Fighting On

My weight has not been improving yet but my appetite is better now.

However, the ouchies have spread to other parts of my body... and this has gotten my hoomans to worry again.

This may not be the way I want to end the year with, but as in life, there are periods of joy and there are times of tribulation. But the love and pawsitive vibes I felt from my furiends, warmed my little pei heart during these dark days. As the hoomans are juggling between jobs, getting ready for the stork to bring hooman puppy home, and taking good care of me, they would not be able to help me update this blog often enough from now on. However, I promise that I would fight my sickie and be healthy again... but can you please promise me that when I'm back, you will still remember me, Hero the Sharpei.

Happy New Year to everyfurry and may the new year brings you truckload of nommies, houseful of stuffies, endless walkies, pawsome zoomies and most importantly, healthy bodies.

Note from the hooman: Hero has developed new lesions on other parts of his body, especially his scrotum. This may be due to on-going infection by more than one bacteria in the inflamed tissue. As advised, we will be administrating a different class of antibiotic to fight off the infection. I hope that by posting about hero's fight with FSF, apart from creating awareness about this dreadful congenital disease in sharpei, such posts would one day be a source of reference for someone out there searching for an answer to their beloved pei health issues.

FSF Complications

Can you tell that I have loss weight? My appetite has not been good coz I'm having a bad sickie.

My hind legs hurt and I'm feeling awful.

I wish the ouchies will go away soon.

I don't want any pressies for Christmas this year... all I want is for Santa to take away my sickies.

Note from the hooman: Familial sharpei fever (FSF) has been well documented as a serious congenital disease in sharpei breed and with each attack, it can lead to other complications such as amyloidosis and mucin infection (hyaluronosis). Hero had an attack recently and unfortunately, this time, complications set in and resulted in mucin infection on his hind legs. This is when the damaged blood vessels and skin tissues (mucin) on the swollen leg breaks apart with blood and pus oozing out, due to the damaged mucin attracting neutrophils. I would like to thank Dr. Linda J.M. Tintle (whom has been doing extensive research on FSF in Wurtsboro NY) for her insightful correspondence on hero's condition and any error herein is mine.

The treatment for infection and damage to the blood vessels from the FSF auto inflammatory reaction is by corticosteroids and antibiotics. However, prescription of such steroids will shrink hero's muzzle and he may lose his wrinkles. A small price to pay for recovering his health, which is priceless.

Dreamy Nap

Guess what am I dreaming of?

Juicy steaks and ice-cream shakes...

... or salmon fillet with cream cheese brulee.

None of the above I dream of...

... but the impending arrival of the white stork...

... that will bring my little baby sister home.