Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Allie passed away

My wonderful companion, who gave me so much joy, left me today. Over a month of fighting, she was tired and was in pain, due to liver failure. I don't want to throw away all the drugs she was on because I want to donate them to someone else whose compainion is fighting. Any suggestion on who or where I can donate these drugs: cyclosporine ( very expensive), Immuran, carefate and predsone? Kat

Kate Northwest

Kat: Shadow and my deepest sympathies go to you on the loss of your beloved Allie. She knows you did everything possible to keep her with you. The pain never leaves, but it does get more bearable. Your offer to donate Allie's medications to help another dog battling AIHA is very generous, and a loving tribute to Allie. My only suggestion is to "advertise" their availability on this forum. You might want to include the cyclosporine dosage, since it's a capsule and can't be cut up. Again, Shadow and I send our sincerest sympathies on your loss of Allie. Sandy & Shadow

Sandy Utah

Kate, my heart goes out to you. I think each and every one of us on this forum lives in fear of losing our furry companions. I hope in time it will help you to know that you did your best for Allie. Take care of yourself now. deb and Duck

Debbie BC Canada

Kate I am extremely sorry for your loss, Allie's spirit will remain with you forever and her memories will always be in your heart. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you doing this difficult time. Cheryl

Cheryl Pineville PA

Kate, TC & I are so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is so heartbreaking, remember the good times....

Wendy Tampa FL

Kate -- I was so sorry to hear the news that Allie had passed. The two of you fought hard, but sometimes things just don't work out the way we want. Please take comfort knowing you did all that you could do for her, and please believe that she is in a better place now,where she is happy and healthy again. The grief of losing a beloved dog to this disease is hard, but we all are grateful that we had the opportunity to love our beloved dogs and share our lives with them. Please take care and let us know how you are doing.

Brenda VA

Dear Kate, My heart goes out to you. I know nothing I say can fill that empty space left by your beloved Allie. What a generous gift to offer her meds to someone who is still fighting the battle. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Nancy

Nancy CO

Thank you everyone for you your thoughts and prayers, they are very comforting at this time when I am really overwhelmed with grief. The cyclosporine is individually wrapped in foil, 100 mg. Pred is in 20 mg tablets and the carafate is in 1 gm tablets and the Immuran is 50 mg. I really do hope someone who is facing this battle takes me up on these meds, we all know how expensive it can be. For anyone reading this post who is starting to deal with this disease and those who have continued to fight, my prayers are with you. Allie fought for over a month and we will never know the underlying conditions that triggered it and why she did not respond to treatment. I am just thankful that I was able to take her home and pamper her this last month. Thank you

Kate Northwest

Kate No words can express how you feel when you lose a dog especially to AIHI. However, those of us who have gone through what you are going through now have some understanding. The people on this forum will help you just as you can help others - as you are already doing. My deepest sympathy go to you Steph

Steph Wales

Kate: Shadow would love to take Allie's carafate. We live in a very rural part of Utah - 180 miles east of Salt Lake City, 360 miles west of Denver. (40 miles south of Wyoming, 30 miles east of Colorado) The vets out here make their living treating cows, horses and sheep. The availability of medications for small animals is slim to non-existent. I can pay you for the carafate or make a donation to the Morris Animal Fund, in Allie's memory. Let me know which you prefer. If you choose Shad to receive Allie's carafate, please know that every time I give her a pill, I'll tell her it's from Kate and Allie. She knows that an anonymous greyhound and Great Dane Maximus have helped her make it this far (she's been fighting AIHA since a few days after Allie was diagnosed; Shad was stricken on Oct. 19) with their generous donations of blood. In northeastern Utah, dogs are too often treated as being disposable. Too many live horrific lives tethered to a tree or confined to a small kennel. The only blessing associated with AIHA is this forum, where we who cherish our dogs for the loving, mischievious, joy-filled critters they are and know that caring for them is the best, and losing them is the worst, share how much we care. Again, Shadow and I (and Shadow's "brothers", Scamp, Skip and Banjo) extend our deepest sympathies to you and pray that you can find comfort in your memories of Allie and how deeply you cherished and cared for her. She was a lucky dog to have had you as a mom. Sandy & Shadow (and the boys)

Sandy Utah

Kate, I am so very saddened to hear of the death of your most beloved Allie. Please accept my deepest sympathies on your loss. When you feel up to it, I hope you will visit the Loss & Grief page at the Meisha's Hope AIHA/IMHA Web site: http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson/loss.htm This page was written with input from those who have lost their dogs to AIHA/IMHA and contains many resources that will be very helpful to you. Once again, my deepest sympathies to you on your loss. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers during these most difficult days.

Joanne MN

I am very sorry to hear about your loss. It really hurts. Take care.

joe ohio

Kate, I am so sorry about Allie. I know the depth of this kind of loss. She knows you did everything you could for her. Allison

Allison TX

Kate -- I am so very sorry to hear about Allie. Every animal we love is precious and it is terribly hard to lose one. Allie knows that you fought hard for her, and that you will always love her. Take good care of yourself now. Penny and I will be thinking of you and praying for you. Christine and Penny (diagnosed 10/20)

Christine N. CA

Kate-I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I know you must have done everything possible for Allie, My heart goes out to you and your family. Tricia xx ^J^

Tricia Sth West Coast UK

Kate, I am so sorry that you have lost Allie. I hope in the coming days you will be able to remember all your loving good times with her instead of this awful period. The pain does lessen but you will always carry her in your heart. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

kate- sorry to hear about Allie :( my prayers are with you in this tough time.

josh california

We are very sorry to here about your loss. Teresa and Cranky

Teresa Smithfield KY

Kate, Our thoughts and prayers are with you in the loss of Allie. It is truely heartbreaking when another loved one is lost. Just take one day at a time, and always remember she misses you as much as you miss her. Linda

Linda Sapphire

I, too, am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you ..... and I applaud you for, even in your pain, thinking of others who are so in need to have your meds. This is an awful disease but the unity and compassion that we find here are true Godsends. Blessings to you and your sweet Allie.

betty dallas

Kate, I am so very sorry for your loss.. Jess

Jess BC

Kate, If no one else has taken you up on your offer of Prednisone, I would be very grateful for it. This is our second go round with IMHA. My Shih Tzu April was originally diagnosed in November 2002, but recovered after a relatively short period of time (2-3 weeks) and was in remission for 5 years until this past week. On November 12th her PCV was 8 and she was immediately transfused, she held at 20 for a week and then began to drop again. She was down to 14 when her vet decided to do a type and cross specific transfusion on the 20th. Her PCV came up to 30, but she is just miserably week and hasn't eaten but a few bites of food in nearly two weeks. I have already accumulated a vet bill of 1300.00, and it's killing me that I feel so useless and powerless to this horrible disease. Thank you, Lisa Florio 727-376-2958

Lisa Florio Florida

This thread was discussed between 18/11/2007 and 22/11/2007

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