.00-200.00 86.24 82.05 126.84 124.16 T4 2.00-4.50 1.66 1.43 3.36 3.14 Total Estrogen 30.00-35.00 35.13 35.1 35.09 35.05 IgA 70-170 57 60 61 65 IgM 100-200 77 84 87 94 IgG 1,000-2,000 784 836 868 938 Dr. Plechner's interpretation of the results: increase to 15mgs of Medrol per day and should see more improvement.

Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens: Phytoestrogens are substances found in plants (phyto-) that have estrogen-like properties. Phytoesterogens latch onto the receptor sites on cells meant for estrogen. This results in a partial stimulation of those receptors, less intense than if true estrogen had attached, but stronger than if nothing had stimulated those receptors at all. This leads to a dual result. In women who have considerable estrogen, high consumption of phytoestrogens tends to occupy the receptor sites and keep real estrogen away. The net effect is to reduce the overall action of estrogen. Since estrogen promotes a number of forms of cancer (such as breast cancer), this may reduce cancer risk. However, in women who have little estrogen (after menopause, for example), consumption of large amounts of phytoestrogens will tend to mimic the effect of the missing estrogen, reducing symptoms such as hot flashes. Phytoestrogens are found in numerous foods, most prominently soybeans (and many other types of beans), red clover, flaxseed, and whole grains. The phytoestrogens found in these foods include isoflavones and lignans. 1 Herbs with high phytoestrogen content include alfalfa , hops , licorice , thyme, and verbena. 1,2 Certain herbs that are often claimed to contain phytoestrogens actually do not. These include wild yam , saw palmetto , and chasteberry . Dong quai , ginseng , and black cohosh do not appear to contain phytoestrogens in the ordinary sense, but might contain substances that mimic some of the actions of estrogen under certain circumstances. Here is a list of of foods and drinks with the calculated amount of phytoestrogens found in each. Please note this list is not comprehensive and there are other foods such as carrots and apples in which phytoestrogens are found to contain, but I could not find any material that lists the amounts: Flax seed 379380 Soy beans 103920 Soy nuts 68730.8 Tofu 27150.1 Tempeh 18307.9 Miso paste 11197.3 Soy yogurt 10275 Soy protein powder 8840.7 Sesame seed 8008.1 Flax bread 7540 Multigrain bread 4798.7 Soy milk 2957.2 Hummus 993 Garlic 603.6 Mung bean sprouts 495.1 Dried apricots 444.5 Alfalfa sprouts 441.4 Pistachios 382.5 Dried dates 329.5 Sunflower seed 216 Chestnuts 210.2 Olive oil 180.7 Almonds 131.1 Cashews 121.9 Green bean 105.8 Peanuts 34.5 Onion 32 Blueberry 17.5 Corn 9 Coffee, regular 6.3 Watermelon 2.9 Milk, cow 1.2 Soy bean sprouts 789.6 Garlic 603.6 Winter squash 113.7 Green beans 105.8 Collards 101.3 Broccoli 94.1 Cabbage 80 Fruits   Dried prunes 183.5 Peaches 64.5 Strawberry 51.6 Raspberry 47.6 Watermelon 2.9 Nuts and other legume seeds Pistachios 382.5 Chestnuts 210.2 Walnuts 139.5 Cashews 121.9 Hazel nuts 107.5 Lentils 36.5 Beverages Wine, red 53.9 Tea, green 13 Wine, white 12.7 Tea, black 8.9 Coffee, decaf 5.5 Beer 2.7 Other   Black bean souce 5330.3 Black licorice 862.7 Bread, rye 146.3

Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens have been implicated in a variety of medical problems, and during the last 10 years many scientific studies have found hard evidence of adverse effects on HUMAN and ANIMAL health. Xenoestrogens may temporarily or permanently alter the feedback loops in the brain, pituitary, gonads, and thyroid by mimicking the effects of estrogen and triggering their specific receptors or they may bind to hormone receptors and block the action of natural hormones. Here are two articles that explain the implications of xenoestrogens and provide a list: http://voices.yahoo.com/what-xenoestrogens-they-affect-your-12004093.html> http://endojourney.wordpress.com/2009/07/31/a-list-of-xenoestrogens/>

