Your motor neurons release acetylcholine (ACh) at the neuromuscular junction to signal your muscles to contract.
In MG, the immune system produces antibodies that attack or block ACh receptors on the muscle side.
So even though there’s enough ACh, there are fewer functional receptors to receive the signal.
This makes muscle activation weak or unreliable — especially after repeated use, when ACh release naturally drops a bit.
How does Mestinon help?
Mestinon (pyridostigmine) is a cholinesterase inhibitor.
It blocks acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme that is naturally produced by the body to break down ACh.
This means ACh stays in the synaptic gap longer, giving it more chances to bind to the limited number of working receptors.
Result: Stronger and more sustained muscle contraction.
In short:
Myasthenia gravis reduces the number of working ACh receptors. Mestinon helps by keeping ACh around longer, increasing the chances that enough receptors get activated to trigger muscle contraction.
Here is a simple analogy that will help you remember these physiologic events:
On one side of a see-saw sits a heavy bucket filled with 50 bricks — this represents the activation threshold of a muscle fiber.
On the other side are 150 small buckets, representing acetylcholine receptors (AChRs).
A brick-maker (the motor nerve) produces 50 special bricks per minute — these represent acetylcholine (ACh). You’re tasked with tossing these bricks into the small buckets to outweigh the heavy bucket with 50 bricks in order to lifet the see saw.
Each small bucket can only hold one brick, and the bricks dissolve after 30 seconds, just like ACh is broken down quickly by acetylcholinesterase (which occurs naturally in the body and is necessary).
But there’s a catch:
Half the buckets are nonfunctional — some are sealed (blocked receptors), others have holes and cannot hold the bricks (damaged receptors).
You must get at least 50 bricks into the 75 working buckets before any dissolve to tilt the see-saw (activate the muscle).
If a brick falls or misses, you might retrieve it — but time is short, and most dissolve before they can be reused.
When pyridostigmine (Mestinon) or another “cholinesterase inhibitor” is added, it slows brick dissolution– it can double or triple the life of the bricks to 60–90 seconds, giving you more time to get enough bricks into the right buckets, even though you’re still throwing the same number of bricks and the number of working buckets hasn’t changed.
In reality, AcH only lasts 1-2 miliseconds- so this analogy is just to help you remember what is happening, the timeline and complete process of what is happening is not accurate. For example, one ACh molecule may go in and out of multiple working receptors. There isn’t an easy way to create an analogy for this- the see-saw analogy is the easiest one I cold come up with for the time being.
I often wonder why some dogs get cancers and some do not. What leads to cancer in some dogs is overridden by the immune system of another- but why? What is so different about these dogs?
The immune system is centered in the “gut” which is the term given to the stomach and intestines. The entire alimentary canal (from the mouth to the anus) can be important in immune function.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging therapeutic approach in veterinary medicine, particularly for gastrointestinal disorders in dogs. While its application in treating hemangiosarcoma (HSA), a malignant cancer of blood vessels, is not yet established, understanding the potential mechanisms and benefits of FMT can provide insight into its future possibilities.PubMed+1academy.royalcanin.com+1
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) is a procedure in which fecal material from a healthy donor is introduced into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a recipient, with the goal of restoring a balanced and diverse microbiome. In veterinary medicine, FMT has shown encouraging results in the treatment of various gastrointestinal disorders in dogs, including acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS) and chronic enteropathies. Research has demonstrated that FMT can enhance the diversity and stability of gut microbial populations, contributing to improved intestinal health and function.
While the idea of stool to help a pet may seem risky or difficult at first, the process is often straightforward and well-tolerated by animals. In my personal experience, I have witnessed remarkable recoveries in animals following just a single dose of FMT. In one case, a cat received a tiny oral capsule containing freeze-dried donor stool, while a dog was given a tiny oral dose and treated with a fresh stool solution suspended in warm water and administered rectally using a syringe. The response was dramatic: their severe gastrointestinal symptoms, previously unresponsive to many medications, probiotics, charcoal and fiber supplements, resolved overnight. It’s important to watch the stool and watch for any symptoms of illness. If existing diarrhea does not resolve, I would discontinue FMT and speak to a vet. Sometimes ongoing treatments are necessary.
In another instance, three small dogs (each weighing 12–15 pounds) received just 5 mL of stool slurry rectally. Their abdomens were massaged to help the slurry travel deeper into the colon. This was repeated once after 24 hours. Despite having long-standing digestive issues, all three experienced lasting improvement, with normal GI function maintained for over two years following the treatment.
🧬 The Microbiome and Cancer: Exploring the Connection
Recent research has illuminated the significant role of the gut microbiome in cancer development and treatment outcomes. The microbiome can influence systemic inflammation, immune responses, and even the efficacy of cancer therapies. For instance, alterations in the gut microbiome have been linked to the progression of various cancers, including gastrointestinal and hematologic malignancies. PubMed
In the context of hemangiosarcoma, a cancer characterized by rapid growth and metastasis, the gut microbiome’s impact on immune modulation and inflammation could potentially influence tumor behavior and treatment responses. However, specific studies investigating the direct effects of FMT on HSA are currently lacking.academy.royalcanin.com
🐶 FMT in Canine Cancer Care: A Promising Avenue
While direct evidence of FMT’s efficacy in treating hemangiosarcoma is not yet available, the growing understanding of the microbiome’s role in cancer suggests that FMT could become a valuable adjunctive therapy. By restoring a healthy microbiome, FMT may enhance immune function, reduce inflammation, and potentially improve the overall health and quality of life in dogs with cancer.
