Sadie has been very co operative in taking sitz baths when being treated for pf's and keeping her anal area clean. She demonstrates one method of sitz bath cleaning. She uses Shaklee Corporation's Basic H. Notice that Sadie has bubbles all around her, this is the Basic H. It's also great to spray on your lawn as fleas, ticks and misquotes don't like it either.

Other methods of giving sitz baths include a plastic kiddy pool when weather permits. Large plastic bins that a pup can sit in with a betadine wash. Use betadine to make the water the color of weak tea.

Still others prefer to spray with water either from a sprayer attachment or with just a spray bottle.

Baby wipes and/or paper toweling are popular to wipe and dry. Make sure area is patted not rubbed and dried as thoroughly as possible.

Dani & Sweetie

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Short PF semi-success story: My GSD was diagnosed (after a couple of misdiagnoses) with PF many months ago. I tried several different drugs and diets. I finally found one that really works and has very nearly closed his very ghastly "open wounds". I can't say it will be the same for every dog, but I strongly recommend using ERYTHROMYCIN along with CYCLOSPORINE (modified). The dosage I'm using now is 100mg Cyclo capsules and 250mg Erythromycin tablets per DAY. I will soon bump up the dosage to 1.5 times that to completely close the PF. The bad news is, I think once it is healed fully, and I stop giving the meds, the PF will return. I will know that in the near future. My dog is a 90lbs male and 8 years old. Good luck to you all and I appreciate everyone's advice/stories and I hope mine will help someone in some way. I hope it can be posted on the website so even non-pf group memebers- maybe someone just surfing for info can get to this story and try this drug combination, because when my dog was on ONLY Cyclosporine, the results were not very good. The combination of the 2 drugs is like a small miracle for my dog.

John and Seiden

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Give Rescue drops in water, echinacea (10 drops in 2 T. boiled water,1/day), garlic oil (5 drops on food).Prep. H and Hydrocortisone 1% on area and inside holes.

Cortaid once a day. I'm also cleaning the surgical site twice daily with Betadine. Began him on 3% Cyclosporin topical.

TOPICAL CYCLOSPORIN RECIPE

They simply mix 1mL of Oral Liquid Sandimune with 4mL of Weston oil or Olive oil (depending on the dog's preference). Apply directly to the PFs.
Two weeks since we started topical cyclosporine. Vet pronounced the fistula "healed"! We'll now stop the cyclosporine and use Prep H-C (with cortisone).
PF Free since May of 1997

Dave & Rommel

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Just a quick note on some techniques I find very helpful in post op care of the surgery area. We know the importance of keeping the area clean and dry. I started by trying to use a soft, wet cloth to swab the area. This was simply too painful. I then went out and purchased a hand held showerhead. After each "outside visit" I bring Rommel into the bathroom and he volunteers himself into the tub :o) I set the water low and luke warm and gently rinse him clean (he even props his tail up a little for me. I think he knows I'm going to get his tail up either way so rather than wrestle with me he just nicely volunteers this.) After our "butt bath", He gets out, lies down and I gently pat him dry with toilet paper. Then, I've put Providian Iodine (10%) in a spray bottle and I spray the area with a light mist.

With reference to PF inflammation, Aloe Vera topically, to the area; 97% or better purity. I've also used Betadine ointment or generic, and calendula ointment, a Homeopathic product. I've also used Granulex spray. It is only available from the catalogs or a horse equipment supply. PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR VET FIRST!!

Anonymous

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I learned 6-23-98 that my 6 yr, male GSD has perianal fistula (he also suffers from IBD). My vet prescribed antibiotics for the intestinal infection, Metronidazole, 500mg 2x daily; Cephalexin 500mg, 2x daily for the anal infection. Ajax was put onto oral (Cyclosporin)
Sandimune July 2, '98. He started at 400 mg daily (200 BID), but the levels in his blood were too low (137), so he was up'd to 600 mg, his levels went up to 514, but he began bleeding. The researchers were contacted and Ajax was pulled off of the Sandimune for 24 hours and then put back on at 200 mg. He was increased once to 250 mg (125 mg BID), but that was it as he began to show some side effects again. The researchers doing the cyclosporin study found that the levels were not as critical as they had once thought, so Ajax was kept at 250 and the med would not be increased unless he showed up with a fistula. So far so good. I probably won't know anything until I take him off the Sandimune Sept 2nd and then see if he develops any more fistulas. WSU did not recommend that he switch to the Neoral.

Marty & Ajax

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