The Plechner Syndrome and Protocol

Plechner's Theory Another advocate of Plechner's theory is Patricia Pepper, who shares a pet success story with SARDS, explains it this way..."What Dr. Plechner did was find that a major regulating hormone–cortisol, which according to the world expert for cortisone, medical school professor, William Jeffries is the ONLY hormone ESSENTIAL for life– is deficient or bound in many animals and that this situation sets up further hormonal imbalances, specifically the binding of thyroid hormone often by the creation of reverse t-3, the generation of excess TOTAL estrogens in the system due to pituitary hyper-stimulation which occurs to the lack of functioning active cortisol, and that these hormonal imbalances deregulate the immune surveillance. He found that by putting back the amount of cortisone which replaces the missing active cortisol and by replacing bound thyroid hormone the immune surveillance can be regained. This is why the Plechner treatment protocol has been found to be so effective against feline retroviruses." "Dr. Plechner figured out how to determine the amount of cortisone to put back into the system but looking at the pituitary gland by a testing protocol that measures the TOTAL estrogen which occurs under hyper stimulation of the adrenals by the pituitary. When there is not enough ACTIVE, unbound cortisone in the system. By doing lots of lab testing–originally out of his own pocket, Dr. Plechner noted the relationship between the endocrine system and the immune system–that when the missing hormones were supplied in the dose that satisfied the pituitary by stopping the pituitary hyper stimulation of the adrenals, the B cell and T cell populations that he followed in his laboratory testing, normalized." "Now after fifty years and a hundred thousand animals and hundreds of thousands of lab tests, it is seems that this entirely logical therapy which rebalances a major command system in the biochemistry–which insures the adequate supply of the only hormone which is absolutely essential for life, and which also insures an adequate supply of a hormone–thyroid hormone–which is essential for optimal oxygen metabolism, which is the sine e qua non of the mammalian biochemistry–has been thoroughly demonstrated to be of enormous value in the art of Medicine. In fact, it is the establishment which has been remiss in not making further studies of what Dr. Plechner has discovered."

Adrenal Related Illnesses

Definitions and terminology of Adrenal Imbalances Cushing's disease. A rather severe overactivity of hyperfunction of the glands. Characteristics are obesity in the trunk area, muscle weakness, poor wound healing, and kidney stones. This condition is relatively rare and usually caused by a tumor of the adrenal glands that secretes cortisol or cortisone, two of the important adrenal hormones. It could be caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, or perhaps in the hypothalamus. Addison's disease. A type of extremely low adrenal activity is known as Addison’s disease.   It is characterized by weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, changes in skin color, dehydration, anorexia, nausea, decreased cold tolerance and dizziness.   It is also considered a fairly rare condition.             Addison’s disease could also be caused at times by a tumor on the adrenal glands that shuts down the glands completely.   It may also be caused by a severe shock to the system, as happened in the famous case of president John F. Kennedy. Pasted from Adrenal insufficiency. It's been observed that in many cases, the adrenal glands themselves are toxic and nutritionally depleted. Other times the cause stems from an autonomic nervous system imbalance. Dr. Lawrence Wilson, MD published an article on Adrenal Burnout Syndrome in The Center For Development, August 2012. His theories are based on human adrenal conditions, but his findings are interesting and relatable to animals nonetheless. Dr. Wilson uses a hair analyses rather than blood, urine, or saliva tests to determine depletion patterns in minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. He states than when humans have lower than ideal values of minerals adrenal exhaustion, or burnout, occurs. These patterns help determine the patient's oxidation type, oxidation rate, tendency for inflammation and infection, deficiencies of important minerals. He then designs a program to slowly rebalance the body chemistry to restore health. It is believed by alternative medical doctors that the causes of adrenal exhaustion are excessive stress, chemical toxicity, nutritional deficiency, and poor genetics. Diets low in protein contribute to these deficiencies, excessive carbohydrates can stress the adrenals and poor quality water affects oxygenation. Our food today is grown in depleted soils and processing further depletes nutritional value in our foods. Low cortisol symptoms include low blood pressure, low blood sugar, depression, and allergies. Copper toxicity and burnout can stem from elevated copper and low zinc which will impair the immune system and chronic infections can develop; this sets the stage for more severe illnesses such as cancer and heart disease to occur. Hyperthyroidism can occur as well. Cortisol provides a natural "high" while low cortisol levels contribute to feelings of depression. When the adrenal glands are weak, copper builds up in the body and can cause a slew of mental disorders such as bipolar disorder...as energy levels deplete other toxic metals build up like mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and others. Dr. Wilson's suggested recovery program for humans is a diet of cooked vegetables and animal protein, drinking only distilled or spring water, lots of rest, basic nutritional supplements based on his interpreted hair mineral analysis, and a detoxification protocol. http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/adrenal_burnout.htm After reading about adrenal exhaustion theories among humans, it is even more clear to me how real this illness is in humans and animals. So many practitioners treat the symptoms of an illness instead of getting the to crux of the issue.

