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Author Topic: New Here  (Read 1604 times)

Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2010, 01:15:20 AM »

Thanks so much Apope43!  He’s my big baby boy!  He get’s a little grumpy at times and he doesn’t like other large male dogs, so we had to stop showing him at many of the events we go to.  I am happy to say that his little red daughter has picked up where he left off in the show ring though.  I wish he could have finished his Championship, but he’s just a little too grumpy now.  He’ll just have to stay home and be Momma’s spoiled dog, esp if he makes it through the trouble he's in now!  

I was doing some browsing tonight and came across the following articles which I found interesting, so I just thought I'd share them.  I had asked if anyone had any experience using colloidal silver on their dogs.  I'll share just the little of what I know of it.  I have a machine that makes colloidal silver and I was thinking of making up a batch of it.  Some people don't believe in it or just call it snake oil, but it has worked for me in the past, so I know it's not all snake oil.

A couple of years ago I had a horrible sinus infection that took 2 rounds of Levaquin to get rid of.  I should have just used the silver to swab/clean my nose out real good, but I didn't think to even try that.  Anyway, after the Levaquin, I got one of the worst yeast infections I have ever had in my life.  I ended up taking 3 doses of Diflucan and still the infection just came raging back and I have never had that happen before!  I thought about trying some herbal treatments, but finally drug out my colloidal silver machine (it's kind of cumbersome and takes 2hrs to make a half gallon of the stuff).  Anyway, I was so raw, I could barely stand to wipe myself.  For the next couple of days I douched with the silver water and the yeast infection went away and luckily I haven't had one since!  My nephew also used some of it to sucessfully treat pink eye, as he didn't have the money to go to his eye doctor at the time.  He is always begging me for it when his family gets a stomach bug, because it's been good for that as well.

The problem with colloidal silver is that for the most part, you need to get it where it needs to go to be effective.  I was thinking of trying some in a nebulizer or humidifer to just see if it would help Doc.  I know you have to be careful with it just like other things, in that it can cause the herxheimer effect if things get killed off too quickly, so you'e probably could still have the same inflammatory effect with it, as you would with the anti fungals.  I don't know.. it was just something I was thinking about.  The following articles are interesting to say the least.  May be with more research like this, they will find safer and more effective treatments for these killer fungus infections.

**Please note, I'm definitely NOT advocating anyone to go out and start buying up armloads of vitamin b3 etc., I just found the articles interesting, esp from a research point of view, and thought I would share them**

http://colloidalsilversecrets.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-study-proves-colloidal-silver.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100218150652.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708141617.htm
« Last Edit: November 10, 2010, 01:37:48 AM by Bulldogger »
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Wilson3

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Re: New Here
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2010, 04:28:58 AM »


colloidal silver sounds very interesting and like really good stuff!
where would one find the machine to make this?
and the stuff to make it? (I think I need to read it again it is 3:30 am and can not sleep) how did you ever hear of this stuff?
    thank you for posting this
wilson3
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apope43

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Re: New Here
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2010, 08:42:54 PM »

definitely going to have to read some of these articles.....I think sometimes we're so focused on modern medicines and pharmaceutical advances that we forget what has worked for centuries!
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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2010, 10:12:15 PM »

Well, I guess you could sum up my beliefs when it comes to meds by using the best you can, that works and is relatively safe, whether it be all natural alternative methods or conventional meds.  I think the smartest folks/doctors don’t discount either and will use both as they need to, even sometimes together (if safely) to enhance or compliment one another.  I’ve always had an interest in herbs, vitamins and natural treatments anyway.  To be honest, it’s been a long time, I can’t even remember how it was that I found it.. I think I may have just been browsing back in the late nineties.  Back then I had web tv!  Anyone remember those LOL.

Well, I used to order all my colloidal silver online from a place in TN called Silver Lightning.  I did so for quite some time, til around the year 2000, I decided to purchase my own colloidal silver machine.  They can be expensive, usually running several hundred dollars, but I did research and found one I liked from a company called CS Pro Systems.  It cost me around $800-900, but I feel like it was worth it.  I don’t make it or use it as often as I used to, but it’s still there in case I ever need it.  Now he sells machines for quite a bit less, so if a person wanted to purchase a good one, you could probably pick one up in the $300-400 range.
  
