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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - For Jan/Mac
| Jan, Your message did help, it makes me hopeful that Darcy will spring back, like your Mac. She has been on the Azathioprine for two weeks, so maybe in two more weeks we'll be seeing better PCV counts. Initially she was at 13% when she had her first transfusion. After that it dropped from 36% to 19% in one week, then from 19% to 15% in another. In five days time she was at 8% which required another transfusion this past Tuesday. When I picked her up from the specialist, her PCV was 38%. She's eating, drinking, and peeing, but no BM since Tuesday. She lies around and has labored breathing. Her gums and inside of ears are pink, but not as much so as on Tuesday. Has Mac had any transfusions and did he take the Doxycycline and PetTinic? Darcy took the Doxy. for 14 days and now I'm reading that it should have been for 21 days. This illness, as you and all the others on this board know, is very frustrating. It is even more so when the arrogant internal specialist my regular vet referred me to just passes off everything I try to tell her. She wouldn't even look at Dr. Dodds protocol, had never even heard of her. Dr. Dodds has been wonderful to answer all of my questions and send information. I spoke with our regular vet on Tuesday and told her what Dr. Dodds recommended for Darcy, i.e., thyroid panel, thyroxine treatment, etc., and she agreed to look at it if I would forward it to her. Didn't hear a thing yesterday, so I called this morning and she isn't in. My urgent message was relayed to the other vet. The receptionist called back with his reply that he'd never seen the thyroid cause such severe anemia. He simply passed it off. I tried to explain everything to the receptionist and she said that she was sure the other vet would call me tomorrow. I told her that time was of the essence and I needed to know something today. I don't know what I'll do if the regular vets are unwilling to try the Throxine and Doxycycline in addition to the Prednisone and Azathioprine. I'm sitting here, wringing my hands, not knowing what to do next. I hope Mac continues to strut his stuff from now on and that his PCV level holds strong. This is wonderful news and I am happy for you and Mac. Karen |
| Karen NC |
| Oh Karen, you poor thing. I was just telling a friend of mine who called that I'm incredibly lucky to have the Vet that I have. She doesn't pretend to have all the answers so she's been conferencing with an Internal Medicine vet in the Twin Cities. Also, she's so very patient with me an my 100 questions per visit. She seems to get that I only want what's best for my little buddy. My Dr. had Mac on Doxy from June 30th until a week and a half ago, with maybe a two week break in there someplace. I'm sure that helped because it's a tough bug. Mac has not had to have any transfusions as of yet becuause his HCT hasn't dipped below 18. Let me know if you want the Internal Medicine Dr's number here in MN. I know that my vet was regularly calling another specialist in Colorado for a while regarding Mac. I guess if I were you I'd want to at least phone conference with someone new. Take care, I'm crossing my fingers for you both. Jane |
| Jane MN |
This thread was discussed on 11/09/2008
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