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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Brandy Update
| we survived the trip to the vet. We made it a family event and my husband met me there. Brandy was really ruluctant to get into and out of the car but was a trooper at the vet. Her "in-house" lab results were mixed. The plt count went back down from 375 to 175 but the Hct 28.8and PCVat 26% remained the same The bad news is the retic count dropped which explains why no improvement. We will wait for the send out labs for confirmation and they are always lower. Liver is enlarged and abdominal fluid present as I suspected from the pred. Vet feels the gum bleeding was indeed due to the dry membranes from the pred. Vet offered to go the Penn U which is 3 hrs away and she said they usually hospitalize and do bone marrow biopsy, etc. With her severe arthritis and anxiety disorder I just can't do it to her. So.......we are going to slightly decrease the pred from 180 mg/day to 160mg and the Imuran from 100mg daily to 75 mg/day in hopes to find a balance without supressing bone marrow so much as she was fine before the meds. Vet says we need to try and sleep to maintain for the long haul. I am so very done in but grateful for you all and my friends and husband who are helping me get through this. will update if anything much different on send out labs |
| sharon pa |
| Please don't give up Sharon! Brandy needs you to stay strong, and sometimes when they look the bleakest, they turn around. The meds are so hard on their little systems. It sounds like reducing the meds might help with the liver and abdomen. Tigg's liver is enlarged too. Brandy's PCV is hanging tough, I know you want it to go up, but it might take a little bit longer. You guys can do it, stay with it! Tiggs retic count dropped a little too, but the vet felt that as long as the PCV holds or improves, that their body is just responding and slowing the production down slightly. I hope that is the case with Brandy. We are all rooting for you and Brandy! Try to stay positive, get some rest, and know that we are all thinking of you! Melissa |
| melissa slc |
| thanks SO MUCH Melissa. we all need a cheerleader especially on these sleep deprived days! Your encouragement about the results was just what I needed. My husband is "on call" tonight so I am hoping to get a good night's sleep. I am sad I have to work tomorrow but sometimes I think she gets better rest when mom isn't hovering. I have two good friends who will drop in during the day and take her for those much needed potty breaks. God Bless sharon and Brandy |
| sharon pa |
| Is Brandy or Cyclosporine? Gingers PCV would not go past 28 for a month and she was on Pred and Imuran. She has been on the Cyclosporine for a week now and I do see an improvement in her energy level, she goes back to the vet on Tuesday so we will see if her PCV has actually gone above 28. Just an FYI Cyclosporine is a very expensive drug if you have not alreay heard. Glad to see Brandy was a trooper at the vet! |
| Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA |
| As her PCV is holding that is reason to have some optimism. Do consider asking your vet about cyclosporine, at least to see if she has considered it as an option. I believe it saved my Sierra's life since she couldn't handle the prednisone. This is a disorder where often what works for one doesn't work for all and some shifting/changing of medications is not unusual. Glad that you have someone to help out in the day for pee breaks. I used puppy pads for Sierra (for the short time she was on pred) and came home at lunch too. Brandy is in my prayers and thoughts as are you. |
| Ronda So Cal |
This thread was discussed between 07/08/2008 and 08/08/2008
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