Forum Replies Created
Hi Maura,
Welcome to Second Chance. I am so glad you have found us! We are are to help, provide friendship and give you hope.
Please view the Introductory videos on AIHA and CBC in the AIHA Video Library. There is also a glossary of AIHA terms in the AIHA Terms page.
You can read about our dogs under Our Stories. It will help you understand some of the things we have been through.
Folks will be along over time to greet you and help you.
my best
patrice
Anne,
You are not rambling, you are a wonderful caring owner who wants to help her dog survive. We applaud you for your dedication to Bilbo.
Dr. Dodds helped me for over a year with Chance. If it were not for her, he would not have survived. Out of all the things I spent money on, it was the little I donated for her consultation that made all the difference. She cares deeply about Bilbo and I am positive that he was on her prayer list last Friday night.
Even great vets do not deal with canine hematological diseases every moment of every day of their life. Especially complicated ones. This is what Dr. Dodds has done every day of her adult life. She actually started her work in human medicine, here is the beginning of her career:
“Dr. Dodds received the D.V.M. degree with honors in 1964 from the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Toronto. In 1965 she accepted a position with the New York State Health Department in Albany and began comparative studies of animals with inherited and acquired bleeding diseases. Her position there began as a Research Scientist and culminated as Chief, Laboratory of Hematology, Wadsworth Center. In 1980 she also became Executive Director, New York State Council on Human Blood and Transfusion Services. This work continued full-time until 1986 when she moved to Southern California to establish Hemopet, the first nonprofit national blood bank program for animals. ”
Since then she has become recognized world wide as an expert in canine blood products and transfusions and also in canine thyroid and vaccination. She and her colleague Dr. Ron Schultz are performing the first 7 year Rabies Challenge study to determine if that vaccine is effective for much longer than it currently is.
Send her the information and see what she has to say.
my best
patrice
Anne,
I found some more specific information. It appears that what is happening may appear to be Acute Respiratory Syndrome but there is a rare chance this could be a TRALI reaction. This article says it usually lasts about 96 hours. So perhaps we will see a recovery?
my best, patrice
” Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury
Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a rare syndrome that can develop 1 to 6 hours following transfusion of a plasma-containing blood product. It is characterized by development of bilateral pulmonary edema, fever, and hypotension and is clinically indistinguishable from acute respiratory distress syndrome.
TRALI is caused by leukocyte antibodies from the donor plasma that react with the recipient’s leukocytes. TRALI should be suspected if the clinical history fits the syndrome and other causes of pulmonary edema, including cardiogenic pulmonary edema and volume overload, have been ruled out. The pulmonary fluid produced in TRALI has a high protein content, so it cannot be eliminated by diuretic therapy. In patients with TRALI, as in other cases of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, the ratio of protein in the pulmonary fluid to that in blood is greater than 0.7. TRALI can be confirmed by documenting the presence of leukocyte antigen in donor plasma and demonstrating a positive reaction of donor plasma with recipient leukocytes via a crossmatch reaction. This level of confirmation may be impractical to routinely attain in veterinary patients.
The reaction typically lasts less than 96 hours. Therapy involves intravenous fluid and oxygen support as warranted by the severity of pulmonary dysfunction. Treatment with diuretics may be detrimental because of decreased intravascular volume and increased viscosity of the pulmonary fluid.”
Anne,
Are you thinking you should move your doxy to a new hospital? I am not a vet, so anything I say should be taken with a bit of caution. This is an emergency and if this were me I would not feel comfortable moving my dog. If he is stable, as the vet says, then perhaps it is best to keep him a bit longer.
Read this:
“Transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious blood transfusion complication characterized by the acute onset of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema following transfusion of blood products. TRALI is temporally related to a blood transfusion; specifically, it occurs within the first six hours following a transfusion.”
“Supportive care is the mainstay of therapy in TRALI. Oxygen supplementation is employed in all reported cases of TRALI and aggressive respiratory support is needed in 72 percent of patients. Intravenous administration of fluids, as well as vasopressors, are essential for blood pressure support. Use of diuretics, which are indicated in the management of transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO), should be avoided in TRALI. Corticosteroids can be beneficial.”
“Transfusion reactions can be minimized (and even prevented in some instances) by crossmatching or typing animals prior to transfusion and by paying strict attention to transfusion procedures, e.g. maintaining strict aseptic techniques, infusing products slowly, not using out-of-date or discolored products, closely observing the animal during the transfusion procedure (especially in the first 15 to 30 minutes).”
“In general, treatment of transfusion reactions is symptomatic and logical. First and foremost, if a transfusion reaction develops, the transfusion should be stopped immediately (if the reaction is severe) or slowed (for milder reactions). The product should be sent for bacteriological culture (as well as a gram stain smear made from the bag to look for bacteria). ”
“The animal should be treated symptomatically, e.g. if showing signs of shock, intravenous fluid therapy at shock doses and corticosteroids should be initiated. If showing signs of an anaphylactic reaction, corticosteroids and/or antihistamines can be administered.”
I think the question that I would ask, if this were me, would be if the use of some form of anti-clotting agent, such as low-molecular-weight heparin, might help get my dog through this? You may never know, they could be doing this already.
I would also contact Dr. Dodds at Hemopet.org. Hemopet is an international canine blood bank and Dr. Dodds has over 30 years experience with canine blood transfusions. She could advise you what you should be asking and to expect.
She has a consultation page:
https://labordatenbank.com/cake/hemopet/onlineorders/hemopet_add
Send her your most recent lab work and explain what the acute emergency is. I know you will hear back within a short period of time. Many of us here have received valuable advice from her and saved our dogs’ lives.
Please let us know how he is doing right now.
my best
patrice
Anne,
I am really sorry to read this. You must be frantic with worry. Let’s try to help you the best we can.
I believe, from prior experience with other owners, that this may be a transfusion reaction. They are not uncommon. One of the major issues with a transfusion is the amount of fluid used, a dog can simply get too much fluid in their body at one time.
Here is a pretty good discussion about this.
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cardiovascular/c_multi_blood_transfusion_reactions
I don’t have much time right now, but I will come back to you a little later in the day. Don’t worry about the Babesiosis, most blood is carefully screened. Read the article and ask any questions about it you need answered.
my best
patrice
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