Adrenal Exhaustion

The adrenal glands are your body’s primary "shock absorbers." These two little thumb-sized glands sitting on top of your kidneys produce hormones including norepinephrine, cortisol and DHEA that allow you to respond to the conditions of your daily life in healthy and flexible ways. Norepinephrine (also called adrenaline) is commonly thought of as the fight-or-flight hormone. It’s produced when something is (or you think it is) threatening. This hormone makes your heart pound, your blood rush to your heart and large muscle groups, your pupils widen, your brain sharpen, and your tolerance for pain increase—basically, it prepares you for battle. Modern-day battles are most likely things like pushing your body to keep going when it’s fatigued, dealing with a stressful job, and reacting with quick reflexes to avoid a traffic accident. Think of these adrenaline surges as withdrawals from a bank, to help you get through life’s rough spots. If you have gotten into the habit of withdrawing adrenaline from your account too often, you’ll eventually be overdrawn and your adrenal glands will be overwhelmed. Then, you’ll have too little adrenaline when you really need it. Reference: Adrenal exhaustion: the adrenal glands become exhausted and no not function properly resulting in production of inadequate quantities of hormones. It is said that millions of people are affected by this syndrome, yet conventional medicine still does not consider it a real illness. However, a significant proportion of alternative medicine practitioners are confident it exists. Conventional health care professionals do not accept "adrenal exhaustion" as a proper diagnosis, but they do recognize other forms of adrenal dysfunction, such as Addison's or adrenal gland insufficiency. Some symptoms of adrenal exhaustion: Lethargy Insatiable appetite Low blood pressure Suppressed immune system (having difficulty recuperating from illnesses) Abrupt weight loss Allergies Muscle weakness According to alternative health practitioners, this syndrome is caused by toxic chemical pollutants over a period of time, excessive amounts of stress burdening the body for a long-term period, and/or malnutrition. The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and are made up of the outer adrenal cortex and the inner medulla, both of which produce hormones. The adrenal cortex is made up of three layers, each responsible for secreting distinct hormones. The outer layer is the main site for aldosterone production, which is largely responsible for regulating blood pressure and balancing sodium and potassium levels. The middle layer is responsible for producing cortisol which is responsible for the mobilization of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It also enhances activity of other hormones. It secretes a basal level of cortisol, but can also produce bursts of the hormone in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary. The inner layer produces androgens such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, and androstenedione (the precursor to testosterone) and estrogen hormones. The thyroid gland and the adrenals have a very close relationship and stress on one always affects the other. Reference: A damaged middle layer of the adrenal cortex causes a reduction in active (working) cortisol, resulting in an elevated amount of estrogen to be produced by the inner layer adrenal cortex. Normal amounts of cortisol may be present, however this cortisol can be defective or bound and the same estrogenic effect may occur. The cortisol and estrogen imbalance usually presents itself as an altered immunity status with antibody depression present. This not only may result in malabsorption from the intestines, but also allows the immune cells to lose recognition of the body's own tissue and thus attack their own host. These changes in glandular performance allow for a variety of medical effects to occur anywhere from allergies, irritable bowel disease, autoimmunity, uncontrolled tissue growth, and cancer. Addison's Syndrome - involves the FIRST LAYER of the adrenal cortex where the hormone ALDOSTERONE is produced, which balances Sodium and Potassium levels. (which is not only responsible for electrolyte balance, but works with a hormone from the kidney to regulate blood pressure). Cushing's Syndrome -involves the MIDDLE LAYER adrenal cortex where the hormone CORTISOL is produced which is necessary for life. CUSHING'S SYNDROME is the production of too much active (working) cortisol. ESTROGEN is a hormone that is part of a group of estrogenic compounds. With normal amounts of ESTROGEN production present, this hormone helps to develop female secondary sex characteristics in the animal. This hormone can be produced by the ovaries, THE INNER LAYER OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX, testes and placenta. Other forms of ESTROGEN can also be ingested from fruits, vegetables and plastics. Imbalanced CORTISOL allows for the pituitary gland to over-stimulate the production of excess ESTROGEN. This excess estrogen not only causes an inflammation of the lining cells of all arteries in the body, including those arteries to the intestines, but causes the B and T immune cells to become deregulated. It also causes the B cell to reduce its production of antibodies. This in turn causes further turmoil in the gut. When regulated, the B cell protects the body against bacteria and makes protective antibodies to vaccines and other intruders. When the T cell is regulated it protects the body against viruses and plant invaders like yeast and fungi. The hormonal antibody deregulation is why all of these intruders can cause medical effects (illnesses and diseases). when there is an excess of estrogen being produced (or present), it may also cause the following: A chemical binding of both thyroid hormones (T3 and T4). A chemical binding of active (working) CORTISOL and this in turn disallows or prevents the transference of storage thyroid (T4) into active thyroid (T3) in the body. The deregulation of the immune system which causes it not only to be unable to PROTECT the body, but to further lose recognition of self tissue and thus be able to DESTROY the normal tissues in the body. It also causes the immune system to decrease antibody production for protection and from creating protective antibodies from natural invaders and vaccines. It also can lead to an inflammation of the cells lining all the arteries in the body (ENDOTHELIAL CELLS). Inflammation of the arteries may lead to not only strokes and heart attacks, but also to any disease that might respond to a decreased blood flow and lack of proper oxygenation. When we see excess estrogen and defective or insufficient cortisol we also see: Reduced numbers of specific immunoglobulins, such as IgA. Frequent clinical symptoms of autoimmune disease. Reduced IgA levels in serum. Immunoglobulins: IgA, IgM, and IgG in particular are tested for and closely monitored. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an antibody that plays a critical role in mucosal immunity. More IgA is produced in mucosal linings than all other types of antibody combined;[1] between three and five grams are secreted into the intestinal lumen each day.[2] This accumulates up to 15% of the total immunoglobulin produced in the entire body.[3] IgA has two subclasses (IgA1 and IgA2) and can exist in a dimeric form called secretory IgA (sIgA). In its secretory form, IgA is the main immunoglobulin found in mucous secretions, including tears, saliva, colostrum and secretions from the genitourinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, prostate and respiratory epithelium. It is also found in small amounts in blood. The secretory component of sIgA protects the immunoglobulin from being degraded by proteolytic enzymes, thus sIgA can survive in the harsh gastrointestinal tract environment and provide protection against microbes that multiply in body secretions.[4] sIgA can also inhibit inflammatory effects of other immunoglobulins.[5] IgA is a poor activator of the complement system, and opsonises only weakly. Its heavy chains are of the type α. IF IgA is BELOE 58, ABSORPTION OF ORAL SUPPLEMENTS INDLUDING STEROIDS, NUTRIENTS, AND REPLACEMENT MEDS MAY NOT OCCUR.

