Menopause vs Basenjis - PLEASE READ my story! This is very important!

[SyberSade]

I just found out why our Basenjis, Haley and Prince, are nearly BALD.
Their fur has been slowing falling out FOR YEARS.
We?ve changed their food and vitamins, given them fish oil and salmon, stopped bathing them, done Thyroid tests and Cushings tests, tried 90 days of thyroid pills, done skin scrapings and skin biopsies and hair cultures. They do not have allergies, Cushings Disease, Hypothyroisim, parasites, or fungus. The vets were out of ideas and sent us to a specialist in animal dermatology.
What we HAVE found through blood work is that their Estradiol (Estrogen) levels are through-the-roof high! And Prince?s Progesterone level is very high, also.
What they have is ?Hormone Induced Alopecia???.. caused by MY MENOPAUSE MEDICATION according to the dog dermatologists!
I began using EvaMist spray (a hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms) three years ago. It is applied as a spray to the forearm?and seems to dry quickly. BUT, it can be transferred from one?s arm to one?s dogs (AND grandchildren, I presume!) even after it appears to be absorbed by the skin!!! At the time I started using it we just had Haley. We ?rescued? Prince two years ago. I use the term ?rescued? loosely because he looked a heck of a lot better when we got him from B.R.A.T. than he does now! My poor dogs are nearly BALD! And it can cause other changes, too. Spayed female dogs can kind of go ?in heat? and their vulvas swell. We thought she was swollen all these years due to UTIs related to her Fanconi! The last time we went to the dog park and met up with other Basenjis, an unneutered male kept trying to mount her! We thought he was nuts??but he actually knew what was going on before we did! And poor Prince?..not only was he in a backyard-breeder situation and neglected for his first 4 years of life??he?s practically poisoned with female hormones since his ?rescue?!!
So, now that I know what?s going on, I did some internet research on it. It seems that the FDA posted a warning about this very thing ? a year ago! Our new doggie dermatologist has seen 5 or 6 cases just in the last 6 months.
So, if anyone you know uses this or any other topical hormone replacement on areas of the body that are not covered, please make them aware that it can have very bad consequences to their pets and small children. Please spread the word.
I?m now using a small estradiol patch that is applied to the lower abdomen. I?m praying it does the trick for me as well as the EvaMist did, and does not HARM anybody in the meantime! The vets think Prince and Haley will have their coats back in about 3 months. I hope they?re right. I?ll keep you posted!
Sadie

[Tayda_Lenny]

Woah Sadie! This IS unbelievable! I'm so glad you now have an answer to the previously unsolved mystery of their hair falling out! Hopefully they will be back to having full coats in no time!

[SyberSade]

Sorry I didn't proof read my post everybody. All of my quotes and apostrophes are now question marks! blah!!!

[SyberSade]

@Tayda_Lenny:

Woah Sadie! This IS unbelievable! I'm so glad you now have an answer to the previously unsolved mystery of their hair falling out! Hopefully they will be back to having full coats in no time!

Me too, Michelle! It's been a loooooooong road…...and extremely expensive, too!

Thanks!

[Quercus]

Wow! I had heard about this somewhere else recently, and now I don't remember where. I am so sorry that you all had to go through that.

[nobarkus]

Wow Sadie that's something and much, much effort and expense on your part to find the cause. I've heard of this too some time ago but totally forgot about it.

[SyberSade]

:mad: Here's what my poor Haley looks like after nearly 3 years of exposure to the topical Estrogen/Estradiol spray EvaMist.

Is it not bad enough that she has to also have Fanconi?????!!!!!!!!

[SyberSade]

Here's a pic of my sweet, handsome Prince as we got him….....and one after nearly two years of exposure

How sad is this????!!!!!!!

[Quercus]

That is really interesting…it looks totally like a thyroid condition, but that makes sense..since thyroid, reproductive hormones and metabolic issues are all connected. I wonder if the AVMA has sent out a bulletin or something about this to their members...seems like it might be a good idea, so they can catch it right away...

[eeeefarm]

Hormones are very powerful, and can have dramatic effects. Your story doesn't surprise me, only that it took so long for an experienced vet to nail the diagnosis. When more than one dog is involved, look for something in the environment for sure. I'm surprised it took so long for someone to do a thorough look at blood work and discover the abnormality. Glad you have found the answer, and thank you for posting it as a heads up for others.

[SyberSade]

@Quercus:

That is really interesting…it looks totally like a thyroid condition, but that makes sense..since thyroid, reproductive hormones and metabolic issues are all connected. I wonder if the AVMA has sent out a bulletin or something about this to their members...seems like it might be a good idea, so they can catch it right away...

I agree. I will be reporting it to the FDA and the specialty vet is working on a report for a vet convention in Canada, too. I'm going to tell anyone who'll listen!

[nobarkus]

Sadie,
I would hurt to send blood samples to Dr Dodds or OFA for a full thyroid check. Most vets cannot perform the more complete test.

[SyberSade]

@nobarkus:

Sadie,
It wouldn't hurt to send blood samples to Dr Dodds or OFA for a full thyroid check. Most vets cannot perform the more complete test.

Hi Dan,
Who is Dr Dodds and the OFA? (color me BLOND! teehee)
Sadie

[nobarkus]

Dr Dodds does the more extensive thyroid test in S. CA at the lab, Hemopet
http://www.hemopet.org/

OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) does the Fanconi DNA testing we all get and they will help you with the thyroid test too. They have a list of approved labs.
http://www.offa.org/thy_labs.html

You would need to get the blood drawn and shipped from your local vet to either of these labs. They provide complete instructions for you and the vet on what to do.

[Quercus]

@nobarkus:

Sadie,
I would hurt to send blood samples to Dr Dodds or OFA for a full thyroid check. Most vets cannot perform the more complete test.

I agree; if nothing else, I am sure Dr. Dodds would love to learn more about this phenomenon

[MacPack]

Maybe vets, like human docs, start along one diagnosis track and are so focused they don't think outside the box. In retrospect, all that you say, eeeefarm, makes perfect sense! Especially both dogs being involved. Note to vets, bald dogs belonging to 40-ish females: check hormone levels!

So goad you have an answer at last, hopefully they will be furry little critters soon!

[tanza]

Very interesting and does make perfect sense… I am glad now that I went through menopause "naked".. so to speak. However it was not fun....:(

[SyberSade]

Thank you everyone…......especially Anne "my new best friend" in Tampa who suggested that I might only be 40-ish!!! hehe

[agilebasenji]

WOW - thanks for sharing. I wonder about people babysitting small children, does it rub off on them? I'm guessing it rubbed off on the dogs, or were they licking you?

[eeeefarm]

Just for interest sake, I ran the scenario by my niece, who is a vet. She knew about the connection…...and would have nailed it. Nice to know she is on top of things like this.