🧪 Future Directions and Considerations
Ongoing research is essential to determine the safety and efficacy of FMT in canine oncology. Clinical trials and studies focusing on the microbiome’s role in cancer are needed to establish evidence-based guidelines for its use in treating hemangiosarcoma and other malignancies in dogs.
📚 Further Reading and Resources
One dog’s waste is another dog’s wealth: A pilot study of fecal microbiota transplantation in dogs with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome: This study provides insights into the application of FMT in dogs with gastrointestinal disorders.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Dogs: An overview of FMT’s use in veterinary medicine, highlighting its potential in treating various canine diseases. PubMed
The ‘poo smoothies’ that are saving dogs’ lives: An article discussing the innovative use of FMT in treating dogs with severe gastrointestinal conditions. Verywell Health+3PubMed+3academy.royalcanin.com+3
Enhanced Immune Responses via FMT A study on colorectal cancer in mice demonstrated that combining FMT with anti-PD-1 therapy led to superior survival rates and tumor control compared to either treatment alone. This combination therapy resulted in significant alterations to the gut microbiota, notably an increase in Bacteroides species such as B. thetaiotaomicron and B. fragilis. These changes were associated with upregulation of microbial biosynthetic pathways for amino acids and nucleotides, which are crucial for immune cell activation and function. Additionally, metabolomic analysis revealed that metabolites like punicic acid and aspirin were upregulated after FMT, potentially promoting anti-PD-1 therapy response through their immunomodulatory effects. PubMedFrontiers
Microbial Metabolites and Tumor Immunity FMT has been shown to alter the tumor microenvironment (TME) by modifying the gut microbiota composition, which in turn can enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. For instance, a study found that FMT from healthy donors into patients with metastatic melanoma resulted in favorable changes in immune parameters, including upregulation of genes related to antigen presentation and innate immunity. This suggests that FMT can induce systemic immune activation, potentially improving responses to immunotherapy. Spandidos Publications+1Frontiers+1Frontiers
Rejuvenation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells Research involving FMT from young mice to aged mice revealed that the procedure could rejuvenate aged hematopoietic stem cells by suppressing inflammation. This rejuvenation was linked to enhanced immune responses, indicating that FMT might bolster the body’s ability to produce cancer-fighting cells, such as T cells and macrophages, which are essential for effective tumor surveillance and response. ASHPublications
Akkermansia and Immune Activation in Ovarian Cancer In a study on ovarian cancer, FMT from patients with ovarian cancer into mice accelerated tumor development. However, supplementation with Akkermansia, a beneficial gut bacterium, alongside FMT, significantly suppressed tumor progression. This effect was associated with increased acetate levels and enhanced interferon-γ secretion from CD8+ T cells, leading to improved tumor-killing properties. These findings highlight the role of specific gut microbes in modulating immune responses against cancer. PubMed
The above studies cells and endogenous chemicals by: • Modulating the gut microbiota to enhance immune cell activation and function. • Upregulating microbial biosynthetic pathways that support immune responses. • Inducing systemic immune activation through microbial metabolites. • Rejuvenating hematopoietic stem cells to bolster immune cell production. • Enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. While these findings are promising, further research is needed to fully understand the therapeutic potential of FMT in cancer treatment.
The text on this page is for informational purposes. This is not to be construed as medical advice. Anyone with a sick pet should consult a veterinarian.
This is not a complete article. I just had to get something out quickly to help a neighbor. These are bits and pieces from messags i have sent to pet owners online. I need to edit it for more clarity but it’s most imoportant that i get the info out there ASAP. Please learn what you can from this article and encourage me to finish it if you think it doesn’t state enough. I appreciate your understanding and help.
Cat lost?
Unfortunately there are hundreds of places to online to report lost pets. You will want to choose those most relevant. I suggest posting on Nextdoor.com once a day, posting in every “lost pet” facebook groups for your city, posting on Craigslist, and asking your local animal shelter to take a lost pet report. You also need to check on each of your posts and the shelter website daily to determine if your pet’s been found; don’t expect a finder to see your post or expect a shelter to find your pet’s microchip.
Start your neighborhood search by going door-to-door to speak with your neighbors. Politely ask them to check their properties, including yards, garages, sheds, and under decks. It’s often helpful to ask if you can accompany them while they search their yard, as some people may not look thoroughly or may be less willing to help. For neighbors who are not reachable, consider leaving a flyer at their door or on their car windshield.
Put the cat’s litterbox and an extra water bowl on the patio and get a trail cam to record any activity. If you can have your door open enough for the cat to come inside that is helpful. Don’t leave it more than 5″-6″. Leaving a garage door open 6″ is a great way to help a lost cat get shelter at your home. It may help to make a “breadcrumb” trail of kitty litter leading to your home but many swear by just leaving the litterbox out.
From dusk to dawn, leave an accessible (to your cat) door to your home open. The opening should be large enough for your cat to get in but not larger animals. This is crucial. If you don’t do this, you greatly decrease the chances of a lost cat coming home. If you absolutely cannot leave a door open, try to create a safe space outside the door or window that the pet escaped from or the door/window the pet normally has used to access the home. A safe space could be a cat carrier inside of a large dog crate that is covered with a tarp or blanket (which should be fixed in place with rope). The door to both crates/carriers should be fixed to remain open just enough to allow your cat in but not a larger animal. Most cats can get through a 4″ gap but if your cat is large, you may need a larger gap. Keep in mind coyotes have small heads and very long necks. They can get their head and neck about 2′ into an opening that is 5″ wide. That said if a cat is inside that opening and within a small bite-proof box (hard cat carrier or wire cage (even a soft cat carrier offers some protection)) and swats at the coyote’s nose, the coyote is likely to back off. If your cat hates his carrier, just have a large dog crate (with no unfamiliar dog odor on it, ideally) with a cardboard box inside to give a sense of security to an exploring cat. Put water in the crate. Put food in the crate at your discretion. If cat gets enough to eat, it will be hard to trap him if that is the next required step (if he doesn’t let you fetch him from the crate).