My husband calls it my water welder cause basically what I'm doing is using a small scale generator/machine capable of producing high voltage.  There are several different kinds of generators out there.. some mid voltage and some even low or dc voltage.  Mine happens to be an older high voltage unit.  You basically have  the machine hooked up to a batch tank that holds your silver water.  You have pure silver electrodes and arc bars that are suspended just above the water surface, so that when the electricity flows though your connectors, it runs into the electrode & arc bars and it literally draws the water up to the arc bars.  It is literally busting the silver into tiny, tiny nano-sized particles that are suspended in distilled water via the electric charge and there they will remain for quite a long shelf life.  You grade the silver by parts per million.  Mine is around 10 ppm.  Higher ppm doesn't necessarily mean better or more workable product though, because silver will work just the same at lower ppm.  Some makers claim it’s indefinitely suspended, but over time some of the larger silver particles may fall out of charge and you can see some of the silver residue on the sides of the container.  The best storage container for colloidal silver is a dark colored glass bottle.  I just use an old green wine jug for mine.
  
Silver does have antibacterial, antifungal & antiviral properties.  One lady that worked with me, who had some nursing experience, used to laugh at my mad scientist experiments and she didn’t believe silver worked.  Knowing that she had some nursing experience I asked her a question.  What is the antibacterial solution they often use on critical burn patients?  She replied Silvadene.   Then I asked her what it was made from.  She thought for a moment and said Oh!  Well may be she might try some on her houseplants that had some kind of rot going on and they weren’t looking very good.  She took a sample from me and used it on her plants.  A few days later she told me they were looking a lot better!   I reckon after that she decided that may be the snake oil wasn’t so bad after all.  She never did tease me much about the silver after that.

Anyway, there are reputable companies that sell colloidal silver, but I would definitely do my homework before I bought from just anyone cause there are a lot of fraudsters and unscrupulous people out there with shoddy products.  There is also a condition called Argyria that turns skin blue from too much exposure to silver compounds.  I have heard of it happening from people who made there own low quality silver, using less than recommended methods or adding extra ingredients in their solutions, but never from higher quality silver products made with pure distilled water and little or no extra additives.  Argyria is not really harmful other than being cosmetically “blue”, but still I wouldn’t want to be called Smurfette LOL.

I’m not afraid to use it though and like I said, it has worked for me on some things, so that’s all that really matters in the end.  I made a batch of silver last night and put a couple of cc’s in a nebulizer and  gave Doc a short treatment with it tonight.  I don’t know how much of it he really absorbed because you can’t actually do a full treatment like you do a person.  All I could do is simply wave the mist from the nebulizer in front of his nose and mouth off and on for a bit.  He did breathe some of it in because his nose started running a little.  He’s resting on my daybed now.  If anyone has any experience using a nebulizer on a dog, please let me know, as this is the first time I’ve tried it.  
« Last Edit: November 10, 2010, 11:29:09 PM by Bulldogger »
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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2010, 10:44:23 PM »

Just to get a visual, here's what my colloidal silver machine looks like...



The next photo is me checking for the tyndall effect.  It's neat because you can take a flashlight or other source that emits a beam of light and the beam of light will literally show up, as it passes through the colloidal silver water.  If I had a better camera, you'd be able to see it.  I took the photo in complete darkness, except for the light from the flashlight & camera itself.  My camera's just a piece of junk though.

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benniesmom

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Re: New Here
« Reply #20 on: November 13, 2010, 08:42:51 AM »












How is your bullie boy?








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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #21 on: November 14, 2010, 08:55:46 PM »

Hi and thanks for asking and thinking of us.  So sorry I haven't been in touch lately.  I've been in the bed so sick with the crud, I didn't even get to take Doc to the vet Thursday or Friday.  I started feeling better for a short time, only to relapse.  I have a horrible sinus infection along with lung involvement..probably bronchitis.  I have been coughing my head off and running fever.  Respiratory things are always harder on me anyway because I'm an asthmatic, so I'll definitely be glad to be rid of this crud.  

My husband and I are taking Doc to the vet tomorrow no matter what.  He has been mopey the last couple of days, preferring to lounge about in the house on the daybed most of the time.  The good news is that he hasn't been running a fever.  It's been normal.  I keep checking his lymph nodes and don't feel any swelling in the ones I can check, so I'm thinking they're still ok.  I have been using a strong homemade solution (povidone iodine, boric acid, gentian violet, alcohol & distilled water) on his skin lesions.  I used this same solution on one of my dogs that was bitten by either a copperhead or rattlesnake and it healed up nicely.  The solution seems to be the only thing that seems to be helping to improve the lesions.  They look like they might even be starting to shrink and dry up some.  His eyes are still bloodshot off and on.  Everytime I notice them looking that way, I've been using Vetericyn Ophthalmic Gel in his eyes.  Says it kills bacteria, fungi & viruses.  It does seem to help.  

