Annie Belle & Kristine

[admin]

I am posting this on behalf of Kristine for her border collie called Annie Belle.

Kristine has given us the following information:
“MY BORDER COLLIE, ANNIE BELLE, SUDDENLY BECAME VERY LETHARGIC ON 7-14-14 AND WAS DIAGNOSED AND GIVEN BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AND STEROID TREATMENT FOR AIHA AT AN EMERGENCY CENTER IN WISCONSIN. I AM ALSO VERY NATUROPATHIC ORIENTED, AND RESEARCHED THE BEST EFFECTIVE NATURAL TREATMENTS TO SUPPORT THE STEROID TREATMENT SHE NOW RECEIVES. I DESPERATELY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH ANY OF YOUR MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSONS WHO ALSO HAVE A DOG BEING TREATED CURRENTLY FOR AIHA TO DISCUSS THE BEST MEDICAL TREATMENT PROTOCOLS AND USEAGE OF STEROIDS AND NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS, ETC.”

Some of us have contacted Kristine already to give her advice. Please give Kristine a warm welcome & let her know we are all here to help her through this worrying time. It has been a huge drain on her finances, as it has for many others on here.

Love to all, Sheena, Worzel & Ollie

[Vally]

Kristine, please know that you are very welcome here. We’ve all been through and still going through this horrible horrible disease, so we all understand what you’re going through.

Love Vally & Bingo.

[admin]

Dear Kristine

Welcome aboard, and I am sorry to hear that you are battling through this with lovely Annie-Belle. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. It’s a horrible time for you all and we all totally understand. We will do our very best to give you information and answers, and support you through this.

Love, Mary and Mable x

[Linda]

Hi Kristine. I am so sorry about all you’re going through with you beautiful boarder collie, Annie. However, I am so glad you are here with us. We will do all we can to help you figure out her care. We have all been right where you are right not and it’s a very lonely place to be. Please know we are all here for you.

I am in the US and didn’t have insurance for my cocker spaniel, Sadie, when she came down with AIHA. I had just semi-retired and as you, limited funds. I know the costs can be astronomical.

I overheard a lady leaving my vet on one visit. The lady got a discount from, not an insurance company, but a company that discounts at the time of the vet visit. The problem is – finding a vet that takes it. Of course, mine did, as this was how I found out about it. I was a little miffed that they had never mentioned it to me, as they knew I had already spend so much on Sadie’s diagnosed AIHA.

Anyway, I got the name of the company and called them. They were very helpful and it has saved me anywhere from 20-25% for everything – blood work, procedures, even treats (although I don’t give Sadie vet dog food – yuck). Here is the link: http://www.petassure.com

Their phone number is:
1-888-789-7387, if you would like to call them. They are extremely helpful. From what I see in their website, it’s still $99.00 a year. It paid for itself on the next visit after I enrolled. There is a list of vets in your area, if you click at the top of the website, in red – SEARCH FOR VETERINARIANS. It is an immediate discount, so no paperwork. I hope this helps. It has been a tremendous financial help for me.

Please stay with us and post on this forum. We will certainly try to walk you through all the questions of care for Annie. I was totally lost when Sadie was diagnosed almost two years ago. This forum saved my sanity AND Sadie’s life.

Hang in here – this horrible disease CAN be beat.

Love to you and Annie,

Linda and Sadie

[kristine]

LINDA – THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING SO EXPEDITIOUSLY. HOW IS YOUR COCKER SPANIEL DOING NOW WITH MEDICAL TREATMENT? ANNIE’S AIHA WAS A TOTAL SHOCK AND CAME ON SUDDENLY ON 7-13-14, AFTER WHICH I TOOK HER TO AN EMERGENCY VET CENTER FOR EXAM AND SUBSEQUENT BLOOD TRANSFUSION AND MEDS. I JUST HAD HER PCV AND SALINE AGGLUTINATION TESTS DONE YESTERDAY AND HER PCV IS UP TO 43% AND HER AGGLUTINATION IS NEGATIVE, MEANING SAFE. SHE IS ON PREDNISONE AND DOXYCYCLENE AND NUTRACEUTICAL SUPPLEMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU. HAS YOUR DOG HAD ANY MUSCLE ATROPHY? ANNIE IS ON SUPPLEMENTS FOR ATROPHY – L-GLUTAMINE, ETC. I INVESTIGATED PET ASSURE BUT THERE ARE NO COMPETENT VETS TAKING PET ASSURE WHEN I LOOKED AT THE VERY LIMITED LIST FOR WISCONSIN. ANNIE IS CURRENTLY ON A PET INSURANCE PLAN, AND I HOPING FOR SOME COVERAGE WHICH SHOULD BE COMPENSATED TO ME. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I AM AN AGE 65 SINGLE WOMAN AND I HAVE THREE DOGS, ANNIE, A BORDER COLLIE, KATY – A TOY AUSSIE DOG, AND KORY – A TOY POODLE MIX. I HAVE A LOVE FOR ALL ANIMALS AS I AM ALSO AN ANIMAL RIGHTS/WELFARE ADVOCATE, HAVING WORKED EXTENSIVELY ON ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES ALSO. I HAVE REALLY GONE DEEP IN DEBT WITH MY ANIMALS EXPENSES OVER THE YEARS. CALL ME SOMETIME SOON. WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. SINCERELY, KRISTINE & FUR FAMILY

[admin]

Welcome to the forum Kristine! I am so glad you found us here even if the reason for it is sad. I know you will get a lot of input from people all over the world that have gone through the same as you are going through with Annie Belle. Since her PCV has gone up again, are you reducing her prednisone? As I mentioned to you in my email, make sure it is gradual no more than 25-33% every 2-4 weeks preceded by a PCV test. Once you start these reductions it will not take long and Annie Belle will regain her muscles again. I am wondering why she is still on an antibiotic, could you politely ask the vet why? If he has a valid reason that is fine, I just don’t like it to be given “just in case”. Annie Belle’s immune system is low right now (it needs to be) and she might get some infections. You want to use the antibiotic at that point. It would also save you some money.
I am really hoping you will get some money from the insurance company, but I don’t see why not. Best wishes and good luck!

Brigitte

[admin]

Hi Kristine

I am so happy you’ve joined us on here – you sound like a real animal lover & it’s great to have you with us. In addition to the e-mail I sent you, I wanted to ask if your vet had told you if they knew the cause of Annie Belle’s AIHA – has she been tested or treated for any infection such as tick diseases by any chance? Is that why she is on doxycycline?It’s really good that Annie Belle’s PCV has gone up – we all like that kind of news on here – and as Brigitte says, the muscles will come back – you just have to take things slowly with her for now (no over-exertion) & be careful to reduce the prednisone conservatively too. If you can give us as much detail as possible of exactly what happened & what the vet said – anything you can think of may be useful for us to try & advise you.

Once again, so glad you’re here – please keep us up to date as we all care deeply about each other’s beloved pets.

Best wishes, Sheena, Worzel & Ollie (my dear little waifs & strays!)

[kristine]

Are there any U.S. respondents who have pet insurance that has covered some of their dogs medical expenses with AIHA, and, if so, which pet insurance companies did cover AIHA medical expenses – please give me the name/names of the pet insurance company/companies.  Thank you. Kristine