Many indoor cats who escape and outdoor cats who suffer some form of trauma become be terrified of all people, even their owners. They truly forget they are a pet until they are safe at home and have had some time to decompress. Cats have been known to be lurking within a few hundred feet of their home for months, but they become so wild, nobody sees them or people rarely see them. The owners go calling for their cat assuming, if was is their cat who was seen, the cat will come out. Please do not make this mistake. Your scared cat has no idea who you are right now but, once you get them home, and they have a chance to exit “survival mode”, they will remember you and return to the loving pet that they were.
Borrow, buy, or rent a cat trap or a few cat traps if you have no idea where your cat is or your cat’s been spotted but has reverted to feral behavior. Not all cats like catnip but, for those who do, I recommend using high-end catnip. Some cats are so crazy for catnip that they will do dumb things to get it- such as getting into a metal trap that might otherwise cause suspicion.
Catnip is a fine lure but will not work well in windy or very cold conditions. It will blow away if it’s windy and if it’s cold, the oils will not volatilize (become aromatic and waft away from the catnip). In very cold weather or wind, use heated fish, chicken, or your cat’s favorite treat (include catnip if your cat liked it). You can alsu use food and catnip together. Just be mindful of what other animals you might attract to the area as your cat is also making his way to the trap. When using food lures, you may still follow the tips in this article.
When using catnip as a lure, the idea is to entice a cat into a trap, not to use so much the cat would get high by being near the trap. A cat might make bad decisions before they are protected by the walls of the trap if the catnip fragrance is so strong it causes intoxication from a distance. My catnip products were made with catnip buds (the flowering part of the plant). These have a higher nepetalactone (what intoxicates some cats) content compared to the other parts and will be more potent than the basic catnip you find in the store.
Roll a pinch of the catnip buds between your fingers real well to release the oils then put it in a shallow dish (e.g. a lid from a jar). Put the dish inside the trap past the treddle (the raised panel of the floor that causes the trap door to close when the cat steps upon it). Don’t touch anything outside of the trap with nepetalactone-coated fingers because if the cat can get to the oils outside the trap, there is less reason to get inside the trap.
I think the only downside to using catnip is that you may attract neighbor’s cats and they may like it so much they keep coming back. Food isn’t attractive enough to have that same effect with most cats, but some cats are not phased by being trapped and will keep coming back for any bait. If that happens, you may have to confine those cats for a night or two in order to trap your cat.
In any situation, I suggest having extra traps if you are not closely monitoring the traps. If you have multiple traps, you still have one that can catch your pet if you catch the wrong animal first. I have trapped 3 cats in a small area one after the other. The second and third cats did not seem to know that the cats caught before them were trapped. The sound of the door slamming shut will scare most animals and they will panic. Other cats nearby will scatter, but they often come right back for food, usually. Most cats will calm down within a few minutes of being trapped if an appropriate cover is used. Ideally, all trapped cats will have water inside the trap and be protected from the elements and predators while trapped. Choose your trap location carefully if you cannot supervise the trap(s).
I recommend also including a heavy dish of water if you aren’t directly monitoring a trap. This is vital for any animal that is trapped for hours or is already dehydrated when it gets trapped. A panicked animal may spill the water so a heavy bowl is recommended. One could also use a “kennel bowl” that mounts tightly to the side of the trap. Always be sure what you put in the trap will not interfere with the trapping mechanism and put desirable items as near the back of the trap as possible because you want the cat and it’s tail all the way inside the trap when the door shuts.
Use 2 layers of newspaper or thin cardboard to cover the trap floor up to the treddle, if the floor is wire. Before placing the paper/cardboard down, gently wipe it on the nearby ground so it doesn’t smell out of place or smell strongly of humans. In some cases, I recommend also doing that with the towel that will be on the trap. It is best if there isn’t a ton of human scent on the trap. Pet cats who are scared often revert to a feral (wild) state and may be afraid of the scent of humans. In some cases, the owner’s scent is beneficial but we don’t know when that is the case and if the cat isn’t coming out for the owner or trying to get back into it’s home, I prefer to minimize human scent and, if possible, use the cat’s own scent to create a comfort zone within and around the trap. You might be able to do that by sprinkling a bit of the cat’s used litter at the front of the trap. You could also rub the cover on your cat’s favorite sleeping spot in the home. Cat scent (from it’s body) dissipates quickly in the environment, but I don’t have any hard facts on how quickly so I don’t see why we wouldn’t use the cat’s sleeping area to try to scent a trap cover even weeks after a cat has gone missing. BTW, I would also not use a towel that has fabric softener or scented laundry detergent fragrance on it. Fragrance may interefere with the whole process, but it isn’t necessarily going to make trapping harder. On that note, anyone with cats, should not be using fragranced laundry products Read why here.
If you are trapping in an area where there are animals that will attack cats, try to think of ways to lure those animals away from your trap location as well as away from any area you think your cat may be hiding. You also want those animals to be well-fed so they don’t have to hunt. Using catnip instead of food has an advantage because cats that are able to find food, will still want the catnip (if they are fond of catnip, some cats have no receptors for nepetalactone and will not get buzzed from catnip).