The Warning Signs

12/6/13 - After learning more about SARDS, the endocrine system, and animal nutrition I've come to the conclusion that we as a society are too willing to accept the first answer we get from a doctor. What people need to realize is that not every doctor specializes in a certain area, not every doctor has the same understanding as every other doctor and not all doctors treat their patients the same way. I feel this way about human medicinal practice as well as the field of veterinarians. We need to realize that there are still new discoveries being made and it takes a long time for word to get out to other doctors and to share these new discoveries. Also, there is a part of mainstream medicine that will not listen or accept any theories that are not based on double blind studies. This is a huge problem and plays a huge part in why we still see people and animals dying of diseases that have been around forever. We as a society are to ready to go with the norm and follow mainstream society's way of thinking. I think that it is our own responsibility to educate ourselves and not put our entire faith in the hands of someone else. If that were the case many more dogs would be sent home to die with SARDS that progressed into something worse like cancer. If you or your child suddenly went blind and your doctor told you it was just something that happened and you would adapt, what would you do? To me, this is an outrageous answer. I wanted to tell the general vet, the ophthalmalogist and the internist that they'd better go back to school and figure it out. Because neither people nor dogs go blind for no reason. So, let's start with the warning signs. The warning signs were that Shasta started to become heat intolerant. It was hard to tell because she is a snow dog living in Sacramento in the summer. She began drinking a lot of water and she had an insatiable appetite. She also started to potty in the house which is not normal behavior for her as she was only 5 yrs old. Other signs that I thought were normal issues with dogs was her sensitive stomach, scratching even though she had no fleas or rash, and shedding. Many people think that is normal for dogs as well, but I no longer think that. High estrogen causes a histamine effect in some dogs which causes them to scratch a lot. A sensitive stomach is common in dogs these days, but shouldn't be left untreated as it is a sign that something else is going on.

Back on Track

11/2/13 - I have changed Shasta's diet and am now feeding her a commercial Raw Food diet. I started with Small Batch beef patties, but there are too many foods high in phytoestrogens so I have switched to Chewy and Stella's Raw Foods. Shasta loves this food... it does contain foods that have phytoestrogens, but not nearly as high as others. After much research I'm unable to find a nutritious commercial dog food that does not include some phytoestrogens. Shasta digests this food well and her stomach seems to tolerate it as well, meaning she is absorbing the minerals and nutrients. It is expensive, but considering I'm not cooking her steaks anymore I think it evens out for right now. Once I get her back to normal weight I will cut back on the amounts I'm feeding her and that will cut the cost as well. : ) If you're nervous about a raw food diet, please do some research as it is much easier for animals to digest, easy to feed to your pets because they come in patties, and as long as you wash your hands and handle the raw meat as you would do any raw meats in your kitchen, it is safe. Since this diet change her stools have improved (much smaller and firmer), she is slowly gaining her weight back, and her coat is much softer. And she still is no longer shedding. I'm waiting to see if this changes as we come into winter, but it is truly unbelievable because we have always had lint rollers all over and had to constantly vaccum our cars, pillows and bedding.

A Bump in the Road

9/30/13 - Have you ever caught your dog eating her own stool or another dog's stool?? this is appalling especially when you spend so much money on good dog food or time and money making your pet's meals...but this is something they will do when they have an enzyme deficiency. Here is more information and a better explanation as to why dog's do this: http://drplechner.com/learn/miscellaneous-articles/digestive-enzymes/ Shasta did this on our walk the other day and although I was disgusted I knew I was going to run into some digestive problems...but didn't realize how far this would set her back. She kept doing it despite my efforts to pick up her poop immediately after she went potty and despite my efforts to make sure she didn't pick up anything on our walks. Shasta was not getting the nutrients she needed on the limited ingredients I was feeding her during this time that I was trying to weed out what she might be allergic too. She was also not absorbing the enzyme supplements that enables the breakdown of the food and therefore she was craving, starving, and not absorbing efficiently. She started to lose weight rapidly, her coat looked disheveled, and I could tell her vision and demeanor was worsening. I took her into to see my general vet and was scared to death when I saw how much weight she had lost. I had some blood work done and her results showed that her white blood cell count was high. My vet was concerned about her diet and wanted to prescribe antibiotics as long as Dr. P agreed it wouldn't disrupt his protocol. After consulting with Dr. P. we put Shasta on an antibiotic for 2 weeks and I started researching commercial dog foods again to get her on something more nutritious. At first I was reluctant to put her on a raw food diet because of her suppressed immune system, but further research indicated to me this was the best (but most expensive) choice. Within a week Shasta showed phenomenal results. She put on weight, her demeanor was better, her vision was better, she was no longer eating stool, she no longer had diarrhea and her coat was thick and shiny! : ) We are back on track. I have to say that since Shasta has started Dr. Plechner's treatment for her high estrogen and changing her diet, she has not been itching at all and she is no longer shedding like she used. We have always needed multiple lint rollers in the house, constantly vaccuming and washing bedding to keep the hair under control and now we have no need for any of it! : )

