Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Calypso: a young dog with IMHA

I have been lurking since the end of June when my dog Calypso was diagnosed with IMHA. We adopted Calypso from the shelter when she was 9 months old. Two weeks after adopting her she became lethargic and I noticied her gums were very pale. On June 12th, we rush to the vet and her HCT was 10. Her blood work showed sperocytes and autoagglutination. She had recently got her vaccinations and was also on and sulfa for kennel cough, so that is what they think caused her IMHA. Calypso spent 2 1/2 days at the vet in ICU. She got 2 blood transfusions, started on Prednisone, Cyclosporin, Pepcid and aspirin. After a couple of weeks we added Denamarin, her liver values were mildly elevated. Calypso's HCT slowly increased and at about 45 days out she finally had an HCT over 30. 10 days ago her HCT was 35.6 and we weaned her prednisone by 5mg. Today we went in for a recheck and her HCT was 38.6! So we are weaning the prednisone by another 5mg and rechecking in 7 days. Since her platelets have always been normal and last CBC showed no sperocytes and autoagglutination, I have been told it is okay to stop her low dose aspirin, but still have not been able to make myself stop it yet. Well that is our story, I thought I should stop lurking and say hello since so many of your posts have helped us learn and get through this difficult experience. Wendi and Calypso

Wendi Ohio

Wendi and Calypso Welcome to the forum and so glad things have turned around for Calypso! Hope to hear lots more from you, the more success stories the better, it gives us who are still waiting for that turn around much needed hope!! Kathleen and Nollaig

Kathleen North Ayrshire

Congrats. I am very happy for you and your pup. It's a long, hard process sometimes. Good luck.

Mardi Northen Cali

Thats great news - sounds alot like what i went through with Madison... She had only just had her vacinations 2 weeks prior to getting this disease. after 7 months Madison is now drug free. Madison was only on the asprin for 4 weeks - i really think Calypso will be fine to come off it. You just have take her slowly off the Predistone. Well done to you both Samantha & Madison

Samantha Perth Australia

Hi Wendy Glad to hear Calypso is doing better:). Just be careful that your vet does not reduce the med's too soon and too fast. It seems to me that the dogs that do the best long term are the ones that have very slowly had their med's reduced and often it takes a year before the are totally med free and some must stay on a maintenance dosage for the remainder of their lives. Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA

Thanks everyone! Yes weaning the prednisone makes me very nervous. The specialist actually wanted to cut her prednisone down from 15 mg twice a day to 15mg once a day, but my vet and I were not thrilled with that, that is how we decided on a 5mg wean every 7-10 days. I am hoping that Calypso not a case that needs to stay on Prednisone or Cyclosporin her whole life, we are aiming for 6 months before we are able to wean off all meds. I do realize that I may not get my wish, but I am hopeful. How fast or slow have others usually weaned the prednisone? Wendi and Calypso

Wendi Ohio

Wendi I do have some information that might be helpful to you in regard to the prednisone reduction. This information is from a Magazine called “Veterinary Medicine” subtitled clinical solutions for practicing veterinarians. This is the June 1999 issue. In the article called “Managing immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs” by Stephanie J, Lifton, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM which was peer reviewed before publication we find the following information and I am quoting here: “The level of medication should be kept constant until the PCV is normal for at least three to four weeks. If the dog is having severe side effects from the prednisone (e.g. polyuria or polydipsia, panting, exercise intolerance) the dose can be lowered slightly after two weeks or another medication such as Azathioprine can be added to the treatment regimen. Remember this medication needs to be given two to three weeks to take effect before the dose of prednisone can be decreased. “Once the disease is in remission, the dose of prednisone can be lowered by 25% to 35% every three to four weeks until the lowest dose that keeps the disease under control is reached. This can be accomplished by either decreasing the dose or the frequency of administration (e.g. twice a day to once a day then every other day then every three days and so on.) If the dog is receiving more then one immunosuppressive drug, change the dosage or frequency of only one drug at a time.” End of quote. Even though this is a from a source that is several years old, this is the prednisone reduction schedule that many of the veterinary teaching hospitals follow in regard to AIHA/IMHA

Joanne MN

Wendi, Glad you have joined in and that Calyspo is improving. Isn't it nice to have a place to come to where everyone understands what you are going through? Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

im very happy hearing of calypso's steady increase- i was born in ohio, what part are you from?

Josh California

Hi Wendi! I'm so glad you introduced yourself. Wendi and I 'met' on Flickr, she found a pic of Tiggs that I had tagged with AIHA/IMHA and I told her about our special group. Calypso is absolutely cute patoot! And, she's lucky to have a dedicated mom helping her get well. Our vet followed that same protocol, which CSU also recommended after our consult with them- 25-35% every 2-3 weeks of stable disease. Hope that helps. melissa and tiggs

melissa slc

Hi Melissa, yes I remember you thanks for telling me about this group...I also heard about this group through Johnny and Tessy from another forum. Josh, I am close to Columbus, Ohio...in Canal Winchester:)

Wendi Ohio

This thread was discussed between 05/08/2009 and 06/08/2009

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