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Erica – this is so GOOD to hear! Justice you are one amazing girl! I’m so happy for you.
Normally, the pred should be reduced more slowly, but if their are good clinical reasons to reduce more quickly (she is obviously really suffering) & her PCV is excellent, that reduction should be fine. The only thing I would say is to reduce once a week from then on, so you can do PCV check 4-5 days after each reduction just in case she drops too much. Fingers, crossed, she won’t as she’s already made such a quick recovery!
We also did a VERY fast & terrifying pred reduction due to Worzel’s skeletal state & his horrendous muscle loss – he could not have tolerated the high dose much longer – he was near total collapse, but the pred did save his life. It was not pleasant for Worzel for the first couple of weeks – he suffered from withdrawal symptoms & I think you may see this too – let us know if you are concerned. The main thing was he didn’t want to be touched at all – fast pred withdrawal is painful for them & for us humans – we had to be very gentle. He was also pretty lethargic, but no worse than on high dose pred. He did get grumpy! A few weeks later, he was feeling much, much better & getting back to his old self, slowly. I would never normally recommend doing this kind of reduction to anyone else, but sometimes, it is necessary & I am wishing you all the luck in the world.
Love & congratulations on this fantastic news
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxxx
Hi Wendy
Vally & Brigitte are right. Frank needs sucralfate – 2 hours after medications will not stop their absorption. The thyroxine should be twice a day. You are doing a good job getting your point across about being patient. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking things slowly is much safer. You stick to your plan & don’t let them change things so drastically as Frank is not even in normal PCV level yet.
How is Frank now? Is the infection clearing up nicely? The antibiotics are the right ones for this, so he’ll soon be on the mend. No more bleeding I hope either.
Love Sheena x
Hiya Cindy
I was very surprised Abby didn’t have a drop in PCV shortly after the transfusion actually, so I am not surprised at this very slight drop. How is she acting & feeling now?
I would NEVER consider removing a dog’s spleen – no way – unless it was actually diseased, i.e. cancer. Enlargement of the spleen is very common with IMHA & is usually a symptom. When Abby stops having so much red cells destruction, the spleen will gradually get back to normal. It is very overworked at the moment. Another lady on here was told about spleen removal – her dog is fine & did NOT have this done – I have a lot of information on this subject if you need it . For now, forget about removing her spleen, please – this is a last resort scenario & you are not in that situation. You are in the very early stages of treatment.
A while back, I think I mentioned Vincristine to you. It is part of Dr Dodds protocol. Let’s see what happens on her next test before discussing other options – and there are lots of options, so no problem there – hoping she’ll be going up & up. Some dogs who have been very sick like Abby take a bit longer to start climbing on PCV & hang around in the 30’s for a while. It just means you have to be very patient – that’s the hard part.
Sending love & hugs
Sheena xxxxx
Hey Trish
You can stop worrying. As all have said, that drop is nothing to worry about. It really isn’t. You could do another test a couple hours later after he has had a big drink of water & it will be different again.
The milk thistle should be given twice a day – we all use it because it brings those liver enzymes down & I have never heard of it causing a drop in PCV – it is important to stick to the recommended dose & not exceed that – in very high doses it probably can cause problems, but is considered very safe at usual doses. I agree with Brigitte – sucralfate is vital when they are on pred. Given properly, it is very safe & effective.
The plavix should only be stopped when Max has no longer has any abnormal clotting issues – please could you make sure your vet has done a blood smear to clarify? Some vets also think it should be continued until they are off the pred, but others don’t.
You have no choice with heartworm meds – stick to 45 days as Linda says – Dr Dodds is the bees knees on all this advice. It is a truly horrible disease & the last thing you want on top of IMHA.
Max is doing FINE – he really is. But we all understand this disease makes us worry about every little thing. I still do, I promise you!
Love Sheena & the boys xxxxx
Good to hear Justice is feeling more like her usual self – always a good sign, Erica. The incontinence will improve when you can safely reduce the pred, I’m sure – it’s awful for them & they feel bad about it, even though us Mums just deal with it.
Good luck with the next tests – please send them to us when you have time so we can see how well she’s doing !
Sleep is so precious when our babies have this awful disease & you really need to do some catching up – Vally does the best charts in the world so we can get more shut eye!
Love Sheena & the boys xxxxx
Hi all. I know I fell off the grid, didn’t I?! Sorry, I have been so busy and I did my eye is still crazy flashing/floaters. Shoot. And busy. My dad will be 100 years young on September 19th and we are planning a birthday party. How come even a smaller (well, maybe 100) party is so much work and planning?!? Well, it will be worth it. But other things going on too and I am just sorry not to be around. All okay, just busy.
Sadie’s PCV yesterday was 42! Yeah!!!! I am so proud of her. No doubt, she’s a little fighter.
We are making home cooked food and even with everyone’s advice (which has been on target AND awesome), I am STILL trying to figure out the RIGHT supplements for Sadie. I am adding Nortic Naturals Omega 3, PetTinic and Tumeric (helps with the incontinence – and it actually works!). And she is still getting either 1/4th of her kibble or canned, organic Evangers (fish, turkey, chicken, mixing it up) to help with supplements. I think when I come back (first trip away, a whole 24 hours away for grand daughter’s 4th birthday party), I will try the 6 Fish by Orijen (thank you ladies for the recommendation!) to add to her home cooked (not doing raw). Not to be gross (we’re way beyond that, right?!), but her poop is SO much better!!! I should have done this long ago.
She is having some bad side effects, worse than ever before, so we are weaning her every three weeks now. She is down to 22.5mg of prednisone and still the 50mg Atopica. All the protections stay the same, Denamarin, Sucralfate, Plavix, and the supplements listed above.
Love and hugs, Linda and doing AOK Sadie
I am so sorry you are going through all this still. You really have been though it and so has poor little Emily.
Pam, I have used Dr. Holland for Sadie when she first came down with the AIHA in 2013 and we were trying to figure things out. Dr. Cynthia Holland is with ProtaTek Reference Laboratory. Her e-mail address is cholland@protatek.com – website is: http://protatek.com – the phone number is 480-545-8499. She will be glad to speak with your vet too, she’s VERY nice and all that she does is amazing.
I had the vet draw Sadie’s blood, packed in ice and sent overnight to the Chandler, AZ address. You will need to send 1cc blood serum (they may have to draw 2cc of blood to get the 1cc of serum). Include the Requisition Form with desired test to preform and a check (I spent $82.00, not bad at all). She’ll want Emily’s history faxed to her (call them first for a heads-up it’s being faxed). The fax number is 480-545-8499.
I would talk with or e-mail Dr. Holland first, she will tell you exactly what to do (there is a form on line too, a Requisition Form, that needs to go with the blood sample and check). I did the Enrlichia canis, A. phagocytophilum (E. equi), Rickettsia rickettsia and Borelia burgdorferi Lyme IFA tests. They were all negative, but I sure felt better doing it and it put my mind at rest for tick borne disease(s).
I would also encourage you to contact Dr. Dodds. She is incredible and her knowledge and her heart are incredible.
Please keep us posted as to Emily’s help. If you need a sounding board, you have my phone number (and e-mail, I hope).
Love and behind the ear scratches for Emily (and you, minus the scratches),
Linda and Sadie
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![bingo-14-5_1200x775](https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/wp-content/gallery/aiha-dogs_2/bingo-14-5_1200x775.jpg "Vally\'s Bingo \\"Smile\\"")
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