Real Improvement

9/23/13 - Shasta had a visit to the Ophthalmalogist today and the results were better than expected. The doctor actually said that it seemed like Shasta has some slight vision, which I was surprised because her initial exam showed she had no vision at all other than light transition and maybe shadows. Although I can tell that Shasta's left eye is worse than her right eye the test results compared to her initial visit a month ago, Shasta's right eye showed slight menace and slight dazzle and still has pupil dilation in both eyes. In layman terms when something comes close to her right eye she shows a natural reflex to blink or move away. Eye dazzle reflex is the involuntary avoidance response to light shined into the eye. She did not have either reflex shen she was diagnosed. Also, the doctor said that she has more retinal degeneration in the left eye than the right eye, but the doctor was surprised her right eye had not deteriorated much at all. She recommended some supplements to protect the eye cells Octiva and I-caps. I took Shasta on a walk this evening and she stopped and stared at a trash can. This reminded me of when I walk her around our block when she was a puppy and she would see the Halloween decorations and could not distinguish between a real person and an ornament and it would freak her out. Hopefully we are on the right track.

2nd Set of Lab Results

9/17/13 - Shasta's labs came back and her IgA is up to 60 so the meds are working and she doesn't need another injection. Dr. P. said to just increase her dose of Medrol. Her estrogen has decreased, but Dr. P. feels there is something she is eating that is not agreeing with her and preventing her from fully absorbing her meds and nutrients so the increased dose isn't going to hurt her it will only help her. This will also help to increase her T3 and T4 (thyroid levels). I'm keeping her on the beef and white rice this week to see how she does. She had a good weekend visiting with her gramma and grampa...she went to their house for the first time since losing her vision and she could tell when we got near their neighborhood and darted out of the car and up to their front door without any trouble. When we walked inside she smelled around and found her way to the water bowl and then of course her auntie Bridgette's toy box (Bridge is my parents' chihuahua). She went through the toys like she always does, found the ones that make noise, strewn them all over the house and sat and squeaked them loudly while grampa tried to watch the football game. : ) She came shopping with us during the day and then she had a walk at night. She did really well all weekend. No signs of improved vision yet, just better navigational skills. She will still bump into things up close especially in less familiar areas and in transition lighting. I decided to get her some Doggles to help protect her eyes. To clarify my findings with Shasta's overall improvement: Shasta's vision comes and goes and is often visible to me when it is worse when her eyes get a little more glowy or foggy looking. She is happier when she seems to have a little bit of vision, but she seems to be able to see things in the distance and not so much up close. She also seems to do better in bright lighting or sunlight and does worse in transitional lighting where there are a lot of shadows.

The Ups and Downs

9/11/13 - Shasta had a decent week overall. I had another blood panel done and sent off to NVDS to see if her IgA levels are above 58. If they are then I can continue with the oral meds, but need to figure out her food allergies although lately everything seems fine. I had held off on Shasta's eye supplements until we can be sure she is absorbing properly. I'm awaiting her lab results to see what's what. I could be off to L.A. this weekend for another shot if her IgA level is still below 58. I may get her some goggles or the chest harness with a halo because although Shasta has more good days than bad ones, I will be devastated to another degree if she pokes an eye out or even damages her eyes further. I have to say that there are still some short bouts of depression that I see Shasta go through. Some mornings she wakes up banging into everything and gets lost in my closet. Other days she gets around just fine, trots through the back door, hops up on the couch, greets her dad at the door, etc. Other times she sits there and I picture her wondering, "how much fun is being blind gonna be? this sucks." But just as I started feeling depressed the other day I was making her dinner and I suddenly felt this pinch on the back of my shorts, and then suddenly felt two huge paws on my back and she was pulling me by shirt to either wrestle with her or take her somewhere. I was so happy she was acting excited like that so I took her for a car ride and walk after dinner. On these good days I think she can see a little. As we get close to the side walk she will reach her paw up like she knew it was coming. She will also get out of the way for trees when we are walking. Then other times...bang! she will not see it coming at all.

