English springer AIHA Bone Marrow Aspiration – Page 2

Sheena

Guest

Hello Sara

A huge welcome – glad you’ve joined us, but really sorry to hear your baby is going through this horrible scenario.

Your vets are doing a fantastic job – I’m very happy to see all the rights medications are in place – it is so important that you get the right veterinary help with this disease & I’m really impressed they are aware of transfusion protocols & have used packed red cells, rather than whole blood – excellent indeed. And they are spot on about the levels too – great stuff.

The exception on the meds is the Blue Green Algae- we are highly skeptical about this product after researching it. There is no actual medical proof it works – and it stimulates the immune system which is the last thing you want to do – we are desperately trying to dampen the response, so I agree with Vally that you should drop this product straight away. I’ also really pleased you’ve stopped the Baytril – it doesn’t seem to agree with Flossie at all – hopefully she will feel much better without that. My boy can’t tolerate Metronidazole – he went a bit strange to say the least, so I think it’s a case of some dogs tolerate certain drugs & others don’t.

Vally has given you the most comprehensive & superb advice. I have looked at the blood tests & reports etc. The doxycycline is so very important – my dog had a tick disease even though a test came back negative – we continued to treat him on high dose doxycyline for 5 weeks & are 99% certain from the symptoms that he had ehrlichiosis, a horrible disease which can infiltrate the bone marrow. I noticed Flossie’s neutrophils & monocytes are high – high neutrophils is often an indicator of infection & monocytes indicate inflammation, which really fits with what suspect. I notice poor Flossie had a very bad reaction (anaphalaxis) to her bordatella vaccine – that gives a pretty good indication that her immune system is a bit prone to over-reaction. Vaccines are a known trigger of IMHA so I’m happy to see that you have not vaccinated her since.

Could you please discuss the need for an anti-clotting medication (bossy, aren’t I???) as there is mention of slight Rouleaux on the test, although it does seem like it is only very slight. Here’s some information:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/rouleaux/

I suspect your vets are pretty on the ball & maybe don’t consider she as at risk, but I’d rather you asked, just in case. Clots are the biggests risk for most IMHA dogs (not all though).

Vally mentioned thyroxine. Dr Dodds always adds this to her protocol & this could actually give Flossie the extra boost she needs to produce more reticulocytes. I know you are concerned about her being classed as non-regenerative – remember these drugs do not work overnight – sometimes they take weeks to kick in, or your vets may decide to add an additional immuno-suppressant to boost her even more. My dog Worzel had no reticulocytes whatsoever – I mean literally none – but he recovered & has been in remission for over 3 years now. It took about 2 weeks for the drug to work (azathioprine in his case) which was a very quick response – we were very lucky as it usually takes longer. We had been worried sick, as you are – he had been ill for months beforehand, by the way.

Our specialist (he trained as Cornell Uni, USA – lucky me!) said we would never give up until we had tried every drug, every combination of drugs, plus anything else possible to get him better – this is the attitude you need to have, especially with non-regenerative anaemia.

Transfusions keep them going until they respond – please don’t fear transfusions – they are wonderful, life saving & make our dogs more comfortable whilst the treatment starts to work. You need a lot of patience – I found that really hard, Sara, I understand completely the frustration.

Bone marrow aspiration – yes Worzel had one – the specialist took about 10 minutes to get the sample because he was a real expert in doing that procedure. Worzel was absolutely fine. In hindsight it probably was unnecessary as the treatment was the same anyway, as Vally so rightly said, BUT they did see reticulocytes in the marrow, showing that he was producing them, but they were being killed off in the marrow & never actually entered his blood stream. This actually was really positive news for us. In your case, you know Flossie is producing reticulocytes, but not enough to replace the lost red cells – for you, it’s a matter of waiting to see if the mycophenolate mofetil starts working, maybe adding another drug such as cyclosporine if necessary. And I really recommend the thyroxine – it has turned the corner for lots of dogs on here because it encourages new blood cell production (hematopoeisis)- Vally’s Bingo being one of them that it helped, plus Linda’s Sadie. It’s worth getting her thyroid function checked anyway – if she were underactive, that would of course hamper her recovery.

Everything Vally has said about, meds, diet etc is brilliant information – she is fantastic & knows this disease really well. Tummy protection is absolutely vital.

And of course you can always contact Dr Jean Dodds if you need to – she is always happy to help dogs with this disease & is more than happy to work with other vets. She has many years of experience with IMHA & bone marrow failure & she never gives up either. I contacted her about Worzel – she was amazing – and my specialist was very happy to work with her too.

I hope we’ve helped! If you have any questions, even if you think they’re daft, just ask. I was confused & knew virtually nothing when this happened to Worzel – the lovely ladies on here were supportive, kind & kept my morale up. We need each other – no-one else understands this disease & the angst it causes unless they’ve experienced it.

I am so sorry your Dad also has anaemia & hope that they will soon get him on the right treatment too – it must be very stressful for you, you poor thing.

Much love
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxxx

Ps apologies for any typos

Please read Karen & Louis story below – she recently contacted us & is a perfect example of never giving up!

https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/forums/topic/doberman-with-aiha/

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Sara

Guest

Wow, Thank you so much Vally, Sheena, and Karxlee !!!!!!!!!

I’m running on so little sleep and high emotions !

My mom and I have researched alot in the last days about AIHA ..and thought we had a good vet, but glad to have it confirmed by those of you who have been through this.

We have taken all you have said with serious consideration. We are getting ready to have a phone consult with one of the attending vet on duty at the ER today her Internal Medicine vet is not in today ..( yet her bone marrow procedures is set for tomorrow morning wednesday so have lots of questions for whomever can help us)

Just a quick FYI on the Bortadella vaccine that she got it was the Up the nose kind. Not sure that matters. She was given it .. and she was in my arms .. her body writhed spread out stiff she let the most blood curdling dog scream out I have ever heard that seemed as though it last 20 seconds but I’m sure it was much less ..then her bowels released and poop poured out of her and she quit breathing ..It was horrible. Luckily at that time I was within 3 minutes of an ER and they were able to save her.

Also one other thing. My exhaustion is due to taking Flossie out every 2 to 3 hours a night and 2 to 4 hours during day. My Dad helps during the day to give me time to nap for an hour ..but the night is a killer. Because of our situation I bought a folding wagon that I haul her down stairs in and out to a potty area far away from the building where virtually no other dogs go. Did you all take your dogs out every 2 hours too? Flossie can go just about 3 hours and she starts to drip or run .. I can see she’s trying to hold it but she is so full that her urine just starts forcing it’s way out. I bought puddle pads ..which I slip under her throughout the night just in case (which she has used).. but just curious do I just let her pee on them and sleep or continue getting up every 2 to 3 hours .. I hate to see her wet and lay in it.

Also (blue green algae gone today) .. I’m very into vitamins and nutrients and holistic health for myself and Flossie where it is a positive thing. But if there is any question it can harm than heal ..I agree why take it or chance it at this point..so thank you for your help with that. I believe the vet didn’t think it would be harmful because she said research didn’t show definitively that it works or something to that effect.

Again thank you and I will update you on what we decide and how Flossie fares in the coming days !

God Bless you all
Sara

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