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- Help. Charley is critical and I want to know I am doing all I can
Hello.
First of all, thank you for this website – it is already helping me deal with this emotional roller coaster my wife Becky and I are on.
Charley is a 4 year old, 25 lb Havanese/Bichon Friese mix. He has been nothing but healthy, energetic, and an integral part of our lives. Heck, I am sitting here as a grown man not able to work googling for any help with tears in my eyes. I’ll leave it at that. I just left him and he is not doing well, and I want to make sure I am doing everything that I can possibly can so that we don’t go through too many regrets if the worst happens.
Over ThanksGiving, we left Charley at a kennel that loves him and all dogs. And he loves them. It is one of those places where dogs socialize several hours a day with each other. He loves it there. We dropped him off on Wednesday, picked him up on Sunday.
Immediately when I picked him up Sunday evening, I knew he was sick. Thought he may have eaten something bad. He could not jump up into the car. He got worse throughout the day Monday, and Tuesday morning he was at our vet, who diagnosed him with IMHA, but he did not have the best technological testing equipment, so we went to the 24 hour hospital that evening. Battery of tests, and IMHA was positively confirmed. IVs through the night, but then his PCVs got really low, and a blood transfusion was necessary Wednesday morning. He perked up (PCVs went up to 21%) (TS of 7 after the transfusion…don’t even know what that is), but the vet cautioned that we did not know how he would ultimately respond. He told us to take him home so that we can love on him 24/7 (Wednesday evening) with the following medications:
1) Cyclosporine – 50 mg every 12 hours
2) Clopidogrel – 112 mg as an initial dose (1 and a half of a 75 mg tablet) followed by 1/4 tablet (19mg) every 24 hours.
3) Prednisone – 20 mg every 12 hours
4) Azathiorine – 25 mg every 48 hours.
It is Thursday and I just left home. He is clearly gotten worse since his initial jolt after the transfusion. He is eating, but we have to pretty much carry him to the bowl.
We visit the doc tomorrow morning for another blood test, and I fear that they are going to ask us if we want to euthanize him.
So I have mainly two questions:
1) What can I do other than the medications above to give him his best chance? Is there better food I can give him vs. the combination of kibble/cooked chicken/boiled eggs that we are giving him now? Is there a best time to give him those medications (i.e. before or after he eats)? Anything else we can do? I feel that we have a good vet and we are happy with them, but I have found even with my ailing parents that one idea, one extra thought can make the difference.
2) My view that as long as he is not in pain and is just tired from the anemia, then I am not willing to euthanize him and give him every chance to get better. He is young, was incredibly healthy and energetic as he could be even just a week ago! But am I being selfish? Please help…I am trying to prepare myself to be strong and think through those questions both for for my wife Becky and myself as we go into the vet tomorrow.
I just feel like something must have happened at the kennel to spur this on, but at this point with the positive diagnosis of IMHA, is there any help of even thinking about that? Will that really lead to a different type of treatment?
Any advice/help would be appreciated. And thank you so much for this forum
Hi Brian, excuse the short response. I’m at work and I will write again when I get home in a few hours. Just didn’t want you sitting there.
First of all, big hugs to you and Becky. I know you’re terrified right now for Charley.
You’ve done everything exactly right. The drugs are right (just check maybe if he needs aspirin to prevent clotting – many dogs do, some don’t).
Charley will be feeling lousy from the drugs, and tired from the anaemia. He is NOT in pain. If he’s eating, that’s a bonus. Some dogs won’t eat in the early days.
The transfusion is only to buy time for the meds to start working. The drugs take a little time to start.
I’ll write again in a few hours.
My best, Vally
Brian. First of all clopidogral is a blood thinner, so that’s taken care of. You don’t need to worry about aspirin.
Has Charley been tested for tick disease? It’s a known trigger for AIHA. That’s very important as if so, he also needs to be on additional medication. They can usually do a SNAP test and get an instant result.
Prednisone has a zillion side effects. See here. Don’t panic over the side effect though because prednisone is a life saver and the side effects all go away once the prednisone can be reduced:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/prednisone/
Many dogs also need tummy protection when on Prednisone. So you might ask about that.
As to timing, always give prednisone and azathioprine with food. Cyclopsorine should be given 2 hours away from food. Clopidogrel with or without food. If you need a hand with a chart, I’d be happy to help.
Ask anything at all. We’d love to help. We all know what you’re going through.
Regards, Vally
Oh, me again, keep thinking. Keep food simple and low fat for now. Azathioprine and a fatty diet right now could bring on pancreatitis. Watch for any signs of tummy pain and, if you see anything, don’t feed and contact the vet.
Also keep Charley quiet – I know you mentioned he’s not walking much. That’s a good thing for now.
Vally