Canine cutaneous histiocytosis.
 I would like to tell you about this illness, Joy suffers from it. Look at the pictures from her body and nose.And I wonder if anybody got any experience or knowledge about Canine cutaneous histiocytosis  Cutaneous histiocytosis is a relatively uncommon, poorly understood disorder characterized by the reactive proliferation of instertitial dendritic antigen presenting cells. It include two separate forms, cutaneous and systemic. (My vet thinks that Joy has cutaneous histocytosis.) Both primarily target the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Lesions of cutaneous histocytosis are limited to the skin, while systemic histiocytosis affects the skin and other organ systems, including lymph nodes, eyelids, sclera, nasal cavity, lungs, spleen and bon marrow. The etology and pathogenesis are unknown. Lesions are consistent with a reactive inflammatory process in response to persistent antigen. Skin lesions are characterized by multiple, nonpruritic and non painful cutaneous nodules on the head, neck, perineum, scrotum and extremities. Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Pics from her nose: Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   She has been treated with Ciclosporin in three weeks now and looks very good, all the nodules have dissappered. We shall treat her in eight weeks and then we will see if she is completely healed.  I hope so, my poor little big girl Joy, she has been ill since she was one year old. |
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| Poor Joy!! Here's hoping the medication treatment works!!!  |
| Thanks Dawn! I cross my fingers, toes and her paws and hope the best for Joy. She is such a lovely girl.    |
I have not heard of that condition. Glad Joy is doing better and the treatment is working. hugs to you both! |
| Grete, I've not heard of this either. I'm glad the treatment seems to be working. Fingers crossed that this is the end of it. Kristine |
| Thanks! We have been consulting four different vet hospitals, here she is after her last biopsy: Click through for fullsize image:   And finally she got a diognosis!  And now she looks a lot better: Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Look at her nose now,  I am so happy, however we don't know if it will last.50% of the dogs who has had nodules on their nose falls back and need more medication. I really hope she dosn,t need anymore - and that she will be fully healed!! Please! |
| The agony of trying to get a diagnosis. I've never heard of this condition either. It's healed beautifully though. Hoping your lovely girl can hold her own after the next treatment. |
| Hoping things work out for you and sweet Joy |
| Poor Joy! I hope she continues to get better! Cindy |
| She's such a pretty girl, glad things are improving. Did the vets run cultures for staph or other bacteria? Did they do an immunoglobulin check also? Just wondering if they've double checked for auto immune issues since you mentioned she has had health issues since she was a year old.... |
Willowsprite wrote: She's such a pretty girl, glad things are improving. Did the vets run cultures for staph or other bacteria? Did they do an immunoglobulin check also? Just wondering if they've double checked for auto immune issues since you mentioned she has had health issues since she was a year old....  Yes, it has been done several times: the vets run cultures for staphylococcies, bacteria and fungus from her skin, lungs and nose. And thyroid has been checked also several times. I am pretty sure this diagnose is correct, the medicine showed good result already after a few days. X-rays from her lungs, ultrasound from all her organs, ct of her head and throat.......she has been examineted in all thinkable ways, pcd and everything. The vets should have gone directly to the problem earlier; Then Joy would have better changes of getting well and less money had been spent.However I do hope she gets well - that's all that matters!!!  Here are some pics from her skin: Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Click through for fullsize image:   Her skin has healed completly!  You see the grey spots, that's where the red and pink bumps or nodules were. The grey color is because it grows out new black fur there now.  |
| Hi, I'm so glad for you and Joy that finally there was a diagnosis. I haven't heard of that disease either. You must have been beside yourself in search for what was going on with her immune system. What a wonderful mom you are to your Joy - she's so lucky to have you in her life. And....her in yours. Belly rubs to Joy from Me Marianne |
Marianne wrote: Hi, I'm so glad for you and Joy that finally there was a diagnosis. I haven't heard of that disease either. You must have been beside yourself in search for what was going on with her immune system. What a wonderful mom you are to your Joy - she's so lucky to have you in her life. And....her in yours. Belly rubs to Joy from Me Marianne Thank you. Belly rubs shall be..... She has been struggeling with blocked nose most of the time since august. And she was couphing in several weeks, then she began bleeding from her paws; The vet think maybe that's not from this illness, I don't now. She has been wearing boots for a small eternity.........feels like that. So now it is such a big releaf that she seems to be finnished with all of those problems. I am so happy.....just hope it will last! |
So glad to hear that you have a diagnosis, and that the meds have worked.  In addition to others here, I have never heard of this either. It's the one autoimmune disorder Oscar DOESN'T currently suffer from!  I know how frustrating this is. We spent a year going through multiple tests, and multiple specialists, before we were able to get a diagnosis for Oscar (Immune Mediated Disease). Jaci (6Girls) can attest to this as well, but when you have a dog that is immuno-compromised, everything becomes a balancing act. I am hoping that this issue with Joy was simply a one-time thing, where her immune system was low, and not a condition that has to be managed for the rest of her life. I would be a little concerned about the other symptoms, the blocked nose, coughing, bleeding paws. Is she still having these issues? Any of these could be an indication of allergies, or something larger going on. Are her paw pads bleeding, or is it between the pads? If it's the pads, are they cut, or raw from rubbing on carpeting or pavement? Are the booties helping? Laurie and Oscar |