A Discovery with Heartworm Preventatives and Pest Repellants

9/4/13 - Upon returning from the beach I realized it was time for Shasta's monthly dose of Heart Worm and Flea/Tick prevention medicine. What did the Ophtho say about an ingredient in heart worm prevention meds that can cause blindness? oh yeah...Ivermectin. So I have my daily discussion with Dr. P. and ask him about this and coincidentally he was working with another client and finding that some of these preventative meds for pets may be more significant in their role of blindness in dogs than originally had thought, along with other illnesses. So we both start digging deeper. Dr. P. went through some old case files and found out that even more recently a lot of cats have been experiencing heart attacks, strokes, and even death and the only thing found in their system as to a possible culprit are ingredients in these preventative meds. So we did some research and found some more case studies on these ingredients and I've decided to not give Shasta preventative heart worm or flea/tick meds for now. Dr. P and I have written an article for Nutricula Magazine regarding our findings of these studies, so if you are interested, please refer to Dr. P's website and/or Nutricula Magazine (online) where the article is published. http://www.nutriculamagazine.com/chemical-insect-repellents/

Dillon's Beach

9/1/13 - after recovering from the previous week and driving down to L.A., Shasta had a few days to rest and then we were on the road again to spend the weekend with friends in Dillon Beach. This was also the weekend in which Shasta was to start her oral medicine and we were hopeful her system would absorb the meds. She did well, enjoyed the beach, loves people other dogs so she really enjoyed getting to hang out at Lagunitas Brewery and listen to a live band. — at Lagunitas Brewing Co. I had discussed this trip with Dr. P. because I've learned that stress, whether good or bad, will cause a set back in her recovery. Shasta has always gone everything with us and especially me as I've been working from home for the last two years and Shasta goes on several walks a day and rides in the car with me to run errands and visit her grandparents often. So this for this trip I was not willing to leave her home.

Shasta's Road to Recovery

8/21/13 - I spent the day making arrangements with my work and family to drive Shasta down to LA to see Dr. Plechner in person. I live in Sacramento and the Sinai Center Veterinary Hospital that Dr. P. works at is in Culver City. Once my calendar was free, we jumped in the car the next day and made the trip down. 8/22/13 - Shasta and I jumped in the car, drove down to L.A. where the besties met us to go see Dr. P. We got her injection and her oral meds to go and we were outta there at the fraction of a cost of all the other appts we'd been to in the last 2 weeks. I let Shasta enjoy the L.A. atmosphere a bit as she stuck her head out the car window as we drove down Sunset Blvd. We walked by the Viper Room and Shasta got her picture taken...ok I did too! ; ) Upon meeting Dr. P. the first thing he said when he looked at Shasta, was that he noticed her legs were bowed. He asked if anyone had ever mentioned this to me before and they hadn't. He explained that this is a sign of maladsorbtion in dogs. Hmmm... I've had digestive problems with Shasta since she was a puppy. Wonderful. He still was hopeful we would see quick results in Shasta with his treatment. He took his time explaining everything to us and didn't mind that I had my cronies in the office with us to ask questions I wasn't thinking of. When we walked out of his office there were people in the waiting room who drove quite a ways to see him as well who were just marveling over him and how he's helped their dog so much over the years. : ) After all of this, I needed a beer...so my besties took us to the Rush Street Bistro where we could bring Shasta onto the patio with us. Once we left I took Shasta back to her suite at the La Montrose, compliments of her auntie. After a nice rest we headed back to Sacto. 8/22/13 thru 9/2/13 - Shasta's first night after her injection she did pant a bit more, seemed to go crazy for food, and wanted to drink a lot of water. Dr. P. told me this might happen, but shouldn't last and it didn't. Throughout the week I was transitioning her diet to weed out anything she could be allergic to, adding the supplements to her meal plans, paying attention to her eyes, behavior and stool. (fun). I've documented everything daily, but won't bore you with the details unless you want them. In summary, Shasta did fine during her first week considering she's still blind with vision better sometimes than other times, (still trying to determine why at this point) and transitioning her food. I'll provide an overview of what I learned for Shasta's diet in another post for those interested in learning how the nutrition plays a huge part in this disease. She is still learning to map out the house, doesn't do well when people move things or set things in her way, but otherwise she does well. My biggest worry is her getting excited and hitting her eyes on a sharp corner. I'd love to replace my furniture, but that's not in the budget at this time so I'll let you know what we've come up with.

Supplements for Eye Health

Some vets may suggests many supplements that protect the retinal cells and may be beneficial if your dog can absorb the prescribed medicine and not cause digestive irritability. Shasta had problem with taking many supplements so I focused on her diet and medicine, which was a difficult decision because Caroline strongly believes the first few months of blindness are critical to protecting the retinal cells and preventing permanent blindness while her meds are working to bring down her estrogen levels. This will be a decision you will have to make on your own. One suggestion from experience though... Shasta has always had a sensitive stomach since she was a puppy and I had her on EVO dog food most of her life. Anytime she would get something different or get a bite of human food accidentally it was cause a disruption and I would have to treat her for diarrhea. I was told that because she is part German Shepherd and these dogs are known for sensitive stomachs that I would just have to keep a close eye on what she ate. The EVO kept her very healthy for a long time. Too bad they sold out to Proctor & Gamble and had so many recalls my local pet store no longer carries it. My point is that Shasta's sensitive stomach was a sign that shouldn't have been ignored. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, which is probably does if it has SARDS and a lowered immune system, then I do not suggest drastically changing the diet too quickly and I do not suggest starting a bunch of supplements all at the same time. I would start them sporadically to see how your dog digests and absorbs them. This is just a suggestion based on my dog's experience, but I am not a vet so this will be your own decision.

