Wednesday Oct 17th
1mile walk
In his spiffy new coat
Breakfast
Back up to Dr I for assessment of sutures (from biopsy punches), to determine any progress in sore healing-observed very minimual improvement and they re-bandaged his chest (again)
Check out his new technicolor chest wrap
Ali & Dr I
Back to daily visits for rest of the week –bandages have to be changed every day
1 mile walk
Eating 5 times a day
Water intake seems to be returning to “normal’-self regulating
Urine analysis later this week to determine if his kidneys are functioning correctly
Thursday Oct 18th
The results of Dodgers skin biopsy came back faster than we thought it would and it indicates he has erythema multiforme (an auto immune disease). A relatively rare disorder/disease.
Which would explain why everything we tried did not work.
http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/erythema_multiforme.aspx
There has been a fair amount of success treating this disease with ATOPICA. We stared him on it late last night plus a small dose of a cortisone drug (short term) . If he responses positively to this treatment we should start seeing some improvement in about 1 week -it is hoped that in 3 weeks the leaking of serum from his capillaries should stop and the open sores/eruptions should start to heal slowly.
Not as bad as it could be and at least treatable. IF the drug works he will be on it daily for the rest of his life.
IF we can get this under control he should have a relatively pain free and “normal” life
While we wait we will be taking him back up to Dr I’s 3-4 times a week for baths and assessments
Friday Oct 19th
Spent the entire day at Dr I’s
Bath and clean up plus they left his chest exposed so they could see 1) how much oozing was occurring and 2) see if exposure to air would help dry it up. Amount of oozing has reduce and open sores seem to have improved a wee bit
In addition to Atopica he is also now on Dexamethasone & Pentoxifyline. Will re-access effectiveness on Monday when he goes back up to Dr. I. No major reaction to all the drugs
Sat Oct 20th
Eating is great and still goes for his 2+ miles of walks. The excessive oozing seems to have diminished. Even all bandaged up he was oozing so much that it would leak out and stain his bed pads. That seems not to be happening now. Our entire house is covered in bed pads.
Sunday Oct 21st
1.1/4 walk in the morning
2 huge meals by 10am (one with a scrambled egg)
2 more walks total for the day 2.25 miles
3 more meals-he loves to eat
Monday Oct 22nd
6 hours up at Dr I
Bath, treatment & observation
Good news is that the oozing from his chest sores has reduced significantly –from oozing to weeping
If Dodger is lucky he will not have to wear the chest bandages after Friday
Pressure sores are almost totally healed
On 9/17th
today-same hip
On the down side he had a negative reaction to one of his new drugs so we discontinued it-will let it clear from his system and see if he returns to normal will then reintroduce at much smaller does and watch reaction-if OK will increase dose over time
Not gaining weight even though eating 2-2 ¼ pounds of food a day-staying right in the 38 pound range
His exercise routine (2 miles a day) plus his “feeding his skin” (as Dr I calls it) is taking a lot of his energy/calories-exercise necessary to build muscle and loosen up his hips-so we will maintain him at 5 meals a day and hopefully once the Atopica kicks in and his auto immune disease is more under control he will gain weight
Wednesday Oct 24th
Just back from Dr I
Notice any difference?
After 4 weeks he is no longer wrapped like a mummy-the oozing from his chest sore is almost stopped and the sore is drying up and getting smaller and less inflammed
He has a LONG way to go (4-6 weeks) before the ATOPICA will be fully working.
His skin , although improving, is still scaling and flaking-over time this should get better
He seems “happier”, more engaged and interactive-we get a lot more tail shimmies
His eyes are bright but the twinkle/spark is not totally back yet – we are working on it
dodger'sstory 
And his tail is up in so many of your photos now! Can definitely see the improvement and the TLC you are giving him must make him feel loved and cared for in a way he never was…and that is HUGE!!! Still rooting for you Dodger!
Way to go!! Thank you for such love and patience!!!
He looks so much better. He is just as lucky to have you as you are him. It warms my heart.
I can’t remember how I found your blog, but so incredibly glad I did!! Dodger’s story is just lovely, and the commitment and dedication exhibited by your family, the vet team and most of all Mr. Dodger is inspirational. I live in NYC, and my little pittle mix is from the Yonkers Animal Shelter. So very *thrilled* to see another wonderful dog pulled from one of our shelters and finally given the life they so deserve. Thank you!
I have read all the entries and I am in total awe of you wonderful, wonderful people. I’m sitting here feeling a range of emotions. I cannot fathom what this poor boy’s life was before he ended up at the ACC. Thank God for people like you and your tireless, selfless dedication to Dodger. The world would be so much better if even 1/10th of the population was like you. God Bless You.