Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - I have not posted for quite a while

I just wanted you all to know that I still check this site frequently and pray for all of you. It breaks my heart when one loses the battle, and brings me much joy when one is responding. I want to post sometimes but just can't bring myself to do it... the pain of losing Wolfie is still there, still fresh. I am so grateful to all of you for helping us through, this group was the only support I had. Thank you and blessings, Julie

Julie IL

Julie -- it's nice to hear from you. Those of us here understand how hard it is for you, because we've been there. But it is nice, isn't it, to know that you can come to this forum, and we understand. I don't have much to offer people other than compassion, since my dear beagle, Wiley, died from IMHA in May 2005, but I do what I can. And I still find comfort here, because the grief is still hard. When it gets tough, I try to focus on how grateful I am that my husband and I had 10 1/2 years with our dear Wiley -- that the Lord permitted her to grace our lives with her playful, smart, feisty, beautiful presence. We had love and joy and fun, and I wouldn't trade those years for anything, even given the pain we have had since losing her. I'm sure that you feel the same about the joy of your dear Wolfie. Please take care and please stay in touch when you feel like it.

Brenda VA

Julie, Brenda, I know what you mean. I have not been on this forum very long. I found it in Oct. 2007 after his initial diagnosis. My GSD Popeye just lost his battle with AIHA at the beginning of Jan. 2008. Now, when I come here, I am hanging on the other stories on this forum. My heart breaks for one, while I'm filled with hope for another. My vet was certain my dog's AIHA was caused by his annual booster shots, with initial onset just 12 days after the vaccs. Being a 9.5 yr old dog, who'd always been vaccinated, he just got the shots more than he needed to. This knowledge came to me too late for him...I just want to let other people know. I probably wouldn't of believed it, until it happened to me. I am fairly certain now, that this was actually the 2nd time we lost a dog to vacc induced AIHA. I think the vets know, the pharmacy companies know. They know. They don't want to tell people about the potential risks. (1) It could cause a bunch of mis-information and some people wouldn't vaccinate against anything out of fear. And this could lead to severe outbreaks of diseases. They are putting the well-being of the majority(?) in front of the potential risks for the few. But that isn't the only reason (2) This 2nd reason is totally unacceptable: Their "bottom line". Most vets make a majority of their income giving "annual shots". The need for this every year has no scientific basis. The big-pharma companies are proving the drugs and the vets are "pushing" them. My dog was one of the unfortunate statistics. This is not unlike what we see in human medicine. Anyone out there have small children? Do you know anyone with an autistc child? The CDC claims that ther is no connection between certain shots and autism. Tell that to a parent of an autistic child. That child is the most emportant thing in that parents world, but to the "powers that be", just an insignificant "statistic". they know it. But what do you think would happen if they were to confirm the link? Many others would probably skip their children's vaccs. Then we could have widespread outbreaks of those diseases we vaccinate against. It's a sacrifice of the few, to benefit the masses. It's the same way in animal or human medicine. It seems like money could be better spent by identifying individuals, human or animal, that may have a predisposition to have a problem with a vaccination. Didn't start out as a vent. The whole subject is still very raw to me. I would like to hear from any of you who know or suspect their dog's AIHA was a direct result of vaccs or medicines. And I would like to caution anyone with an older dog, I think more especially a purebred, who has had many years of vaccinations, to consider stopping the administration of them. I don't know everything about this but I do know what happened to my dog(s).

Allison TX

Read my back posts about flea control toxic ingredients (Frontline) big pharma deception on similar adverse reaction results. Natch, Allison you are absolutlet correct. Prove it, they (pharma) 'dare' you. They are too powerful. The vets have little backbone. Jan

jan philly

The Rabies Challenge Fund (Dr. Jean Dodds ) is trying to prove just that !! Please take time to read this link and consider donating so that this research can help prevent the unnecessary vaccination of our pets. www.rabieschallengefund.org

Betty Dallas

I just mailed my letter of thanks to Jean, and included a check for the fund. She is probably the only person who has enough clout to get something done. We should ALL support her. She gives so much of her time to help people who's dogs are sick and need advice.

Ron B San Mateo

I agree, we should all support her and pass the info along to our pet loving families and friends.

