Hello: Rosemary and Tempe

[Linda]

Sorry for the typos – especially Tempe’s name.  And of course, AIHA.  Writing from cell phone – really small print and my eyes are old (not me, just my eyes).  ;)

Hugs, Linda

[Vally]

Oooops just typed something and it disappeared. May be double typing.

Was saying my eyes are like yours Linda :)

Just realised I’ve been giving the slippery elm (not the cocktail, just plain tea) in Bingo’s food twice a day for several weeks now and giving him his prednisone straight after in the morning. Thanks Patrice. You’d think after all this time, I’d have thought about that. May have to add to his late night snack and his lunch (both of which he doesn’t need).

Luv Vally & Bingo

[Linda]

Hi Rosemary – just wanted to add that sometimes dogs need to be on a maintenance med for a long time, sometimes life.  Sadie will most likely be one of those dogs.  I mention because I’m not sure if Tempe was taken off meds completely or just lowered……

Good luck – keep us posted.

Love and hugs, Linda

[Rosemary Sanchez]

Hi Linda,

Tempe will most likely be one of those on lifetime meds. She was taken completely off meds at the beginning of her disease. In fact, her vet said after 3 months she was cured, and had me lower all meds bi-weekly until she was off all of them. My poor baby, I knew nothing back then, didn’t do my research properly. She relapsed 1 week later. That’s when I contacted Dr. Jean Dodds and she gave me the name of a specialist in my area, and I read every article I could get on the internet about this disease. She has not been off meds since, which makes it 17 months of constant drugs at various dosages. Her last relapse was 2 weeks ago and she had been on 5mg Pred and 25mg Cyclosprine once a day. Her HCT went from 43 to 34, and her platelets went from 190 to 38 in 3 weeks.  I do the 25% reductions, 1 drug at a time, 4 weeks between reductions. I am fortunate that the meds do not really give her bad side effects, all I notice is she’s more tired on the higher doses. I’m still trying to get to the lowest doses which will keep her healthy.

[Vally]

Bingo likes his drugs too much – he’ll likely stay on them.  When we got him back down to the 2.5mg prednisone mark (after a second relapse), we left him there for 7 months with no change in any of his meds.  Then dropped the cyclosporine down by half (instead of daily every second day) and then 2 months later the prednisone dropped by 20%, two months later predisone down another 20% – so ultra ultra slow reduction.  I had accepted that we were going to leave him on the 2.5mg prednisone, so I’m thrilled we’re under the 2mg mark for the first time eva!!!

What worries me is how do you know when to stop.  That’s terrifying to me.  If we take it a further step and go down again and he relapses.  I guess that’s the lowest point – but who wants to go through another relapse!!!! Bingo says, not him!!!

[admin]

I’m with Vally & Linda on this – slowly slowly, take NO RISKS.  If they have to be on a small dose all their lives, well so be it – who cares?  The dogs certainly don’t .  My specialist told me to keep a close eye on the LYMPHOCYTE levels on the blood tests.  T-lymphocytes are responsible for the “mistake” (auto-immune problem – destroying the body’s own cells in error) in cell destruction so you need to keep them well within normal levels.  If there is any sign of them creeping up above normal, beware.  Your vet should easily be able to guide you on this. Obviously, if there is a significant (not small) drop in HCT/PCV, I would go back up to the previous dose to be on the safe side.  I am a great believer that we all know our dogs well enough to pick up whether they are acting like “themselves”.  I always know when Worzel is not feeling quite 100% & I know when he is feeling really good.  Stick by your instincts on this. I am no expert on relapsed dogs having to stay on medications, but in my opinion from reading about people’s experiences on VetNet etc over the last year, it does seem to follow a pattern that relapsed dogs have to be maintained on some kind of drug protocol forever.  It really doesn’t matter, as long as they are well. The prednisolone has awful long-term side effects, so if that can be dosed as low as possible, that is the best option.  Patrice will know more about this than I do from her vast experience & years of trying to help everyone.

Best wishes to you & Tempe, the little darling

Sheena & Worzel

[lynn]

hi rosemary,

sorry it has taken me so long to come on line. I have done a quick on line reply to joe on his new little girl … but after my eye surgery I am not seeing very well.so good that you found these wonderful people they are just the best.my little girl Hayley was triggered by IMHA by her yearly shots, I always waited two weeks for the rabies shot after her yearly when the rabies was due every 3 years.. but we did not make it. Hayley has been off her meds this july marked 1 year med free. even though Hayley has been off meds… her blood sugar drop’s from time to time rather than going high… but the vet watches and I check it at home daily. we had many up’s and down’s as most here have. but once Hayley was stable which took many months … I have learned with Hayley. she is not exactly like she was before the IMHA in many way’s but pretty close. the med’s are something we all worry about but w/out them our dear fur baby wouldn’t have a chance. my girl had such a reaction to her shots we nearly lost her but day’s latter I thought she was on the mend I went to work in my yard and came in to check on Hayley and Madison Hayley’s gums were white… I didn’t even know about this terrible disease but called the vet on the way they had everything set.. he knew or had a good idea. she was typed and getting her transfusion in 1 hour.and  so many here I saw their fur child getting better so much faster… but I never gave up. Hayley was 7 years old and now she is 9 years old.each day is such a blessing. my little girl is a Chihuahua she is 2 lbs but her weight went to 3 lbs with fluids then at one time she got down to 1 lb my heart sank and at one time Hayley couldn’t even get up let alone walk. I made a sling to hold her up to go pottie.i even bought a wheelchair for her but never had to use it. we took her to threaphy at U.T. each go through different things as this disease effects each a little different.you have a wonderful team dr. dodds is the best .my eyes are not seeing very well at the moment so I hope I haven’t spelled anything wrong. I have had my share of surgery these past months and eye surgery is one and two heart surgery’s so I am not seeing well. I do wish the very, very best for you and your dear fur baby tempe. my best. lynn & hayley

[Rosemary Sanchez]

Thank you Lynn, you are such a wonderful fur mama! It amazes me how considerate and thoughtful you are to everyone who reaches out for support. Even though you have been going thru so much with your own surgeries, you still find time and energy to reach out and help all in need. Bless you for your kind heart.