Ashki – new thread

[admin]

Hi Tamara & sweet Ashki

We will all be crossing everything possible in our house for the next pred reduction, believe me. I agree totally that he needs to be on a lower dose. I was always worried (who me?) about every pred drop, so I completely understand how you feel. A small PCV drop is always disappointing, but I’m sure you’re right about a bleed – that makes good sense & the sucralfate is one of my favourite “miracle” drugs to help with that. Their poor tummies suffer so much.

Having more concentrated urine is a great sign as it means his kidneys are doing their job properly (you know that, you clever thing, so I don’t know why I’m telling you, apart from it’s good!!! – I like good). Please let us know how his iron levels are doing – I didn’t realise that the test costs such a lot, but it is very important for Ashki – I really hope his levels have dropped somewhat – one less thing to think about would be so nice for you both.

Wishing you all the good luck possible & sending love & cuddles
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxx

[Tamara]

Thank you so much, Sheena, your support means so much to me. I will definitely let you know about the iron, I am hoping it will be in the normal range finally. I agree, it is so important. It had dropped slightly last time we tested it, but that hasn’t been since the end of June. We should have the results back early next week.

I am SO relieved about his urine concentrating! I have been worried (who, me too? :) ) because it’s been consistently low, so this is just such wonderful news.

I can’t remember if I told you all, this internist has so much experience with IMHA. She currently has 4 cases, including Ashki, and has had many in the past. She has said that, assuming Ashki’s PCV rises and remains stable, she wants to next cut his cyclo as that could be part of the kidney problem; in humans cyclo does create proteinuria.

We talked at length about his recent slight macrocytosis, and that could be an indicator that his bone marrow is recovering! I am so hoping that is the case. Something I read awhile back that I forgot to mention – in cases of bone marrow failure, serum iron will *increase* because it’s not being used for erythropoeisis, so it builds up. Eventually, the liver responds and starts producing more hepcidin to block absorption of iron in the intestine and to hoard iron in the liver. If there is also an inflammatory state — a double whammy that will cause the body to increase hepcidin.

Thank you again, Sheena. Sending you much love and big hugs. Please give those wonderful boys some scritchies and cuddles from me.
tamara and ashki xoxoxo

[Vally]

Tamara, Ashki is sounding good. Gee, I didn’t realise people ever worried on this site????

Fingers crossed for the iron results.

Lots of love, Vally & Bingo

[admin]

Hi Tamara

You’re right about the macrocystosis – Worzel showed slightly raised MCV (mean corpuscle volume) during his recovery & I have read that this can happen during recovery from nutritional anaemia (e.g. vit b12 deficiency) too – fingers crossed for that lovely bone marrow to get back to normal very soon!

That is interesting about the hepcidin/iron & serum iron correlation. I hope we can remember this to help others at a later date. I wonder if this happens more than we know because most of us probably never had a serum iron test done & it is important, especially for those dogs that have been transfused. This is a complicated subject to get your head around.

Most of all, I am really thrilled about your internist – yes – you did say you had changed vets!!!!! Quite right too. She sounds brilliant & just the sort of person you need to help Ashki. Just taking the time to discuss things with us makes us all feel more confident about their abilities & open mindedness. You can’t beat experience either – I bet you are very happy to be with her.

Anyway, good luck again – sending cuddles & love from all of us
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx

[Tamara]

Vally — exactly! Hardly ever happens here. Ashki says he is very glad he is not the only one to dine on cat poo.

Sheena, I was thinking the same thing, wondering, especially when dogs are not regenerative, if high iron is playing a role? It is expensive to test, I wish it wasn’t.

love and hugs to you all —
tamara and ashki xoxox

[admin]

Hi Tamara. Have been away but keeping up with you and Ashki. Wonderful that he’s hanging in.

I just wanted to remind you, that contrary to what the ultimate best way to wean from prednisone and cyclosporine is (prednisone first – completely – then the cyclosporine), I ended up having to intermittently decrease Sadie’s prednisone and cyclosporine. It scared me silly to do it this way, but she too was having issues with the long term cyclosporine (over a year, no break, 50mg a day). We did both VERY slow. Sadie did okay, thank goodness. And me, worry – naw. ;)

She is actually no longer on cyclosporine, but continues on a very low dose (2.5mg, AM, once) of prednisone daily. So far so good, but as we all know – each day is still thought of as a gift.

We are so thinking of you and Ashki and sending our love and hugs,

Linda and Sadie

[Tamara]

Linda, thank you so much for your input, I had forgotten how Sadie was weaned.

Apparently it was the right decision to drop the pred and to add back in sucralfate at night because his PCV was 37 today!!!! I honestly can’t believe it, and kind of wanted to do a CBC but will wait until next week.

Still no iron results, they said today they won’t be in until late this week. The doctor will call then and we’ll talk about the next drop in medication then.

sending you all much love and many hugs, I’d be completely bonkers without you all.

tamara and ashki xoxoxo

[hope]

Popping my head out from a mound of textbooks … go ‘head Sir Ash!!! He’s officially in the NORMAL range!! That’s incredible, though I feel confident saying he’s anything but average. What an extraordinary boy and what an extraordinary momma you are, Tamara! The way you have navigated the trickiness of this disease, especially Ash’s case, is really inspiring. Yay and jumpy claps!

xoxo Hope and the gas masters