Patrice - 17. page

[Patrice]

Amy,
So good to hear from you! Busy is good as long as it is good busy. Please upload some new photos for us to put up!
my best, Patrice

[Patrice]

Edwina,
Good deal! That sounds fine.

The adrenal glands “shrink ” when the body is exposed to high doses of prednisone (which is nearly identical to our own cortisol. ) As you reduce prednisone the glands struggle to wake up, especially during stressful situations. So in dogs there is a lot of stressful events during waking hours! Like the doorbell, fridge door opened, mail delivery. Thus the reason I recommend the higher split dose in the daytime.

So watch behavior during the day to make sure there aren’t signs of difficulty handling stress such as extreme fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and worst would be collapse, pale gums, extremely fast heart rate or low heart rate, and rapid breathing. This is an emergency.

I don’t think you will find this happening but you need to know.

Other things can reappear that make a dog feel unwell when prednisone is reduced. For instance prednisone relieves athritis pain, allergies, GI tract conditions like diarrhea, skin problems. The list is endless.

So try not to over think this. She may feel worse while this is being decreased. I remember when I had to reduce prednisone, I felt horrible, like I just wanted to lie on the couch I was so weak. It was a bad time. So be patient and don’t push her during this.
My best Patrice

[Patrice]

Here is an article about the type of stones that male dogs have a tendency to develop.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/calcium-oxalate-bladder-stones-in-dogs
” careful routine monitoring of the urine to detect any signs of bacterial infection is also recommended. Bladder x-rays and urinalysis will typically be performed one month after treatment and then every three to six months for the remainder of the dog’s life. Dogs displaying any clinical signs such as frequent urination, urinating in unusual places, painful urination or the presence of blood in the urine should be evaluated immediately. Unfortunately, calcium oxalate stones have a somewhat high rate of recurrence, despite careful attention to diet and lifestyle.”

[Patrice]

Britanny,
Yes, as I mentioned, infections can be one of many triggers to developing AIHA. Please go to this page and read the first article on the page (click on it to open it and enlarge to print or save.)
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/canine-disease-resources/
The Canine Immune System and Disease Resistance

The main part of the article that is important is this statement:

The four main causative factors of autoimmune disease have been stated to be: genetic predisposition; hormonal influences, especially of sex hormones; infections, especially of viruses; and stress.

You see that infections is one of the four factors. On the 8th page begins a complete list of contributing triggers, you will be surprised when you read this.
my best
patrice

[Patrice]

Brittany,
Oh dear what an awful experience you have had. You did the right thing gong to the vet immediately. They have done the correct treatments. In the first week or so, there will be instability and some risks of relapse until the medications start to take effect. And rhen there can be med side effects.

Right now it is important for you to be positive and cheerful around him. He can sense your stress and he needs you to be strong.

Stones are directly related to onfections. And infections can be a strong trigger for developing AIHA. So this needs treatment as well.

There are many resources on this site, try reading some of Our Stories first, I think it will make you feel better.

Post as often as you want. Please use the Urgent Advice page to send me your recent CBC and chem screen.
My best Patrice

[Patrice]

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[Patrice]

Edwina,
I agree with all that Valley has said.

Always do a fasting 8-10 hr PCV and CBC. Excess fat in the blood from a recent meal, called lipemia, can alter test results negatively, the automated analyzer can’t interpret very well and there may be values that are not correct.

But make sure that she has plenty of water to drink before her test. It’s best if dogs are hydrated well. This helps the blood keep it’s volume.

You can check for the hydration in a dog by firmly grasping the nape of their neck and pulling up. Watch to see how long it takes for the skin to fall back onto the neck. A dehydrated dog may have a peak that fails to drop for a prolonged time. This dehydration will make drawing a good blood sample very difficult. The sample could even be damaged enough so that it is not usable and the values on both the CBC and chem screen will show incorrect readings.

Good luck on the decreases!
my best, patrice

[Patrice]

Raya,
Can you tell me the value on the cbc’s by date, of lymphocytes?
My best Patrice