[this next segment mostly applies to suburban situations] If coyotes are a concern, you can consider leaving a meal for them that is as tasty as a cat, but isn’t so tasty/smelly that your cat would travel towards it. I like the idea of using raw chicken quarters or whole raw chickens (whole chickens and large quarters are less likely to be carried off by smaller animals or wolfed down by a neighbor’s dog). Any meat/roadkill will probably work to attract coyotes. Dog food is an option if you don’t have meat. Some coyotes who have only eaten meat may and not eat a meal of processed food. Others may be instantly delighted by the novelty, and flavor enhancers used in some pet foods. To cover all bases, consider using raw meat and dog kibble or canned dog food. If you know where the coyotes travel from, try to put a meal (enough for the whole pack) and a bucket of water for them there so that they have no reason to come closer to your home or wherever the cat is suspected to be hiding. Of course, mind the laws in your area to be sure it is OK to leave food out, and please never directly feed anything to a wild coyote nor let it associate you with the food. If it’s not legal to leave meat in a public space, you can most likely leave meat out on your own property and that of neighbors. Some neighbors are not going to like the idea of leaving food out even if it is to protect your cat, so proceed with caution when you inform others of your plans and try only to mention it to people who are already on board with helping you find your cat (other people catching wind of it may remove the meat, even from other people’s property). If you can’t feed the coyotes, you can ask nearby neighbors to keep their large dogs in their yards overnight to help deter coyotes (weigh this option against the risk that your cat is hiding in or needs to travel through one of their yards- if a neighbors dog is cat-aggressive, it may be better tatn they are not outside unsupervised).
You can get affordable trail cameras online to determine if your cat is coming near your trap. I suggest putting a legal notice on the trap if you must leave it anywhere other than your private property. The animal control authority in your are should be able to provide you with what notice you can put on the trap or you can just say “Please stay away from this trap, we are trapping a lost pet. If you see any animal caught in this trap, please do not approach or tamper with the trap. Contact us at ___ ____ and we will gladly give you a reward for your help in recovering our lost pet. Thank you.”
More tips:
I highly recommend putting out bowls of water around the area the cat may be hiding. Having access to water can help the missing cat and decrease the activity of Racoons and other animals that are looking for water and may have a run-in with cats while on their search. Tuck the bowls into bushes nearby if you know your cat is in an area. This way, the cat doesn’t have to come out to drink. Cats must drink every day, but they may opt not to eat for a few days if they are scared. Having a hidden water source could keep your cat alive and out of sight of predators.
If your cat has their own bed or a favorite blanket, place it outside the entry to your home. The cat’s own scent may be enough to draw them back home. If your cat is bonded to someone in the home, leaving out a recently-worn item of that person’s clothing can be helpful. If you think the cat is far walk away from the home wearing shoes, and walk back barefoot to leave your scent on the ground. Consider making a trail of worn socks other clothing or chopped up bits of a towel that has your scent on it to help kitty sniff her way back home. Cats who are terrified will rely on scent to find “familiar”. They aren’t looking for “home”. Wild cats do not have homes, they just have territories.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking your cat can see your home when your cat is scared. A cat in survival-mode, no longer sees anything pleasant, it’s eyes become an organ used for survival only. This is why cats who love each other can become fierce enemies when something in their home crashes the ground, causing one or more cats to panic. Traumatized cats will no longer recognize a loving housemate as such. They may run away from or attack an animal or human as if their life depends on it. In a crisis, there is no time to sniff, and just seeing a familiar face or a familiar home is not enough to be convinced it is safe. A cat going to the vet or groomer for a few hours and returning home is often seen as an enemy to the other cats in the house. Many people cannot pet their cat after washing their hands or showering. The cat cannot smell who they are and is cautious until the person’s scent returns to their skin. This is because the cats must rely on scent, not vision to recognized animals, people, and places. Everyone thinks of dogs as being scent-dependent but cats are even more so. If you have feral cats or you haven’t been able to trap your cat right away or you just want to increase the chance that your cat stays in an area, consider building one of these predator-resistant cat tunnels. Carpet the bottom so a cat darting away from a predator can grip onto the carpet for extra traction to get into the tunnel quickly. Use 1×12 or 1×14 for the sides top and bottom, reinforce with 2×2 where needed. Use screws, not nails so you can take it apart as needed. Hinge the top, if you wish for easy access for cleaning, fetching cats, etc. Consider a hinged door on both ends so you can close both doorways, transport the tunnel into your home/garage before opening it to let a cat out. just be certain doors are locked in an open position and cannot get in the way of a darting cat.
Screenshot
These shelters make good feeding stations and can be used with trail cameras to determine the presence of cats. You can put food and a trail camera in the middle section, safe from coyotes, however other small animals are likely to dine on the food. When using food, you definitely want to stake down the shelter or put cinder blocks on it so coyotes don’t tumble it trying to get to the food. Put one camera and feeding station near any sightings or clues.
If there’s evidence of an attack, the cat would be less likely to return to where it was found or pursued by a predator. That said, they aren’t inclined to travel far from home or any established territory and the smell of food could attract them back. Also, just because a predator attacked, that doesn’t mean the cat was in its hiding place when the attack happened- it could still feel its hiding place is a good one and return there. A feeding station set up at night with a camera on it could be expected to attract cats within 40 meters depending on weather conditions (very still, cold air may not allow the scent of the food to waft far).
Do you think your cat is staying near a neighbor? Ask neighbors if they are willing to keep a garage door or some other door open about 5″ from midnight to dawn and have a bowl of your cat’s favorite smelly food in there along with a trail camera. Put the food up on a high surface (hood of a car or a counter top or table if you think your cat can jump up to the food- a weak cat may not be able to). If your cat may be weak or injured, keep the food near the floor. Sometimes we have to feed the other critters to find a lost pet. It’s temporary and should not cause long-term harm. You might even park your car in the area and put the food dish and camera on the hood of your car. That should prevent possums and skunks from dining. Most raccoons will not easily get onto the hood of a vehicle.