Shasta's Diagnosis and Protocol

8/20/13 - Shasta's EI-1 lab results came back today. Dr. P's prediction was correct. Shasta's cortisol is deficient, her total estrogen was high and her IgA was low. Actual test results will be in an upcoming post. Dr. P. is the expert on these labs results and the endocrine balance protocol. He has collaborated with other experts in the medical field and studies in medical journals have shown that Adrenal Exhaustion is real in humans and animals. Dr. P's explanation of Shasta's lab results: "Shasta does have my syndrome and her imbalances not as severe as most dogs that have SARDS so beginning treatment as soon as possible may help Shasta have some eyesight returned. Shasta is producing a defective cortisol from her middle layer adrenal cortex, that cannot fund the negative feedback to her pituitary gland. When this occurs, her pituitary gland keeps producing its hormone referred to as ACTH which causes direct feedback from the inner layer adrenal cortex which in turn produces elevated amounts of adrenal estrogen and that is why Shasta's estrogen level is at 35.13. Her elevated adrenal estrogen causes the following problems: It causes the immune system to stop all protection of the body while also causing the immune cells to lose recognition of self-tissue and cause allergies, autoimmunity (SARDS) and cancer. NOTE: the loss of sight is the least of these patients problems if sent home only thinking that the patient will be blind. The elevated estrogen binds the receptor sites of her thyroid hormone which are also deficient. The elevated estrogen also causes the B lymphocyte to depress its production of protective antibody and when the mucous membrane antibody referred to as IgA is below 58, oral steroids including many oral supplements will not be properly absorbed. The suggested protocol: T4 supplement twice daily beginning immediately Since her IgA is at 57, she will probably only need one intramuscular injection of a combination steroid consisting of Vetalog or Kenalog mixed with Depomedrol. !0 days after injection Shasta would begin oral Medrol once daily. I spoke with my vet and she suggested consulting with the internist about the results of the labs. I didn't want to waste anymore time because she already explained to me what she believed without considering Plechner's research. My vet was not comfortable enough with what she had read and was not convinced in Plechner's theory and therefore was not willing to treat Shasta with his protocol. I do not blame her as I spent hours on end researching this stuff since the day Shasta went blind and to be fair a general practitioner is helping hundreds of dogs a week with other illnesses (her office is open 7 days per week btw) and admits that she is not an expert on this and that is why she has put her faith in the experts she has worked with for many years. So... I figured I'll fight this battle later... moving onward.

Dr. Alfred Plechner, DVM

8/13/13 - The research needed to understand what was going on with Shasta was quite an undertaking. That is the main reason I'm writing this blog just as Reo's mom Lynn did...to help others take the right steps as quickly as possible and weed out some of the trials and tribulations that we went through. Dr. Plechner was not only a light of hope, which mainstream, close minded vets will argue as false hope..., but he was also brilliant. His website hold more material and then some to become an expert in adrenal exhaustion, hormone imbalances, and overall health, but like I said, time is of the essence so at least get the blood work done then take the week to ponder the theory and protocol if you must. I contacted Dr. Plechner directly and his sincerity was profound. He explained things so I could understand them and didn't seem to mind repeating them as I took notes. He suggested I get the blood panel done asap and to let him know what the results from the Ophthalmalogist are as soon as I got home from the appointment. I got in to see my vet and gave her all the information on Dr. Plechner and what I wanted to do and she was overwhelmed. She agreed to do the blood work, but wanted to wait for the results from the Ophthalmalogist before prescribing anything to Shasta. I agreed, but luckily I was able to move up her appt by a few days. Before I got off the phone with Dr. P., he told me about phytoestrogens in dog food. More to come on this later... He also told me to get KriaXanthin (Krill Oil) and start Shasta on it right away to protect her retinas. So I did. He also suggested Montmillinite Clay and discussed all of its benefit, so I got that too! Dr. P. told me that when the lab tests came back they would show that her total estrogen levels are high and her IgA would be low. He explained the what the EI-1 panel tests for and why vets do not find the same results. Further explanation on this in an upcoming post or you can refer to Dr. P's website. 8/16/13 - The results from her Ophthalmalogist appoint were that Shasta had no menace, the ERG showed a flatline, but the overall health of her eyes was good. The doctor said there was retinal thinning showing that she said whe normally wouldn't see until approx 6 months after SARDS onset. The diagnosis was SARDS. I then provided my general vet the test results and we were still waiting for the EI-1 panel results to come back. I think my vet felt that after the eye exams that I would accept the fact that Shasta was blind and start helping her to adapt...WRONG. I provided her with all the information I collected over that week and she was reluctant to accept Plechner's theories, but admitted she was not an expert in this area. She suggested that I meet with an internist before moving forward with Dr. P.'s protocol...so I did. I got into the internist right away and had them do an ultrasound to rule out tumors anywhere in her body. You may be wondering how much all this has cost and I won't lie, it was about $1500 with all the tests and consults included. The good news is that after you learn how to treat your dog for SARDS you will see that those tests were the most expensive part and the diet and prescriptions are not very expensive especially if you have a smaller dog it will be a fraction of the cost of my dog's treatment. The internists spent a lot of time talking to me about steroids, hormones, and the tests they do for Cushings disease, but like I said, I had done my research before this appt and therefore knew what she was going to say and also knew that she was full of it. So I kindly thanked her for Shasta's test results, she had no tumors by the way, paid her a hefty fee and called Dr. P.

