I have been waiting very patiently to get the results of the latest blood test to see if Riley has thyroid disease. I was finally able to talk to the vet today. Riley does not have thyroid disease which in itself, is good news. The bad news is that the prednisone is what is causing his thyroid levels to be so low as well as the deterioration of his coat. I asked what we do now and pretty much there is nothing we can do. The side effects of prednisone are bad, but Drs. Glass and Smith feel the benefits outweigh the side effects right now. Dr. Glass feels that Riley's pain is being well managed primarily because of the prednisone and feels that alleviating pain is the most important thing to do. Of course I agree with that, I just wish it did not have so many bad effects on Riley. He has only been on the prednisone for 6 months now so I really worry about the future.
Riley has not been able to walk too far for a while. He is dragging his back paws a little and the last time we walked, it cause one of his toenails to be worn down past the quik which caused it to bleed profusely.
Riley is still the most loving, gentle dog that I have ever owned. I am going to focus on the present, and enjoy the time that we have together.
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