This is a brief entry to let others know that rapamycin may not be safe for all dogs. It is too early to know if the rapamycin helped or harmed my dog, but I have some information which makes me glad I restricted this trial to one dog.
I chose to medicate an older dog who was facing pain and mobility issues which made euthanasia a consideration. He suffered from hypothyroidism, food allergies and dermatitis which were all thought to be auto-immune diseases. Given his issues, my vet felt comfortable prescribing Rapamycin (Sirolimus), an immune suppressant (and so much more).
Aside from hypothyroidism and food allergies, Spot was physiologically healthy. His Arthritis was in joints which were damaged due to a puppyhood trauma. He had a fractured femur which had already healed before I got him. It’s abnormal shape caused alignment issues in the hip and knee. A vet had suggested amputation when he was 1 year old, but I instead tried an anti-inflammatory diet and exercise to strengthen the joints. He’s been using that leg to run for 14 years, so I am glad I didn’t amputate it.
After trialing Rapamycin on an intermittent dosing schedule for 3 months, I noticed increased thirst. Bloodwork revealed kidney disease. We can’t establish causation at this point, but rapamycin has been implicated in renal disease in some studies (1,2). However, in other studies, it has been shown to be harmless or helpful to patients/animals with renal disease (citation needed).
Rapamycin also had no effect on Spot’s pruritis which was a symptom of food allergies. It’s possible it made matters worse, but such things are very difficult to establish. Spot had an enormous hot spot just prior to treatment and such hot spots occurred on 3 occasions after the initiation of rapamycin treatment. Due to the dermatitis, the dog was given diphenhydramine for a few days prior to the blood test. It is unclear if the diphenhydramine could have caused or contributed to the kidney disease. Kidney disease can cause unstoppable itching so it seems likely to me he had kidney disease prior to taking diphenhydramine.
It’s possible that thyroid hormone supplementation caused Spot’s kidney disease. Spot’s thyroid levels were getting too high so his dose was reduced a few times until he was taking about 60% less thyroid hormone than he was on before starting Rapamycin. I believe Rapamycin caused Spot’s thyroid function to improve. It is quite possible I created a domino effect of damage. Rapamycin may have led to his thyroid hormone production increasing which may have led to stress on the kidneys which may have led to itching which caused me to medicate him with diphenhydramine which in turn could have caused further stress to his kidneys.
Does Rapamycin have an anti-aging effect in dogs? Perhaps, but any such rejuvenation might be cancelled out by the symptoms of renal disease in a case like this. A few people have remarked that the dog seems younger. His energy level has been good. His mobility and arthritis symptoms seem improved.
REFERENCES:
(1) Tomlanovich SJ, Vincenti F. Sirolimus: defining nephrotoxicity in the renal transplant recipient. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007 Mar; 2(2):198-9. PMID: 17699406.
(2) Marti, H.-P. and Frey, F.J. Nephrotoxicity of rapamycin: An emerging problem in clinical medicine. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2005; 20: 13–15.
Dometic Shorthair Feline with persistent nailbed infection presented with multiple affected nailbeds. All nailbeds were affected, some were quite inflamed and infected with staph.
Oral use of colloidal silver for 3 weeks did not resolve the issue. Patient was routinely receiving 4 drops of DMSO daily orally to improve health of the stomach after an IBD diagnosis. Elizabethan collar for 2 hours to prevent immediate removal of the EVCO. Improvement was drastic and maintained with only twice weekly treatment. When my own illness prevented me from continuing the treatment, two of the beds became infected again but the cat is much more comfortable and will scratch her scratch pad and use her claws to knead and to grasp at string toys. I hope to resume treatment and to have assistance from one of my volunteers so that I might get some before and after photos to share here.
If you try DMSO, Colloidal Silver, and or Extra Virgin Coconut Oil on a pemphigus rash, please comment with your results.
… That’s my take, anyway. I am not a doctor, a veterinarian or a person with an advanced education. I do have an AS degree in animal health, but still am not speaking as an expert, as I was never taught about this in school. I am speaking as a hobby researcher who has seen and tested the benefits of colloidal silver on hundreds of occasions. You don’t have to take my word for it, just try it yourself. Just be sure to take your pet to a vet before and during treatment to ensure health is improving and not declining. Nothing works 100% of the time and I am not a vet, so do not rely on my information alone to try to save a pet’s life, please.
Instead of bringing home parvo virus, imagine bringing home healthy pups from the shelter. Instead of sad kittens with distemper, imagine bringing home healthy, robust kittens and them staying that way until you place them. Imagine no more kennel cough or instead of it lasting weeks, it being over within a few days. This can be a reality with a few easy steps.
Having spent decades involved in animal rescue, I have learned a thing or two. One thing I picked up about 10 years ago was that Colloidal Silver is an invaluable antibiotic, and anti-viral agent which may aso help pets with fungal infections. Nobody could argue the germ-killing ability of silver- it is now used in many medical products (ointments, bandages, eye drops) and day-to-day items that tend to get dirty (socks, shoes, fabrics..). Still, many people don’t know it can be used internally with a high margin of safety if it is a true colloid (do not believe everything you read). I have seen so many healing “miracles”, that I would never doubt it’s antiviral and antibacterial effect. As for it’s effect on fungus, I am not yet sold, fungus is tough to penetrate and eradicate so I believe it could help reduce fungal loads, but may not cure fungal infections (if you know otherwise, please comment!).
I recommend all pet rescuers learn about colloidal silver. Colloidal silver is a specific type of silver solution with very small particles which remain suspended in water. It usually contains silver ions (a single charged atom), but primarily it has very small particles that may have 2 or more silver atoms attached to one another. An ideal colloidal silver has a particle small enough to enter the bloodstream and not collect in tissues in a harmful way.
