Shar Pei Resource / bearposhsharpei Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

So I've recently discovered Chloe has shar pei fever. To date she has had 4 fevers. Some have come randomly out of the blue while others were caused by stress, like her spay operation. I am not an expert or know too too much about this as I have not been dealing with this too long but I am going to post a few sites here for anyone else who may be dealing with shar pei fever or just want some more info:

Dr. Jeff Vidt is a specialist in Shar pei:

http://www.drjwv.com/article.php?view=0004.php

And this is about Amyloidosis and shar pei fever from Linda Tintle, DVM:

http://home.olemiss.edu/~lwaej/sharamli.html

Dr. Vidt is the best!  He was instrumental in getting my Pei properly diagnosed recently.  I wrote to him and sent him a picture of an area on my dog that was bothering me (that the vet kept treating as a "skin" issue) and he wrote back within 24 hours and told me that it looked like a tumor and could be Mast Cell Cancer (and it was!)

I'm with you Michelle! I have e-mailed Dr.Vidt several times myself. He not only owns Shar Pei, he is a vet. He is what I can a double threat! In the best sence of the word!

As for FSF, I lived it with Posh. She was 3.5 years old when she started fevering. She suffered about 6 fevers between the months of January and August. The worst of them hit 106.5F. I consulted many vets and so called FSF experts and decide on trying Colchicine. Personally speaking, it was a blessing that I fully believe saved Posh's life. Her fevers all but went away and the next 4.5 years of her life were without any side effects. I really stand by my decision to start using and continue using this product. It worked for us. Devi

Oh yes Chloe is on colchicine as well.

There is much debate about whether it is good or bad, but I am keeping Chloe on it.

Just a little reminder for those that are unsure of what to look for:

Shar Pei fever is a condition seen in Shar Pei characterized by recurring fever and swelling of the hocks. It is similar to familial Mediterranean fever in humans. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be inherited.[1] Shar Pei fever can result in renal and liver failure through accumulation of amyloid in those organs (amyloidosis).

Affected Shar Pei have an elevated level of interleukin 6, and this leads to an accumulation of acute phase proteins in the body during the fevers. The acute phase proteins are broken down to form type AA amyloid, which deposits in the kidneys and less so in the liver, spleen, and gastrointestinal tract.This eventually leads to kidney or liver failure by the age of six years.

The symptoms of Shar Pei fever include fever, swelling, and pain in the hocks that usually resolves within two days. The symptoms can be treated with NSAIDs such as carprofen. Kidney and liver failure cannot be treated except by the conventional manner usually used for those diseases. Prevention of amyloidosis is sometimes used in dogs with recurring episodes of Shar Pei fever. Colchicine and dimethyl sulfoxide are most commonly used.The prognosis is guarded for Shar Pei that develop amyloidosis.

Shamelessly pilfered text!

Devi

An episode can also be brought on by excitement I have found!

Friend of mine brought her pet bunny over when visiting ... chloe was extremely overexcited at first. I quickly settled her down ... but a couple hours after bunny left ... Chloe got a fever and swollen hock.

No more bunnies for Chloe!!

Pogo has had 5 FSF episodes since December.  We can not figure out what, if any, is his triger.  Some episodes only last 12 hours.  Others have lasted 48 hours.  It breaks my heart to see this disease.  I have spent countless hours trying to find out as much information as possible.  As far as Pogo is concerned we can not find medication that works to help prevent this disease.  At this point I don't care if I go broke trying to find a solution.  I am now on a mission to figure out what causes his flare ups. 

I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH POSH AND FSF:

I thought i'd tell you about my
personal experience with Posh a Shar pei. Posh was,
from day one the poster child of poor health. Yes,
a BYB puppy who I loved more then life itself. She was
and forever will be my heart dog.

Posh was born on July 4 1999. After a rough few years
and several surgeries she started having her first
fever at 3.5 years of age. Since I did not know why
she was fevering, shivering, panting, stiff back,
stiff rear legs, very hot swollen hocks I did nothing.
It lasted about 18 hours.

Posh had about 4 more very sever fevers from the first
one in January, till the 4TH in August. We were seeing
fevers of 106.5F. We were treating her with I.V. fluids
and Rymadil which brought the fevers down within 60-90
minutes. Then over the next 4 days we gave her a tablet
of Rymadil each day.

Once August came around and she suffered yet another
fever of 106.5F, I decided enough was enough and I would
impose Dr. Tintle's protocol of Colchicine. I had been
doing intense research for 7 months and decide this
was the way to go. A fevering dog every few months was
to me completely unexceptable.

I started Posh on Colchicine every single day. I kept
Rymadil tablets with me, and I traveled with an
I.V. bag just in case. It was cheaper to treat
her myself, rather then go to the vet all the time.
Since I had been giving needles and inserting I.V.
lines since 1981, my vet was comfortable with me
treating Posh myself.

August comes and goes and Posh is getting her
Colchicine tablets daily. We go thru the winter
with no fevers. It was not until mid summer of
the following year that in outside temp's of
98F that Posh over heated and seemed to be having
symptoms consistent with fevers. Although I will
tell you, it was so minor I did nothing more
then take her inside, give her Rymadil and all
was good. I gave her Rymadil the following 3
days. ( I stopped the Colchicine at this time )

Fast forward. Posh had now been on Colchicine
for about 1.5 years at full dose. I decided,
on my own, to try and reduce the dose. I reduced
it by 33% over the next 6 months or so. Posh was
fine. I the reduced it again. Now she was getting
50% less of the original dose. I continued this
protocol till her very untimely death at the age
of 8. Posh died from Eosinophilic Inflammatory
Bowel Disease.

Posh was on Colchicine for a total of 4.5 years.
Over that time we monitored her. Posh had zero
effects from either the use of Cholchicine or the
occasional use of Rymadil. Cholchicine, FOR US,
seemed to work like a charm. It made a dog that
suffered from fevers every few months, to having
zero episodes. Minus one very minor one that
could in fact have been a direct result of 98F
temp and a Mom who did not take her in fast enough.

My research has lead me to believe that Posh may
have starting fevering at a late age. 3.5, due
in part to a very weakened immune system from so
many surgeries prior to her first fever. Not to
mention the fact she was from very poor stock and
was likely predisposed from birth.

Posh should have been part of a study or control
group. She was not. In my opinion she could have
been the poster child for Colchicine.

I think the reason I decided to risk the possible
side effects of this drug was that I thought the
fevers were so bad and so debilitating that it was
worth it.

Today I hear of owners that have dogs that fever
every few weeks or few months. It just goes on
and on. For me letting the fevers happen, thinking
you are controlling them with a scoop of MSM
or playing an ABBA record was not for me. I am fully
aware that NOT all Shar Pei can handle Colchicine.
And not all owners want to take the possible risk
of either Rymidal or Colchicine. I understand and
RESPECT that. I fully believe we all do what we
feel is best for our dogs. None of us will be 100%
right, we just do the best we can......

With Respect,

Devi