Having read much literature over the years on shar pei, I have found great interest on the following site.
Shar-pei fever well what can I say, click on the link above for a expert opinion
Where some of my information has come from.
It's worth remembering that a fever in a dog can be beneficial. As it lowers the rapid division of bacteria and enhances the body's immune system response. This sometimes is a natural response, in young shar pei pups.
The immune system of a shar-pei pup is at its lowest from 2-6 months of age. They can at times run a fever after vaccinations, during teething or during a stressful time, even moving to a new home.
It is so important to use a shar-pei friendly vets, who likes the breed. One who will not state negative things like always have skin problems,bad temperaments,need ear, nose, lip and eye surgery....leave and find a better one. Do not think all vets know everything about this breed this is not correct. Anything more than vaccinations I recommend Chris Mann from Chesterfield well worth the travel, he is found on my shar-pei friendly vets page. Vets who do not understand the breed, undertake tests that a specialist would not do and do things, that are not needed, costing silly amounts of money.
Shar-pei fever is thought to be a result of inability to regulate the immune system, and explains why shar- pei with shar-pei fever have unexplained fevers.
I once met a shar pei that was 14 years old and all it's life around once a month, the dog became hot and it's hocks and muzzle would swell and the dog would not eat for around 12-24hours, for No apparent reason, then the dog would be fine.The dog was treated with meticam or aspirin.
With the dog being 14years old. I can not see there is a link to Amyloidsis as some would of suggested, with most having amyloidsis die sadly between 3-5 years of age, the experts are now saying the same as myself, that there is no link, between the illness and there are two different gene(s) involved. There are no tests for Familiar Shar-Pei fever alive or after death.
I find sometimes vets are to quick to say shar-pei fever, when the dog/pup has become unwell. Shar-pei can have symptoms like swelling of the hocks and a high temperature, when they catch a infection, and a fever is considered a healthy biological response to a bacterial or viral threat, the causes could be infections(most commonly, bacterial, viral, parasites, and other microorganisms), Immune-mediated,Tumors,Metabolic diseases, Endocrine diseases, miscellaneous inflammatory conditions,various drugs, various toxins, sometimes the exact cause can not be established (e.g in fever of unknown origin). Vets that don't normally treat shar-pei's need to treat shar pei, the same as any other breed of dog.
As if it is a infection the dog is suffering from. It needs treating with antibiotics rather than just meticam, which would not help the infection, just the temperature/pain.
What the breed needs is a test!!!
Linda Tintle recommendations for Shar-Pei Fever include 0.025-0.03 mg/kg of colchicine twice daily or less to bowel tolerance. I recommend that the dog be started on a low dose once daily and then gradually increased to the maximum recommended amount (up to the calculated dose above) as tolerated without diarrhea once or twice daily. For most average weight Shar-Pei, this is one 0.6 mg tablet given twice daily. Colchicine is a potent drug but it accumulates in white blood cells (the desired target for treatment) and GI signs occur long before other serious side-effects.
I would not recommend doing Dr Tintle's recommendations without consulting your own vet. I would also not recommend it to be used on a shar pei pups, until more evidence is gathered in regards to the use of colchicine, and it's side affects.
Amyloidsis
Amyloidsis is thought to be a genetic condition but there are no tests to determine if any particular pup will go on to develop the illness or not.Sadly the experts, don't know how it also mutants/passes on.
It is something you need to know about, before buying a shar-pei as they are all carriers, until there is a test to prove otherwise. Amyloidsis is a build up of protein in the kidney's or liver where the kidneys go crystallized - into a power form resulting in kidney or liver failure.
Dogs with Amyloidsis sadly tend to not live long life's, but still tend to live a average of 3-6 years.
Click on this link where Kara Nieves, gives her knowledge on kidney failure in her shar-pei dog.
Amyloidsis can only be tested when a dog has died, by autopsy a red Congo stain test.
A lot of my lines there ancestors have been tested clear from amyloidsis, but this sadly does not mean they were not carriers of the disease, even though they lived sometimes long healthy life's.
We really need a genetic test, but the scientists are finding it too hard to find out the genetics in Amyloidsis.
This is why I give a guarantee of a replacement pup with all my pups.
The disease we hope could be totally eradicated in 2-3 generation with a DNA test.
Be assured I WILL BE THE FIRST TO TEST.
All my cockers are genetically tested CLEAR, and so will my shar pei's.
Amyloidsis is thought to be in all breeds of dogs.
There are no test for Amyodisis when a dog is alive.
You can test for amyodisis when a dog dies by autopsy.
Lets hope and pray for a test soon. Until that time reputable breeders, like us would not breed from a dog that have suffered from FSF and only breed from healthy dogs, of Which we do.
Also exhibitionists/breeders need to stop these witch hunts and put there resources into a charity raising money to find the DNA gene, in Amyloidsis, and FSF.
Look on Dr Jeff's web site for more info.
Shar-Pei Fever / Amyloidsis
