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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Homeopathy?
| My dog was diagnosed about 3 months ago with Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. She was responding pretty well and was looking better with the medications, but now she has developed a systemic fungal infection. Which means more strong meds. We don't know what type yet, waiting for lab results. My dog walker told me she would never have started with all these meds, but instead would have gone the holistic route. I'm wondering if anyone knows about the effectiveness of holistic treatments with this disease. I'm feeling like things are just going to get worse as her body has so many meds in it now. Andi |
| Andrea LoPinto California |
| Andrea...unless your dog walker is a vet, you are probably better taking advice from a vet that has experience treating this disease. The prednisone makes the dogs more suseptable to skin problems, along with all the other bad side affects. You just have to try to deal with them as they occur. Jean Dodds is as "holistic" as they get, and she advises the predisone-anti rejection drug combination for the initial treatment. When ever your dog gets closer to normal numbers you vet should help you with a SLOW withdrawal from the prednisone, and the majority of your dogs symptoms will hopefully go away. We have all been frustrated as you are...hang in there |
| Ron B San Mateo |
| Andrea, hello. My boy is a 18 month AIHA survivor. During his early phase of illness and compromised immune system he also developed a fungal infection starting in the nasal cavity. It was so bad that it basically covered up one nostril and he was having problems breathing. He had to go back in the hospital and have the growth disected and washed through the nose. I was fearful he would not recover or have a strong adverse reaction from the anti-fungal meds that were recommended. After reading the contriindications I realized that they had their own set of potential side effects. I did take him to a local homepathic vet who treated him with chinese remedies,as well as essential oils. I chose not to use the anti-fungal. The good news is with much effort he did recover. He ia still on pred, pet tinic and chinese remedies for immune support (not the same remedies he was on while coping with the fungal infection). I would recommend finding a local homepathic vet and take him to be evaluated. You can mix allopathic and homeopathic treatments. Wish you the best, Jan |
| Jan philly |
| My 11 year old was just diagnosed today with AIHA. I can see that many people have endured alot. At this moment, I feel that this could possibly be his last night, yet I see that he could pull through this. His platelets are low, of course. He has been through his second steroid injection tonight, has fluid in his lung etc. Is there really light at the end of the tunnel? Please give me any feedback you have. I want to be realistic by putting him first - i.e. not my needing him to be around but him feeling good to stick around! |
| Cynthia Texas |
| Cynthia, I am going to start a New Thread for you so that others can respond directly to you. There are many success stories with this disease and hopefully, some of those who have more experience than I do can help you with some of your answers. Take care. Gail |
| Gail SD |
| Thank you for your responses. The specialist I went to - different vet, as well as dermatologist - put her on anti-fungal med and reduced her immuno-suppressant drugs. Her fungal infection is looking much better and has not spread, and she is quite perky and more herself. We will go back next week to see what the biopsy of the fungus tells us, as well as see how her blood work is. The critical thing is of course to get a balance between fighting the infection and keeping her immunity low enough to keep her from killing red blood cells. I'm not going to deal with alternative treatments yet. |
| Andrea LoPinto California |
| My 11 year old mini dach was diagnosed on Monday - she will be coming home from the critical care unit tomorrow morning - I am finally breathing a little easier, yet from what I am reading I realize that we have probably just begun the fight - but with everything I've read so far, I have hope. Matilda is a fighter - and full of spunk - so I'm hoping we beat the odds. Thanks to everyone for their stories. jeanne |
| jeanne texas |
This thread was discussed between 12/03/2008 and 22/03/2008
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