Jory is is a purebred GSD, between 95-100 pounds, who turned 7 years old in January 2001. He is a neutered male. He was diagnosed with PF in mid- July 2000. He was put on the Australian study dosage Imuran and Flagyl, initially. That dosage is one 50 mg. pill Imuran. and one 500 mg. pill Flagyl, daily. For four weeks he was healing, actually he healed almost completely, then the fistula started coming back. My vet increased the Imuran slightly, from 50 to 62 mg per day, but he DOUBLED THE FLAGYL--to 2 pills, or 1000 mg. per day. The prescription dosage was changed August 18, 2000. The reasoning for the dosage change was as follows. After reading the Imuran/ Flagyl study, my vet was most bothered by the uniform fairly low dose of meds for all sizes of dogs, so when that dose was looking inadequate for Jory, he increased the Flagyl a whopping big amount. My vet explained that although Imuran was a powerful immunosuppressant with possible serious side effects, Flagyl, on the other hand, was a fairly safe medication, and it could be taken safely in much larger amounts than the study dosage. He wanted to take advantage of that in order to maximize whatever role the Flagyl played in healing. As of October 15, 2000, Jory's fistulas were completely healed. We also used echinacea purpurea, 400 mg a day, a freeze dried root capsule, alternating with a capsule of freeze dried juice/aerial portions of the plant, in September and October, and successfully eliminate the drop in platelets caused by the Imuran. When Jory was declared healed by his vet October 15 2000, his vet began a process of gradually weaning from the Imuran, but keeping the Flagyl at the same 1000 mg. dose. Jory was weaned completely off the Imuran before he finished the Flagyl. He finished all medications at the end of January 2001. So, he was on the 1000 mg. dose of Flagyl from August 18, 2000 through most of January, 2001. But remember, by mid October 2000, he was healed. Consequently, it took 8 weeks from beginning of the customized dosage to complete the healing. Jory has been on a BARF diet, modeled on Kymythy Schultze's "Ultimate Diet," since diagnosis of PF, as have all of my dogs. Just before the diagnosis of PF in July 2000, my vet removed one infected ruptured anal gland that was right near the visible fistula opening. I am bringing Jory to my vet once a month for a full "fickle finger" exam. He remains PF-free to date. At the end of June, 2001, Jory will be 6 months completely free of all meds. That is Jory's story.