| Hi, I wondered about that too and apologies if you've already discussed this or had it ruled out by your vet. My beloved Sheepie girl, Shaggy, had immune deficiency thyrombocytopenia and as a result, had many of the symptoms you mentioned. As her immune system was compromised she would often get secondary infections as a result. On a positive note Shaggy who was diagnosed at age 8, passed away at the grand old age of 15 1/2 as her disease was controlled with holistic meds and a diet full of beta carotene. (chicken broth with carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach). She passed 9 yrs ago so my memory is a tad fuzzy and it was all trial and error on my part and up and down days with Shaggy. I assume your vet has probably tested for that and ruled it out? Come on Joy! You've got friends from all over the world pulling for you and wishing you and your mom all the best. Marianne |
Oscar's Mom wrote: So glad to hear that you have a diagnosis, and that the meds have worked. In addition to others here, I have never heard of this either. It's the one autoimmune disorder Oscar DOESN'T currently suffer from! I know how frustrating this is. We spent a year going through multiple tests, and multiple specialists, before we were able to get a diagnosis for Oscar (Immune Mediated Disease). Jaci (6Girls) can attest to this as well, but when you have a dog that is immuno-compromised, everything becomes a balancing act. I am hoping that this issue with Joy was simply a one-time thing, where her immune system was low, and not a condition that has to be managed for the rest of her life. I would be a little concerned about the other symptoms, the blocked nose, coughing, bleeding paws. Is she still having these issues? Any of these could be an indication of allergies, or something larger going on. Are her paw pads bleeding, or is it between the pads? If it's the pads, are they cut, or raw from rubbing on carpeting or pavement? Are the booties helping? Laurie and Oscar  I really hope this is a one-time thing too. We will know that if she stays well three monts after we stopped the medication.  Sorry for late answer.  The blocked nose, the coughing and the skin nodulars where all symptoms of this desease, canine cutaneous histiocytosis.She was still coughing when she pulled the leash and her nose was blocked when we started to give her Atopica (Ciclosporin). After a few days om medication she stopped coughing and her nose wasn't blocked anymore and the nodulars at her skin dissappered. The best part is that she breeth well now; This has been a problem coming and going since the beginning of august. Now I can wake up in the middel of the night and she breeth so easy....I cannot hear anything. It makes me so happy! What a releaf!!! |
Marianne wrote: Hi, I wondered about that too and apologies if you've already discussed this or had it ruled out by your vet. My beloved Sheepie girl, Shaggy, had immune deficiency thyrombocytopenia and as a result, had many of the symptoms you mentioned. As her immune system was compromised she would often get secondary infections as a result. On a positive note Shaggy who was diagnosed at age 8, passed away at the grand old age of 15 1/2 as her disease was controlled with holistic meds and a diet full of beta carotene. (chicken broth with carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach). She passed 9 yrs ago so my memory is a tad fuzzy and it was all trial and error on my part and up and down days with Shaggy. I assume your vet has probably tested for that and ruled it out? Come on Joy! You've got friends from all over the world pulling for you and wishing you and your mom all the best. Marianne  If that shows from a blodtest on thyroid? Then the vets has tested it.It looks like the correct diagnoses is found when she react so well to the mediction - just as it was expected to with this diagnoses and medication with ciclosporine. When she was bleeding from her paws, from the skin between the pads, the vets said that it might be because her immune system was low. It could be a secondary infection, however her paws looks much better now. They were suddenly very swelled up and had a deep red color. This is completely gone now after beeing on medication for a while. Before we knew the diagnosis I gave her Betaglucan. It is very interesting to read how you helped Shaggy. Joy doesn't like carrots, however mashed swede and potatoes.... Think I should try spinach Thanks for chairing the knowledge and experiences. I am very grateful! |
| Oscar's Mom wrote: So glad to hear that you have a diagnosis, and that the meds have worked. Any of these could be an indication of allergies, or something larger going on. Are her paw pads bleeding, or is it between the pads? If it's the pads, are they cut, or raw from rubbing on carpeting or pavement? Are the booties helping? Laurie and Oscar Allergies was the next thing on our list to chech out. I think we have got the right diagnosis now ....... however we will o'course keep allergies in mind. The popular explination of cutaneous histiocytosis is that the immune system doesn't turn it self off after killing an infection. It's overreacting.......so it is with allergies too, maybe in a different way? She had a cut in her pad on the left backleg this summer, that or another infection might have started this - I don't know. The cut was small and healed well......so this was another thing that what happend when here bleeding from the paws started in the end of oktober. She was bleeding from the skin between her pads on all four paws and the paws were swelled up and dark red. We couldn't walk outdoors at all the first weeks. Just a short time out for peeing with the boots on. Terrible! Now her paws look great! Normal - I am so happy! |
| Oh I just read this today! I am glad you found a diagnosis and I hope beautiful Joy has a permanent recovery! |
Baba wrote: Oh I just read this today! I am glad you found a diagnosis and I hope beautiful Joy has a permanent recovery!  Thanks!I hope so too! I've been worried sic ......send positive waves over "the lake", please. |
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