Ionic silver is also known as silver hydrosol. It is often confused with colloidal silver or is mislabeled colloidal silver. Ionic silver can have the same effect in some applications but it is harder to get it into the bloodstream because it combines with chloride in the stomach. For effective oral use, it is best given on an empty stomach. Often a “colloidal silver” solution will have particles as well as ions in which case I am not sure whether it’s a true colloid or a hydrosol solution. In any case, there is no need to complicate your life with learning the difference, and the particle size, simply choose a product that is backed by a safety guarantee. I highly recommend MesoSilver as they guarantee it is nondetrimental (some doctors even give it intravenously). I have seen the most dramatic improvements with this brand and it is reported to be a true colloid (they type I believe gets into the blood easily to work systemically). It works when added to food or water or given directly by mouth. It also works topically on wounds. If there is something like a draining abscess, you will want to flush it with sterile water and then soak it with colloidal silver daily. If there is a deep tissue infection but not a hole to access the infected area (cellulitis or closed abscess), ask your vet if it is OK to add small amount of DMSO to help the silver penetrate. I use up to 50% but some pets are sensitive or sensitive on some body parts so caution should be used and your vet can tel you whether to start with 10%, 20% or 30% and whether to apply it two, three, or four times per day. It makes sense to use DMSO and colloidal silver together to get the germ-killing and anti-inflammatory properties of DMSO and the germ-killing and pain-relieving effects of silver.
Silver ions will bind with the chloride present in the hydrochloric acid. This acid is abundant in a stomach which is actively digesting but it may not be present in significant quantities when the stomach is not filled with food. This is why ionic silver may work best on an empty stomach. It is claimed the ionic silver atoms cannot kill germs once they turn into silver chloride, but I have seen good results offering ionic silver with small amounts of food. I believe it still is effective, but not as effective as MesoSilver, which has silver nanoparticles that can survive the digestive tract and be absorbed into the bloodstream. I find being able to add colloidal silver to the pet’s food is the easiest way to get it into them (if they are eating) and so I appreciate the MesoSilver colloid very much. I find I need much less of this brand than I do of any other brand I have experimented with.
If you can give your pet the solution on an empty stomach (by syringe or in a water dish), the (usually) more affordable (and easy to make at home) ionic silver solution will often work just fine. Colloidalsilverguy.com sells the most affordable colloidal silver generator I have found online.
If shelters got on board and offered this to all pets, I believe kennel cough, distemper, and parvo would be non-issues unless a pet came in with it. It would cost a shelter from one to fifty cents per day per pet if they generated ionic silver themselves. Colloidal silver is safe for pregnant animals from what I have read, and should not interfere with other therapies. There are even non-toxic ionic-silver, surface sprays that can be used on kennels, beds, walls, clothing, and anywhere else germs would be. Pure Bioscience makes a non-toxic silver and citric acid solution which is touted to be more effective than any common kennel disinfectant. Plus, it won’t harm the respiratory tract or otherwise harm pets when used as directed. Traditional kennel sanitizers make me cough so I feel they are contributing to respiratory distress and infections in kenneled dogs and cats.
For the sake of experimentation, consider giving kittens colloidal silver twice per day at the very first sign of URI. If you use the right silver solution, you may find that the URI never becomes a full-blown illness. Now, if you want to be more scientific, offer the silver to only half of the kittens for a couple of days. If you don’t see that the treated kittens are doing better than the untreated ones, I would question the quality of the silver you’re using. Keep in mind, that once mucus forms and sinuses are congested, nothing is going to work overnight. The best results are seen when symptoms are new. I have seen kittens stop sneezing in a matter of hours with just a few drops of oral colloidal silver. I have seen kittens start sneezing again a day or two after the silver was discontinued and recover again within hours of resuming the oral silver. This is something you might see when you catch a URI before mucus sets in. Once mucus sets in, it will take days to see improvement. Of course, not all cases will respond well but I have never not had an upper respiratory case in a dog or cat that did not seem to respond much more quickly to colloidal silver than to prescription medicines. (update: in 2022, I had my first case of a cat who’s eye irritation would not respond to colloidal silver or any other treatment we tried).
For dogs with kennel cough, I like to put drops (1 drop per 10lbs of dog) of colloidal silver in each nostril. If you don’t want to upset the dog, add a tiny bit of salt so the solution is a mild saline solution (the taste should be as salty as tears). A nebulizer can also do the trick to get silver ions and nanoparticles into the sinuses. A nebulizer should never be used without your vet’s approval or without paying close attention to how the pet reacts. Some will find the process irritating and if it’s not a URI but a full-blown bronchitis or pneumonia, you may see fits of coughing or even breathlessness. Silver can be irritating to the lungs in some cases so please consult your vet when dealing with any mid-lower respiratory tract infection or other serious illness. (update: we have used silver in a few aspiration and pneumonia cases. we simply don’t subject the patient to long periods of inhalation nor a concentrated mist. We keep the nebulizer at a distance and only turn it one for 1-2 seconds wait a few seconds then turn it on again. We make sure the pet is getting some of the mist but not enough to trigger a cough or distress.
