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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Dr. Dodd's Answer
| JUst as I suspected, my dog died from the aspirin I gave her. Three weeks prior to her death when I gave her aspirin, it was the coated kind. Three days before he death, he told me to use Bufferin or any buffered aspirin. Dr. Dodds said that the platelet count of 9 was much to low for DIC which he had said was cause of death. When I talked to him yesterday, he said there was no doubt that it was an immune disease because of how ravaged her body was--the worse he had ever seen. At least with IMHA you know that you didn't knowingly do this--I did this knowing the risks because my own mother bled when given aspirin. Just another example of me never trusting my own judgment. Thank you for listening to me on here--I truly don't know how I will ever get through this. |
| Becky |
| Becky, I am so sorry for your loss. It is extremely painful to lose our furry friends. I find myself crying when I least expect it. I had to put my Molson down on 3/25/08. He was diagnosed with IMHA in Dec. 07, stabilized and then suffered the results of liver disease. In my selfishness, I couldn't let him go. Finally, I was able to see how sick he was and decided to put him down. I had grace for the moment, but have certainly had my moments since. Becky, hang in there. You responded to Libbie with the best information you had at the time. You loved her and that is what is important. Ann Marie |
| Ann Marie FL |
| becky...my heartfelt sympathies to you...we had our diagnosis the same time.... I feel like I should have done more... |
| Chris connecticut |
| sorry about your losses R.I.P. |
| Josh California |
| My sympathies in your loss. I too fee I should have done more...I didn't even know about AIHA...never heard of it. Looking back I see signs well before she crashed...but I didn't know. It's hard, so hard. I love my angel girl! Here is her page: http://www.all-creatures.org/stories/a-stormie.html |
| Mrs. Gates Michigan |
| Becky -- I still don't quite understand. Did Dr. Dodds give you more information that would provide a bit more insight? Your vet told you to give her aspirin, and you did. I guess you could have asked questions, but you were at a time when you weren't thinking straight -- your dear Libbie had been hit with a diseases you'd never heard before. As Ann Marie said, you did the best you could at the time. Please take care and please know that we are here for you during your terrible grief. Many of us have been there, and like you, we wonder why. But we support each other, and I think we all want to be here for you. |
| Brenda VA |
| Dr. Dodds saw the bloodwork and autopsy findings. Her take was that aspirin caused a severe intestinal and liver bleed. The low platelet count of 9 was caused from the ravaging bleeding not immune related. Although there was some elevation of white cells and low temp-- 103 , this was probably due to the inflmmation and shock going on in her system. A vet on the Just Answer site explained Dr. Dodds diagnosis in detail. He explained how the bleed might have taken the platelets out of the body. Dr. Dodd said that DIC does not usually have platelet counts nearly zero. Also the infectious diseases that cause DIC would not be likely for a house dog that was proected from ticks and fleas and this early in the year. I blame only myself--when I took her in on Friday after giving aspirin on Thursday, I just told him about her breathing problems He had know way of knowing that I thought her stools looked dark--I don't think I even told him--a lot of this is just a blur. I remember thinking it was because I had changed her food and given her hambuger. He told me later that only raw hamburger could have caused that. I know when they told me that I would have to leave her, I refused because I didn't want to leave her alone so I stayed until they could see her. He checked her and she showed no bleeding in gums but it was early--he told me to continue aspirin and I did.He took her off her allergy medicine and told me to use valium if breathing got worse which it di. I brought her back in on Sunday because Sat. night I saw the platelet spots on stomach and gums. Her pcb on Sunday was 35. She continued to bleed tht night--more bloodwork Mon at 7--she died at noon. |
| Becky |
| Becky, don't beat yourself up. You loved your dog very much and did your best for her. deb and Duck |
| Debbie BC Canada |
This thread was discussed between 30/03/2008 and 01/04/2008
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