The First Sign of Blindness

6/?/13 - Sometime in June, Shasta had a couple of potty accidents in the house. It happend about four times. I thought she was having bad dreams and wetting the bed because she never woke me up to take her outside. Shasta was only 5 yrs old at the time and this was unordinary behavior. I took her to the vet and they asked me if she had been panting more than normal, drinking more water than usual, or having difficulty urinating. She didn't have trouble urinating and the other two symptoms was hard to tell because it was June in Sacramento and she is an Alaskan Malamute in the heat so I was always trying to keep her cool. They did a urinalysis and some blood work and even an xray and they found nothing out of the ordinary except that her bladder was enlarged and her urine was very diluted meaning she had been drinking more water than usual lately. I was asked to watch her water intake and get a few more samples of urine over the next two weeks. Everything checked out ok after that so we did no further testing. 8/7/13 - After returning home to Shasta from a short vacation we noticed she had trouble seeing. She would walk closely to walls, turn around and bump her head on a door or wall...she wasn't seeing the treat when we would practice our commands, she would sniff frantically for it. And she would also hesitate to jump into the car or on the bed or couch, which wasn't normal. The next day I took her to the vet. 8/8/13 - I walked Shasta into the vet and they did a menace test where they wave their hand in front of her eyes without making wind to see if she blinks. She didn't blink. After the crushing news that our beloved Shasta was rapidly going blind, there's no known cause and no known cure, I was assured Shasta would adapt to her environment, she may go through a bout of depression during this adjustment period which most dogs come out of, and she can still live a happy and full life. My vet referred me to an ophthalmalogist which I couldn't get in to see for another week. After breaking the news to my husband and after sobbing...our first inclination was to train her to be the best blind dog ever who could navigate without any problem, she would just learn to hone in using her other senses. Not as easy as we thought... 8/8/13 we had plans to go camping for our friend's birthday. The vet said Shasta would be ok to go as she seemed to feel fine and still had some sight. We thought twice about it, but Shasta loves the outdoors and my husband said he wanted to do as much fun stuff with her as he could while she still had some sight. 8/9/13 - After returning from our camping trip, we could see Shasta's condition declining rapidly. I had a good cry while I layed with her as I could see she was depressed. My husband posted a comment on FB regarding Shasta's vision loss and many people reached out to me asking what was going on. Although I had no real answers at the time, one piece of advice from a friend motivated me to become my own expert on this fairly unknown condition that's baffling veterinarians. I got online and found among a lot of dead ends... one story about a dog named Reo, a Miniature Pinscher, whose owner Lynn kept an ongoing blog that included her own daily trials and tribulations for the next two years following SARDS diagnosis. The name of her blog is "A Journey with SARDS- from despair to a cure!" I read Reo's story, which led me to Dr. Alfred Plechner and Caroline Levin, RN, the only experts on the subject and the only ones consulting on the disease. I HIGHLY recommend that pet owners read the information each has written on the subject if your pet is having any of the symptoms that Shasta has experienced. Dr. Plechner's website is: www.drplechner.com. Caroline Levin, RN's book: Living with Blind Dogs. 8/12/13 - After reading Levin's book and Dr. Plechner's website, and while I was still waiting for our appt with the Ophthalmologist, I kept reading Reo's blog because there was a lot of information there and her owners provided great details about Reo's condition and behavior after each meals, supplements, interactions, and special events.It seems Reo had some ups and downs in the beginning so I payed close attention to the outcome and created a timeline for Shasta. I also started listing all the ingredients in everything she was given in her food, treats, medicines, etc. and I emailed Dr. Plechner after reading his theory on SARDS. Dr.Plechner.com is the only veterinarian currently known to have a sound theory on the underlying issue of not only SARDS, but many conditions seen in dogs today. He has spent 50 years pursuing research and answers to why our pets are so allergic to our environment and commercial pet foods. He has a theory, referred to as the Plechner Syndrome which can be read about in great detail on his website. Caroline Levin also believes in his theory, but refers to Plechner Syndrome and Adrenal Exhaustion interchangeably. Plecher is an expert in the underlying cause of SARDS and many other pet ailments, while Levin is an expert in SARDS and her theory differs slightly as to what happens between the onset of Adrenal Exhaustion and blindness. Reo's owner decided to treat Reo with Plechner's protocol, but also with Levin's supplements and diet suggestions. If your dog has been diagnosed with SARDS, I highly suggest reading Plechner's website and Levin's book and scheduling a consultation with both of them. They both offer their biography and history in medicine along with several successful case studies, however when time is of the essence with SARDS dogs, I would make an appt with Dr. Plechner via his website first, make an appt with your vet to get an EI-1 blood panel done and sent off to National Vet Diagnostic Services. While that is in progress, you can read the rest of Plechner's website and books. The second piece of advice that I have to offer is get your dog on a high quality dog food. Not many vets agree on what a good dog food is, but it took me a few months (a few months too long actually) to figure out that the raw food diet for Shasta was best. More to come on this subject later.