Vally - 20. page

[Vally]

Darlene, I’m so very very sorry. This disease is just so cruel. It hits so suddenly and sometimes it just won’t be beaten, no matter how hard we try.

I have no doubt your Maggie is running free and happy, worrying about you of course and her brother, but full of all her energy again, greeting old friends, making new.

It’s way too early, but when you feel up to it, there is a page on the site written by one of the ladies. It will help but maybe now is not the time yet as it may be too soon, but this is the link:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/the-bridge

Cuddle your other boy, he’ll be lost too. Take time to grieve. Don’t have any expectations. I lost my Bingo over 2 years ago now, after surviving the disease, but I still cry over him, I still can’t watch any of his videos, but I can laugh at his photos.

Please take care of yourself. Come back and chat any time you want.

Vally
xxx

[Vally]

Darlene, don’t panic about the drop. It’s very common after a transfusion because, as Patrice said, the transfusion is there to buy time for the drugs to kick in – it doesn’t treat anything, and the drugs take time.

Right now Maggie will be on high dose prednisone (or the like), to stop her body destroying her red blood cells. Once her body stops doing that, her blood count should start to go back up. Also, there is always a slight variation in blood counts. If dog is more hydrated, and if Maggie is on fluids, then she will be hydrated, then the count will drop because there is lots of fluid in her. Does that make sense? If a dog is dehydrated, the count automatically goes up. Even if Maggie is just stressed, her counts will reflect that.

Happy to dumb things down for you. I’m not super clever with this stuff, I’ve just lived through it, but Patrice is very clever, so really don’t hesitate to ask.

Get those blood tests if you can and send them through. If they are funny about giving them to you, just say you need to understand what’s happening or you are better seeing stuff in writing. People don’t generally ask for them I don’t think, so I tend to think it’s an unusual ask. But in reality, Maggie is yours, you’re paying for them.

Get to work Maggie and make some reds for mum.

Vally

[Vally]

Hi Darlene and welcome. I’m so very sorry your girl is going through this. I know what you’re going through right now too and I would’t wish it on anyone. Yes, I remember going to work and being totally useless as I couldn’t get Bingo out of my mind, and stressing and worrying about him, doing endless research to find out about AIHA.

What is your girl’s name? First of all she is in the right place and it’s important that they stabilise her as quickly as they can.

Has she had any shots recently, or is it possible she has been bitten by a tick? Its very important that they check for tick disease, so please ask them if they have checked. Anything different at all lately? Sometimes we never know what may have triggered the immune system to go haywire.

Do you have any of her blood numbers? When you go to visit, ask for a copy of blood test results. Yo can send them through on Urgent Advice and Patrice will have a look at them for you. She’s very good with results and can help you understand what’s happening. It’s also good to familiarise yourself with them, as you can follow progress. This is the link to Urgent Advice, which will send them to us in an email:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/urgent-advice

The drugs they use are very harsh on the stomach but very necessary right now to get her stable. Once stable the drugs will be reduced and it will be much much easier on her.

Ask anything at all. By the way, I’m in Australia, so different time zone, so sometimes takes 12 hours to get back, but I’m always about.

Regards, Vally.

[Vally]

Andrea, I’m so very sorry to hear this. One thing about our dogs, they know how much they have been loved.

When you’re ready, and it may not be straight away, please have a look at The Bridge page. This was written by one of our ladies, and I hope it will help you.
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/the-bridge

My very best, Vally

[Vally]

Andrea, I’m so sorry to hear this. I suspect Bobby should have been kept on a low dose of medication, either cyclosporine or prednisone. My Bingo had to stay on low dose prednisone for his life.

Bobby needs to go back on medication again, and weaned very slowly and then stay on low dose for a much longer time, possibly for his life.

I know you are very worried and probably very scared. My Bingo relapsed and he recovered very well.

My very best Andrea.

[Vally]

Hi Cindy and Trevor, and welcome.

Sorry I answered you yesterday, but it’s not here. My iPad hates me.

Just wanted to say nobody here would have doubts that shots can certain set off all sorts of things. My boy Bingo started having seizures about a month, I think, after his shots. Vet said it had nothing to do with it, but I started researching and found a lot of information saying the opposite. He never had any further vaccinations after that.

The important thing is to treat quickly and you are doing that. You will likely see that the drugs will make Trevor feel very poorly and there are lots of side effects to the drugs, but it saves our dogs lives. So you may see that he will look worse before he gets better.

Ask anything at all, we would love to help.

This is my boy, Bingo’s, story.
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/our-stories/bingo

My best, Vally

[Vally]

Andrea that’s wonderful. Good work Bobby.

[Vally]

Hi Cynthia

This is a very comprehensive list of antibiotics and drugs which can trigger AIHA.

https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/drugsantibiotics-can-trigger-aiha

Now when you look at the list it’s massive and will name so many of the drugs our dogs use, however, most important, is to avoid cephalosporins, sulfa drugs and penicillins. Sometimes even then though, if a bacteria is resistant, sometimes, there is no choice and we need to use what will work.

Check to see if Doxycycline can be used, it is one of the safer drugs for our dogs.

My best,
Vally