Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Boogie relapse

I have written about my dog, Boogie before. She was diagnosed March 4th. She went through a horrific month and a half and had 4 transfusions during that time. She finally seemed to be in remission. Her last transfusion was April 24th, and her count was in the 30's and 40's until around the middle of July. It has gradually gone down since then. Today her count was 19. And her retics are very low too. This is so discouraging. I think we decreased her prednisone way too quickly. Her internist is now saying that if we can get her back into remission, Boogie will be on prednisone for the rest of her life. She is taking 5 mgs pred twice a day (10 total for the day) (she is a 10 pound dachshund) and she is also on Neoral and thyrozine. We tried Imuran in the past for a couple months, but it didn't seem to help her. Boogie is acting pretty perky and eating normally (actually would like to eat all the time.) Vet thinks it's because, like AnnaMarie's Nancy, her count decreases gradually and her body adjusts to it. The vet is proposing human IGG. I know some on this board have experience with this. I was wondering if they have had success and if there any side effects. I read all the messages on this board every day. I pray for everyone and their dogs suffering from this awful disease, and for comfort and healing for all those who have lost the fight. Sue & Boogie

Sue Moorpark

will be wishing the best for boogie

josh california

Thank you, Josh. I have been following your saga with Sway. I'm hoping for the best for you both. Sue

Sue Moorpark

Sue, I am sorry to read of Boogie's drop. Hopefully you can get this turned around. It sounds like she is a fighter and it is also good that she is acting perky and eating well. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Sue, I am so sorry to hear about Boogie. I wish this hadn't happened to you. We were offered human IGG at one point when Chance was non-regenerative. Our vet was able to get it free from the local prison. I was just at that point in the process of contacting Dr. Dodds and when I posed this to her, she replied that it wouldn't be her first choice for treatment. It would be a last resort. From my reading, there is a risk of the dog developing a secondary immune reaction to the human element of the medicine, sort of like how a transfusion can cause a reaction. Once you are at that point, you have two problems, not just one. If it does work, it works well. Perhaps you should contact Dr. Dodds at this point for some advice, it would only be a "yes I think so or no, don't try this" question. She will have a definitive answer for you. my best patrice

Patrice NYS

Thanks, Penny and Patrice for your replies. I think I am going to try to schedule an in-office consultation with Dr. Dodds. Garden Grove is about an hour and a half from here, and I think it would be worth the drive. I consulted with Dr. Dodds via email when Boogie was initially diagnosed and she thought very highly of the internist Boogie is seeing. So at least I feel good about that. What a heartbreak this disease is! Sue

Sue Moorpark

Sue, You might check with Dr. Dodds and see if she still has her Santa Monica office and whether she actually sees animals there. It would surely cut your travel by more than half? Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Sue and Boogie, Kent and I are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers and hoping for a turnaround. It does happen, and I hope that its Boogies time for an upswing. Hang in there! Christine and Kent

Christine Fl

Boogie is in my thoughts & prayers. If you go to Garden Grove, I've found mid-day is the best driving time, but you probably already know this (either that of 5:00am - I'm in the San Fernando Valley), and have been to Dr. Dodds a couple times down there and often go to Tustin for Sierra's opthamalogist.

Ronda So Cal

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Christine. Penny, I don't think Dr. Dodds sees anyone out of Santa Monica, but I'll check for sure. Rhonda, thanks for the advice. I work in Encino, and bring Boogie to work with me every day, so that's where we'd be coming from. I've been in touch with Dr. Dodds and, from what I've told her, she thinks Boogie was weaned off pred. too quickly. I was leary about the reductions, and voiced my concerns, but perhaps not forcefully enough. If we never get Boogie back into remission, I'll never forgive myself. Sue

Sue Moorpark

Oh, Sue... Please be gentle with yourself and use your emotional energy to fight with her disease now, not to hurt yourself over yesterday. Any choice the owners on these pages make can be made from nothing but love and the deep desire to help their sweet little ones in the best way possible. Even vets have conflicting ideas about the best paths for treatment and here we are, just loving lay people suddenly thrown into a world of foreign numbers and foreign words and every case being unique in spite of the similarities. We can't possibly know it all or foresee the future and the answer that is right today or for one will be the answer that is wrong tomorrow or for another. I work in a hospital and see family members all the time trying to second guess the things that occurred just before a loved one became seriously ill or injured. It seems natural that we do that in order to feel that we somehow could control the painful situations that life brings our way. All you have to do is read the multitudes of entries here and read all of the stories on Meisha's Hope and you must know that there is no single answer, even for the same dog at multiple points in time. The energy you expend in guilt is that much less emotional presence that you have for your baby. So I suggest that you put aside the guilt and pick up all the love you can find for you both. Snuggle up with your Boogie and know that we have all been there...and still are...and are sending you all the healing and hope and peace of mind we can muster. Barkley and Cheryl

Cheryl Medford

Cheryl, Thank you so much for your kind words. And you're right. I am going to concentrate on positive healing thoughts instead of what happened in the past. Boogie is acting more tired today. We have the next blood test tomorrow. I have a feeling she might need another transfusion. I am grateful that we at least have that option. I have an appointment to see Dr. Dodds on Sept. 3rd, and am very much looking forward to that. Thank you again. You helped put things in perspective. Sue

Sue Moorpark

Sue, I am so sorry about Boogies relapse, but we are keeping you guys in our prayers - I am also sorry I have been absent from the board for the past month - my other dachshund (15yrs old) had a bulging disk in her neck, so it has been round the clock for me for a while but she is finally doing much better. Be gentle with yourself through this, we all know how stressful it can be. Please post an update when you can. Matilda is still hi-fiving for Boogie! jeanne

Jeanne Houston

This thread was discussed between 18/08/2008 and 30/08/2008

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