Symmetrical Lupoid Oncyodystrophy

[Nina&Bill]

Soooo here's an Amber update. Our vet has started treating as if Amber has SLO. He doesn't want to do a toe amputation/biopsy (nor do I) so we've started the protocol of Doxycycline/fish oil/vitamin E and Niacinamide along with foot soaks in nolvasan solution. We started treatment on Monday and I can already see an improvement in that she's not licking her toes nearly as much. Oh she's a slick one, my Amber. She would grab one of her stuffed toys & start licking that, then nonchalantly start licking a foot while using the toy for camouflage.

Anyway, all of this started in May when she lost a nail scrabbling up the stairs. Gradually other nails started splitting and pulling away from the quick. Once we started the fish oil the splitting & nail loss pretty much stopped but last week during our weekly pedicure I noticed some more splits. The vet said that her nails weren't too bad...she actually hadn't lost any more and the fish oil really appeared to be helping. So we follow the dr's orders and hope for the best.

While I feel awful for my girl I am very, very, VERY thankful that this is something treatable and not fatal. I will do everything that I can to keep her as happy & as comfortable as I can during the nail loss stage & follow the program when it (hopefully) goes into remission.

Amber is still her goofy self, full of energy and always eager to work, play, fetch or go walkies. She has been disgustingly healthy up until now and we've been very lucky.

Nina

[mwaters]

I learn new things from this site all the time!

Thank you Nina for sharing your story...I had never even heard of this problem before.

I hope Amber is feeling well and this is just a small blip on her 'disgustingly healthy' record.

Oh...while googling to learn more I found this site...not sure if you've seen it but they include a link to a group of folks who have dogs with this condition...
http://www.bloodaxe.com/SLO.html

Melissa

[AngelBunny]

I don't know anything about Amber's condition, so please excuse the simplicity of my question.

How did trouble with one nail lead to trouble with her other nails??

[Nina&Bill]

I, too, learn new things here all of the time . Here's a link (I hope) to the original thread about Amber where someone suggested SLO:
http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/vet...way-quick.html

It wasn't just trouble with one nail...when she lost one I put it down to her losing her footing on the stairs and a nail getting torn off. Ow, but it happens. It's when I started noticing that her nails were actually splitting all the way down & pulling entirely away from the quick that I started getting concerned. I seriously thought that it could be floor related & asked on rott.net if anyone had something similar happen. Once I started reading up on SLO & seeing pictures of what the afflicted toes looked like it seemed like exactly what was happening to Amber.

My vet was the one that suggested SLO without my even having to bring it up once he saw her nails. Apparantly SLO is an autoimune problem that primarily afflicts greyhounds, usually triggered by something like an allergic reaction. And not a very common ailment...many vets aren't even familiar with it. The only way to get a definite diagnosis is to amputate the tip of the toe & biopsy it but if the SLO treatment works that's as good as a definite diagnosis without having to go through the whole amputation thing so I'll take it .

What I'm wondering...Amber tested positive for Lymes last fall & was treated, though she was exhibiting none of the symptoms & thankfully has not. I'm wondering if the Lymes could have triggered the SLO?

Regardless I need to say again that I am very VERY thankful that this is both treatable and not fatal. Amber is a rescue and her history is unknown. We figure that she's around 7 and we all know just how short a time we have with these dogs. I got a lucky 11 1/2 out of Smidgen and it was still far, far too soon. I want to keep my Amberini with me for many more happy, comfortable years .

I did join the yahoo SLO group and there's a wealth of information there. A couple of afflicted rotties as well. I'll keep you all posted...not that I'm trying to get anyone paranoid over a broken nail or two. But the fact that it could be "something" and that "something" is treatable, along with helping to minimize the dog's discomfort may be able to help someone else.

Nina