Allison TX

I learned that man times the warnings are not includied until the FDA forces the drug companies to do so. Prohert6, the 6 month heart worm preventative injeciton killed my hunter. The day he got his fatal injection, the very day, was the day letters went out to vets 9and label changes came0 listing death as reaction. At first they claimed it was okay for heartworm positive dogs to hvae the injeciton--til FDA got to many reports of Hw positive dogs dying. So the label was changed to treat HW positive dogs first. The 2ed label changed included AIHA as one of the adverse rections. There was no 4th label change--the FDA had them pull it from the market.

Sandra

We just aquired another dog who was left behind when his owners moved. He had a small cut between his toes and was limping. I took him to our Vet and he was prescribed the antibiotic SMZ-TMP. After reading the terrible side affects including the possibility of bringing on hemolitic anemia I contacted Dr. Dodds and asked her opinion. She agreed she would never treat any animal with any Sulfonamide drug. I contacted my Vet and told him of my concerns and that I wanted to treat with Clavamox instead. He kept insisting that the drug he prescribed was fine. I asked if he knew Dr. Dodds and his response was that she was a quack. Long story short he did phone a prescription in for the Clavamox and I am in the market for a new Vet. I think I will find a homeopathic one this time. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Penny -- You go, girl! I am incredulous that that vet said such an insulting thing about another vet, and one who is recognized for her clinical as well as research work in the field of veterinary medicine. Good luck with your new dog.

Brenda VA

We are heartbroken over the loss of our beloved beagle Raya on Feb. 1st, 2008, to IMHA. She was barely 9.5 years old. She fought valiantly for four days and four nights, and finally succumbed to secondary complications. She suffered three seizures within the final 24 hours due to clots. I never heard of IMHA until Raya was diagnosed Jan. 28th. She was her usual beautiful self, sprightly jumping and running the previous day. But on 28th, she vomited repeatedly, would not take any food, no matter how tasty she found it just hours before, and was lethargic. Her gums were pale. We first took her to her regular vet who recommended she go to the local animal ER immediately. Her PCV was first observed at 10 and after 2 transfusions elevated to 20. Tuesday and Wednesday she was on prednisone. She showed improvement and we were so happy to see her walking around and sniffing at the door, as if to say, "Let's Go!" The ER vet wanted to see her PCV stabilize. However, Thursday, with PCV dropping to 15, another third transfusion was given. But, our baby's immune system was destroying the foreign red blood cells. Her bone marrow was producing red blood cells naturally, but the hemolysis was severe. Late last Thursday night, the first seizure was reported, lasting 30 seconds, indicating clot formations. Then, early Friday morning, two more seizures. Raya was heavily sedated by the time we got there Friday afternoon. The vet recommended euthanasia at this point to ease her suffering. It was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my life, because I had the power to continue the fight or ease our baby's suffering. We were told the presence of clots offers very poor quality of life for Raya, and easing her suffering was the most important concern. I could not believe - and still can't as I write this - how we went from a beautiful happy (if mildly disobedient!) beagle to deciding to ease her pain. I tell myself that we trusted the vets who cared for her (the vet kissed Raya at the end), and the incredibly expensive bill of $3,000 must mean they tried their best. Yet, the more I read, the more I wonder as to the underlying causes, and if more could have been done. Why wasn't Heparin considered as a precaution to clot formation given that she had three transfusions? She had her annual exam Dec. 26th, with vaccinations, and took her heartworm (Iverhart) on Jan. 17th. Did these routine medical interactions trigger her immune system to attack itself? She brought love and joy to my mother, brothers and myself, and I am grateful to God and nature that we shared life on earth these too short years. I hope we soon gain greater understanding into predisposed conditions to IMHA so that each dog, each a loved one, improves their chances against this sudden, terrible disease.

Dileep DC

Dear Dileep, Please allow me to extend my deepest grief to you for your great loss. Your great love for Raya is evident from the great care you gave her in her last days. This happened so suddenly and you had so little time to understand what was happening and no time to research what to do. You did the very best you could with the information you had available to you at the time. It is not very comforting right now, I am sure, to hear this. But in future days and months it will give you solace to know that all of us on this list consider your acts heroic and loving. The great gift you gave her was to always be her protector and care for her in the best way you knew how. You are Raya's angel. I will be thinking of you tonight. Patrice

Patrice NYS

This thread was discussed between 01/02/2008 and 05/02/2008

Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) forum index

This thread is from the Vetnet archive. The live Vetnet forum is active now.