Silver can work wonders for a UTI/bladder irritation as well. If you have a feline with FLUTD, or a dog with chronic UTI, you may find colloidal or ionic silver in the water bowl takes care of the infection and/or pain. If you have an intact female dog, offering colloidal silver for the second half of the heat and the following 2-3 weeks is recommended (by me) to help prevent pyometra. For preventing pyometra, I use a fairly hefty dose for the final 2 weeks of the heat and the following 2 weeks then lighten up to a maintenance dose for the two weeks after. If the dog were older or otherwise more at risk, I would offer a hefty dose for the entire heat and 4 weeks post heat and a moderate dose for life. I do not get concerned about killing of colon bacteria as the silver should be absorbed into the body or inactivated before it reaches the colon (we have tested stool to verify the microbiome is not destroyed by the silver solutions we use). For any dog experiencing pyometra, if surgery is not an option I would administer colloidal silver at a high dose orally, assuming my vet has not advised against it. I would also use DMSO plus colloidal silver (50/50) applied to the bare (shave if necessary) skin over the ventral abdomen (entire belly) and inner thighs so that the solution covers roughly 20% of the dog’s total skin area every few hours with my vet’s approval. DMSO is a pain reducer, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and in my opinion, an all-around miracle worker when it comes to healing anything stubborn. In humans, DMSO is infused into the bladder to treat interstitial cystitis (basically inflammation and or infection within the bladder lining- a condition that is resistant to antibiotics). I’d be inclined to try a solution of 10-30% DMSO in colloidal silver instilled into the uterus in an open pyometra with a stable patient, if I had the opportunity. It would be nearly impossible to find a vet to try this in America but I hope someone does the research on this because it could save the lives of pets who don’t have access to expensive surgeries.
I also use DMSO and colloidal silver (or gold) treatment for cats with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth (applied outside of the mouth if cat objects to flavor). The DMSO and silver can penetrate quite deeply to provide pain relief and control of inflammation without the harsh effects of a steroid such as prednisone.
I am not a veterinary or medical professional. I do not diagnose, treat, or claim to prevent or cure disease. I simply read a lot, experiment a lot, and encourage others to experiment safely and with the supervision of professionals. I have a background in veterinary technology, and unless you have this, I would stick to using silver as a preventive agent. Only use it to treat illness under the guidance of a veterinarian.
My intent is not to frighten people, but to empower those who find themselves in need of assistance. If your pet does not have chronic illness, reading further about this, will only serve to create negativity and fear and is not recommended.
As a person who’s seen dozens of animals obtain wellness on a raw diet, I have to sing the praises of natural nutrition. By “natural” I do not simply mean unprocessed, I mean what nature intended. I’ve seen animals go from a pathetic state where they needed steroids to survive a flea bite, to not needing any flea preventive or medication of any type. I’ve read about heartworm cases that clear up on their own (without the animal becoming very ill), when the only support was nutritional.
Oftentimes, when we take away natural, we leave gaps in nutrition which results in “holes” in the animal’s health. Some holes are seemingly “filled” with medication and other vet care, but this solution is often an illusion. No pet should need steroids, antibiotics, medicated shampoos, or pesticides, if it is healthy. Even torn ligaments, and hip dysplasia can be preventable with nutrition and holistic management (1). While we pretend to fill holes with medications and expensive prescription diets, they may just get deeper.
In modern America, it seems uncommon to know a dog or cat over the age of 10 years who doesn’t need regular veterinary care… that’s if they make it to 10. As a child and teenager, I remember having outdoor (hunting) cats who lived into their 20’s. They never saw a vet except in their first year of life when they were spayed or neutered. These cats were typically vaccinated once or twice as kittens and that was it. And that leads me to my next biggest pet peeve after inferior nutrition- the carelesss use of vaccines.
Vaccinosis is a term used to describe a broad range of side effects caused by vaccines which we are told are “safe”. Vaccinosis may include diseases such as allergies, renal failure, epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer. The uncommon, severe, immediate and sometimes deadly vaccine reactions are nothing compared to the cummulative suffering of pets who develop chronic illness from vaccines. Don’t expect your regular vet to be aware of these as it isn’t typivally discussed in veterinary school.
If you are dealing with one or more of these symptoms please research vaccinosis and holistic treatments. If you need help choosing a treatment, we would be happy to answer a couple questions at no charge. If you need further assistance, we can offer a wellness consultation. Just remember that autoimmune diseases almost always (what I have found, not a medical fact) involve inflammatory processes and certain diets can reduce inflammation (this is a medical fact).
The pet who opened my eyes to chronic vaccinosis and the results of inadequate nutrition was Sage, a foster puppy from Mexico. Aside from being a little skinny, Sage seemed healthy while living on the streets for her first 4 1/2 months of life (photo above). When she was rescued and vaccinated, her health declined to a pathetic state. My vet blamed vaccines. It was the first time I’d heard of a delayed or chronic vaccine reaction even though I had graduated from a two year veterinary technology program. I was “educated” on vaccines in much the same way most vets are, so I understand why they don’t get it.
Sage’s struggle opened my eyes to the immunosuppression and autoimmune disorders, linked to vaccination. Not surprisingly, these are the leading causes of illness in pets today. Combined with nutritional inadequacy, these often make for a disaster. Before you get on me for being negative and fear mongering, know that I have spent 15 years researching this subject extensively. There is a huge amount of evidence linking vaccines to cancers and autoimmune conditions. And lest you say this is “negative”, let me say that I think this is good news. After all, it’s easy to avoid over-vaccinating and it’s often easy to manage vaccinosis with nutrition.
A few weeks after vaccination, Sage displayed many symptoms of a weakened immune system. She had been adopted out but was returned three weeks later with a terrible case of sarcoptic mange. It’s likely the mange mites were lving in non-harmful numbers on her while she lived on the streets. Her immune system was likely strong enough to keep the infection under control despite her diet of trash, and scraps. Once she was vaccinated, that changed. Sage not only developed a mite infestation but she also developed hundreds of warts around and in her mouth. Another dog, Juniper, used to lick the inside of Sage’s mouth to try to sooth the infection and perhaps to try to share some of her immunity. Neither Juniper, nor the other dogs in my care, ever caught the communicable mites or warts indicating further that Sage had an extremely compromised inmmunse system. The other dogs, weren’t on any special diets or particularly healthy, but they were far healthier than the youngster. The sarcoptic mange was treated aggressively with toxic medications and eventually “cured”. The relief of that news lasted less than 5 minutes.