I am going to talk to the vet about the Mira Vista test, although I know she has no clue about it.  I guess I can just direct her to their website though.  Does anyone know a round about figure how much the testing costs?  Also going to ask her about sending in a prescription to the AZ compounding pharmacy for Itraconazole.  After doing more research about the Itraconazole, I think we may be able to swing it if we get it from the compounding pharmacy, otherwise it would be too expensive.  Only thing is I read the following article which talks about not using compounded itraconazole because it cannot compare to the original medicine.  Has anyone else heard of this??  Here's the article, which I found very interesting.  Many of you may have already read this one...

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=596603&pageID=1&sk=&date=    
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 08:59:23 PM by Bulldogger »
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Wilson3

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Re: New Here
« Reply #22 on: November 14, 2010, 09:30:01 PM »

are you asking about generic itra?

any dog/person that is not taking 100mg of itra (higher or lower dose) IS using a compound form of the meds
http://www.avma.org/issues/drugs/compounding/veterinary_compounding_brochure.asp
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/general.cfm?gid=271&c=9547&

compounding is used to make the right dose for who ever is using it  (wilson needed 125mg then 175 mg itra only comes in 100 mg brand name or generic)( i used generic compounded itra)
as for generic I feel no difference there is a post talking about it your paying for the same thing just different dies in the capsule
wilson3

if you use the search on here "brand name vs generic" there is a good one posted but I warn you it gets kind of heated up

use what you feel best using
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 09:43:19 PM by Wilson3 »
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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #23 on: November 14, 2010, 09:47:01 PM »

Oops, I just realized the link I gave was not the one with the info on the Itraconazole I was meaning to post.  It was on the same site, just a different article about it.  Below is the correct link.  I hear what you are saying on the fluconazole.  It may also be another option we can consider.

My vet normally treats either with the Amphotericin-B or ketaconazole or combo of both.  She had already talked about using the ketaconazole, but I noted in on of the articles that if it's used by itself, it says there is less than 50 cure rate.  Such choices one has to make!!  So very difficult to decide what is the best treatment and what is best for the dog and hoping and praying you don't get it wrong for their sake.    

http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/A-review-of-selected-systemic-antifungal-drugs-for/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/483478
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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #24 on: November 14, 2010, 09:58:07 PM »

Here's what that article says about the Itraconazole.. Bennie's Mom recommends the fluconazole which is probably a good choice since he appears to have eye involvement, but I'm wondering if the powder form would be ok with Doc being 110lbs or is the compounded formula better for smaller dogs?  I have nothing against compounding and willing to try whatever I can that would help eliminate the fungus, whether it be fluconazole or compounded itraconazole.

ITRACONAZOLE

Itraconazole is preferred to ketoconazole for most fungal infections in people because of its increased activity and decreased adverse effects.16 It is available as 100-mg capsules and as a suspension (10 mg/ml). The capsules contain beads coated with itraconazole, which facilitates drug absorption from the intestines. The use of compounded itraconazole from bulk chemical is not recommended because of its low solubility and poor stability. The commercially available formulations of itraconazole are incorporated into a hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin carrier, so the bulk compounded formulations are not equivalent. Reformulating the capsules into smaller doses has been successful, but the beads must remain intact. The cost of itraconazole for a 44-lb dog (5 mg/kg orally once a day) is about $8/day.

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benniesmom

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Re: New Here
« Reply #25 on: November 14, 2010, 10:07:13 PM »

Thank you for posting that. you will get some responses. the Mira Vista test was about $100....sometimes gives a false negative.. all tests can do that, I suppose...I took my other post off, since you covered it here with the quote.  Compounded Itra does not have the beads.......Generic is just fine.... it has the beads.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 10:13:06 PM by benniesmom »
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Bulldogger

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Re: New Here
« Reply #26 on: November 14, 2010, 10:10:11 PM »

Sorry Bennie's Mom & Wilson3,
Just call me thick as a plank LOL.  I finally realized the generic and compounded were two different things.  I mean I know what compounded is.. I just thought folks were meaning compounded as generic.  Geez, do I have brain rot or what??   ;D

Also, I am doing the search right now on the "hot threads" on the meds subject.

Thanks for all yall's help!!  I've got some more reading to do!  :  )

« Last Edit: November 14, 2010, 10:12:15 PM by Bulldogger »
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apope43

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Re: New Here
« Reply #27 on: February 10, 2011, 01:06:13 PM »

BUMP
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jefndebbacon

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Re: New Here
« Reply #28 on: February 12, 2011, 12:02:03 AM »

Any news on Doc?  Hoping and praying for good news.
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