Hello and a Happy New Year to All,

I am doing a round (or 2,3, or 4) of Revolution on everybody in my
household as a prophylactic for sarcoptic mange. I am suppose to give
only a dose of the kitten size because my kids have not been tested for
heartworm. If I want (and I want) to give a dose large enough for the
heartworm protection also I have to have all of them tested first. So,
I need to know how is the testing done? I am assuming it is a blood
test. How much blood is needed and who does the testing? Does it go out
to a lab like Idexx or is it something that can be done in house? What
does it usually cost? Lab fees ect. Are Are there multiple discounts
offered like on the ADV testing? How long does it take to get the
results?

The Pecan update isn't good. I really thought I was doing well with
him. I had managed to debride his feet and around his muzzle and his
ears. The stuff that came out of his ears and around his mouth was
awful. Some of the skin I removed was over 3/16 of an inch thick. He
laid in my lap and let me pick at his ears without ever shaking his
head once. I had loosened his crustiest with baby oil on his face and
with bag balm and at bath time for his feet. His feet, ears and muzzle
were a bright pink instead of brown and black. Of course all the hair
came off with the skin. At the vets they said he should have been much
further along in his healing process if all we were dealing with was
the sarcoptic mites. They are now thinking possible PF (which I can't
remember what it stands for, cats get it and it is an auto immune
disease) or possible lymphoma of the skin. They wanted to do a skin
biopsy and I refused. It was an additional $400. The bill was already
up to $247 for the day. I was really hoping that they would say he
could come off his 2X daily injections and his other oral med but that
was not to be either. We will continue for another 4 weeks on the
Baytril, Sub Q's and forconizole(sp) And of course those retched twice
a week baths. I did get some Carnivore Care to see if we can get him to
eat better. At least his fungal cultures came back negative today. I
really thought that when one of the others in the house that had been
with Pecan started with symptoms of the sarcoptic mange meant that it
was definitely only the mange we were dealing with but I was wrong. I
am so sad and so is Pecan.

Please send good vibes our way. We are both very tired.

Thanks and Love,
Mary Jo and Pecan

[Posted in FML 5476]