The day she received her first negative skin scraping for sarcoptic mange, Sage received a new diagnosis- Demodectic mange. It was showing as a small spot on her front leg, so we were hopeful we could cure it with medication. Despite aggressive treatment, Sage developed generalized (covered most of her body), demodectic mange with secondary bacterial infections that antibiotics could not control. Sage lived the majority of her puppyhood (age 6 months to 14 months) with fever, swollen glands, and oozing sores on half of her body.
The good news was that this mange wasn’t contagious and her warts had proven to not be contagious to the many dogs I had fostered, so I was able to take her to the dog park. Sadly, most people wouldn’t let their dogs near the half-bald puppy and I didn’t blame them. I kept her on leash with me away from other dogs until we saw a familiar friend who was allowed to play with her. When she did have a playmate, her delicate skin bled from the dog mouthing or pouncing on her. She didn’t mind, she just wanted to play.
I struggled with the idea of making her live like that but didn’t have the hear to put her to sleep. She was the smartest dog I had ever known. She was freakishly intuitive and would stare in your eyes like she was reading your every thought. When I thought about putting her down, she would bring me a ball and bark at me to play fetch with her, or do something equally demonstrative of her enjoyment of life and seeming will to live. Still, after several months of this, I thought the only fair thing would be to put her down.
With a heavy heart, I gave Sage to another rescue that dealt with dogs from Baja Mexico. I asked the kind foster mom, Katie, to keep Sage for one month with the agreement that if Sage improved, Katie would rehome her. If Sage didn’t improve, Katie agreed to have a vet end the suffering. I was so sad leaving Sage in this situation, but I needed that month to clear my head and get another person’s perspective on Sage’s quality of life. Katie tried to keep an emotional distance from Sage by keeping her strictly outdoors (with a doggy friend, and cozy dog house). When it was time, she couldn’t go through with the euthanasia. She told me Sage was incredibly intelligent and it would be a shame to give up on a dog like her. I knew sage was unusually perceptive and extremely focused on her people. This was the trait I kept highlighting to justify pouring all of my time and money into one quite pathetic looking, struggling, pet as I passed up the opportunity to help many others. I knew as much as my life did not have room for this dog, I had to keep helping her. Little did I know she would completely change the way I viewed health.
The prescribed medications kept her alive but she was not well. I had to find a cure. I tried everything I could think of including the unthinkable- raw chicken. Can you imagine feeding raw chicken to someone with a weak immune system? It seemed like a very bad idea at the time, but I was desperate and had read one testimony on the internet that this worked to cure demodex in one dog. I swallowed my vegetarian pride and fears about handling raw meat and brought slimy raw chicken into my home and fridge (ewww).
To my surprise, the diet changed worked almost imediately. In less than two weeks, Sage’s wounds had healed, her lymph nodes shrank and her fever was gone. In three weeks, she was cured from demodectic mange and the warts that filled her mouth. The photo above shows sage about three weeks into the raw chicken diet. Her skin was healed (Albeit very tanned) and her fur was growing back. In no time, all of her fur returned and she was a beautiful dog.
Each time I tried to wean Sage onto a kibble diet, no matter how “nutritious” or holistic the kibble was, or how closely it resembled the raw diet I was feeding her she relapsed. And, again, a few weeks of a strictly raw diet remedied the illness. I was excited about the new knowledge but as a vegetarian I was eager to get rid of the dog who required me to stock my fridge with raw meat and threatened to eat my cats.
On my relationship with Sage-
I tried to rehome Sage for many years without much luck. She was a very high drive, energetic dog who needed to be working. She was never going to be a dog who was content with two walks a day, she needed hours of outdoor running and then lots of indoor playing with other animals, that’s just the way she was built. She was happy to be a full time service dog and could perform tasks with precision, but she needed to play too. She played more than any dog I had ever met in my life and I’ve met a lot of dogs. If I refused to play fetch with her, she would wear out her 4-legged housemates one-after-the-other and then go play a game of fetch with herself. She was vivacious, to say the least.
One day, someone shared the notion “You don’t choose your dog, your dog chooses you”. A tear came to my eye as I realized I had no say in the type of dog I was going to own. I was already owned. I finally gave up on finding Sage a new home. I wish I’d done that sooner. She deserved to be loved fully and for years she was respected and cared for, but not fully loved. That’s one more thing she taught me- to love with all of my heart, regardless of a pet’s temporary status in my life. You never know when a foster pet is really meant to be yours. You may keep your distance for months or years for the sake of sparing a broken heart when you rehome a pet. The broken heartedness you feel when you realize you’ve missed out, isn’t worth it. (Thank you, Sage, for teaching me this.)
It took me a decade to figure out what Sage new from the moment we met on the sidewalk in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. She ran up to me, climbed up my body as I kneeled, and licked my face as if to say “You are the one!”. She stuck to me like glue and ignored every other person on the sidewalk. She was a wise creature, even at that young age. Sage’s story, my story, shows us that fighting fate is pointless and maybe the the things that seem backwards or wrong are really the answer to our problems. Who’d have thunk.
Dear Sage- I would say “Rest in Peace”, but I you’re probably running marathons on endless beaches in doggy heaven and loving it. Don’t rest, run like the wind, my sweet girl. When you are ready to come back to me, run right into me like you did when I found you (or vice versa?) on the street. I promise not to turn away from you again. The ache I feel in my heart is not due to your physical absence, but do to my emotional absence when you were physical. I would like a do-over.
pawsse 