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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Awareness of IMHA/Q for Joanne, too
| Hello, everyone. I wanted to follow up on a few posts by Melissa and others about this nasty disease. Although I've been crying daily for my beautiful Raven, I want to find a way to honor her. I work in PR, and thought I could do something to make owners more aware of this disease. But here are some basic questions: 1. How common is this? I had never heard of it before Raven got it, and none of my friends and families had either. Had any of you heard about it? 2. The main issue is how do I tell "readers" what to do to prevent it? From my basic research, companies who make money from tick/flea prevention and other vaccines could be the source, but there's nothing that proves this 100%, so we can't really call it out in an article (although I could quote a credible source, if there was one). 3. Is Dr. Dodds the main expert on this? I thought she'd be a great interview, but I wasn't sure if there were others in research that know more about this disease than otherse. One thought for you, Joanne, would be to do a podcast or a series of them on your web site. I've done them at work, and they are a huge hit. Easy to do, and all I have to learn on my own is how to edit and post. Again, my experience suggests that I haven't quite found the "hook" that would get a publication to publish this, but welcome any suggestions. Thanks, Sharon |
| Sharon CT |
| Wonderful idea Sharon. I know at CSU, there are a couple of vets doing a study with funding from the Morris Animal Foundation. The main one I'm thinking of is Kathy Lunn- http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/clinsci/faculty/lunn_k.htm She is studying a drug that would used upon diagnosis that would ultimately work immediately, instead of waiting for the drugs to 'kick in.' She might be a great one to talk to. Also, she has a few residents that are doing their PhD's in immunology who are alredy vets. The one I'm thinking of who seemed to have great interest in IMHA is Dr. Christina Bradbury. I for one had never heard of it, nor has anyone I know with a dog, but every vet will tell you they've had dogs with it, but nobody can seem to tell you the prevalence. Good luck, let us know if we can help. melissa and tiggs |
| melissa slc |
| Another person who is doing a study on AIHA/IMHA is Dr. Tracy Stokel at Cornell. The Meisha's Hope Fund is sponoring a portion of this study and I had a very nice letter from Dr. Stokel recently expressing her thanks for the money donated from the Meisha's Hope Fund. Also Christine S. Olver, DVM, PhD, Colorado State University is doing a study in regard to IMHA with some money donated from the Meisha's Hope Fund A pod cast is not something I could do from my Web site at this time because of time constraints but I will keep it in mind if things in my life ever slow down. |
| Joanne MN |
| Hi I had never heard of AIHA until I lost Lily in 2006, three days after diagnosis, and then a few other owners of the same breed crept out of the shadows. It is prevalent within my breed, apparently almost a third of deaths from this occur within the breed, yet I wasn't warned or informed about it. Now I'm going through it again with Billy, but being forearmed I was able to spot the warning signs. None of my dogs had ever received anything other than their puppy vacs and were treated for fleas/ticks naturally. So speaking for myself, I don't know if this was the trigger or just some underlying genetic fault. I second Melissa, let us know if we can help. Steph |
| Steph Gloucestershire UK |
| I just wanted to add that soon after we started the Meisha's Hope AIHA/IMHA Fund #338 at Morris Animal Foundation http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/special-campaigns/meishas-hope/ Dog World Magazine did a very good article on AIHA/IMHA and even included Meisha's Photo. This was of note since she was the first mixed breed dog to ever have a photo in Dog World. Dr. Dodds and Dr. Steve Dow of Colorado State University (who was then doing a study on AIHA/IMHA with Meisha's Hope money) were both interviewed for this article. However sad to say, there was not a lot of response to the article because most people do not read articles about diseases their dogs do not have and because when people hear the word "anemia" in AIHA/IMHA they do not think the disease is very serious because most people do not think of anemia as a huge problem. In Sept or October of this year there was an article in the UK magazine called K9 called "IMHA, My Dog's worst Enemy". I have also worked with a Vet Tech who writes for a Vet Tech magazine who wrote an article for Veterinary Technician magazine called "canine immune mediated hemoltyic anemia. There were questions at the end of the article that a vet tech could answer for Continuing education credit. Also I have worked with several breed magazines who have done articles on AIHA/IMHA so the word is getting out. I am just not sure a lot of people are paying attention. |
| Joanne MN |
| Great help, Joanne. Glad to hear it was in the magazine -- and yes, that's the issue -- how to raise awareness on a disease. I'll keep thinking. Sounds like you've done quite a bit in this area already, and please consider me an extra volunteer if you need help or have other ideas. As for the podcast, I'd offer to do everything for you and just offer you the link. Let me know if you're still interested. Sharon |
| Sharon CT |
| hey Sharon, I am a member and volunteer for Best Friends, and they put out a monthly magazine. I'm not the best writer, but if you put something together, I could send you info or maybe you can find it on their site about how to submit articles. Or maybe they would write it if you pitch it? They have a very large member base, it might be really helpful. Plus I suspect now that Best Friends was on Ellen DeGeneres Show on Monday, members will be pouring in (hopefully :) melissa and tiggs |
| melissa slc |
| Sharon -- My dream is to see a feature on IMHA during the telecast of the Westminster Kennel Club show. They always run "feel good" pieces about dogs and their owners -- which are nice -- but I think that the USA Network ought to do a few "public service" features during those two nights of the judging shows, because such features would be helpful to dog owners. They could do one on changing policies on vaccinations; on the importance of dog nutrition and exercise; and one on IMHA. If they did one on IMHA, I would like to see the feature highlight Joanne Dickson's crusade to get the word out on this disease and raise money for a cure. I would like the Morris Animal Foundation to be highlighted. I also would like Steve's race car effort to be included, and Debbie's Truman Collar effort. A loving relationship with a pet is both joy and pain, and Joanne is a model for showing how that love and pain for a dog can be channeled into the greater good. Wouldn't it be GREAT!!! |
| Brenda VA |
This thread was discussed between 17/12/2008 and 18/12/2008
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