As
previously mentioned this is a rare disease that can effect your dog;s
liver, heart, kidney, lung, skin and joints.
Basically the reasons behind these problems are due to your dog's
antibodies starting to attack your dog's body tissues.
There are two forms of the disease including
Canine
Systemic
Lupus
and
Canine
Discoid
Lupus.
CDL
is more common than
CSL
and mainly affects the nose and face.
CDL
is also more common in certain breeds including Collies, Shetland
Sheepdog's, Siberian Huskys, Short Haired Pointers and German Shepherds.
However, we will be discussing
CSL
on this page...
Symptoms...
The
symptoms of this disease can be quite extensive due to how many organs
the disease can affect. Below we have listed some of the symptoms your
dog may exhibit...
- Your dog may drink and
urinate more due to the kidneys being affected.
- Lameness due to the
joints being affected with arthritis.
- Hair loss.
- Skin problems -
including lesions and crusting.
- Severe Anemia causing
pale gums.
- Nasal scarring.
- Tiredness.
- Muscle pain.
The symptoms can flare up and go into remission.
Diagnosis...
Due to the fact that so many organs can be affected by the disease the
number of different symptoms can make diagnosis more difficult.
The
normal methods to diagnose the condition includes blood tests and a
biopsy.
The
conventional treatment for this condition can include steroids and even
chemotherapy.
Natural
Treatment
The
natural treatment for this disease may include plant sterols and
sterolins that are natural substances found in fruits and vegetables,
seeds and nuts. Some antioxidants may also be prescribed by a holistic
vet including carnosine, alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10 and
Rhodiola.
