Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Jennie Didn't Make It

Hi everyone, Sadly, very very sadly, Jennie didn't make it. Without doing an autopsy, the Dr. has decided that the AIHA was secondary to a tumor and she succumbed to that during the night. After losing our best human friend, Dennis,on Thursday night to a brain aneurysm, my husband thinks that maybe Dennis needed a dog friend to be with him. This is a true story - Jennie was in the hospital the past two nights (unfortunately not with us here) and last night at about 3:00 I woke up and heard her in the kitchen. I was worried that she was having trouble getting around and listened to make sure she was okay. Then it dawned on me that she was in the hospital and I listened and decided that it was the wind making the noise. The Dr. called at 7:00 a.m. this morning and said she died between 3:00 and 3:30 this a.m. I can only hope that she wasn't mad at me for having her in the hospital. This was my first dog in my life - I have always only had cats - and wow, I am devastated to say the least. The only good thing that came out of this is that I didn't have to play God and have her euthanized. I feel horrible I wasn't with her but I can't fixate on that. I just need to remember the wag of her tail, the smile on her face and the joy she brought to our lives. For those of you who have dogs with only AIHA, keep up the love and care of your dog - there are so many success stories of animals that make it through this ugly disease. Take care everyone. I'm not sure if I can read this blog again for a while because it will be just too hard. Thanks for all your information and feedback and keep up the entries for those of us that are so new to this disease. Gail

Gail SD

Gail, I am so sorry to read your news. There is something about losing a pet to this disease that is so much harder to accept than them passing in any other way. I think that your "hearing" her in the kitchen was her way of letting you know she was o.k. and was finally free from the limitations this disease brings. I am sure she is at the bridge meeting a lot of our doggies and she is telling them what good doggie parents she had. I hope in the coming days you can begin to remember all the happier times with your dear Jennie. If you need to talk please feel free to email me. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Gail. I am so sorry to hear of your loss, my thoughts are with you all. I can quite believe Jennie made her presence known to you during the night she passed on, bless her ^j^. You can be sure she knows you did all that could be done. She is now free of all discomfort. Something tells me you will hear her/sense her again. They have a way of letting you know they are still around :+) I'm sorry also to hear about your good friend Dennis. Tricia

Tricia UK

Gail, I am so grieved to hear about your loss of Jennie. Please accept my deepest sympathy. Patrice

Patrice New York State

Gail, I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Jenny. Maybe you hearing her was just her way of saying goodbye and telling you not to worry she would be okay as sad as that is. Do not feel bad about not being with her, because she knows how much you loved her. And yes you are correct having to put them down is so much harder, trust me, I have had to do two of my dachshunds in the past years and the final look as they inject them is horrible!! Just try to focus on all the good times you had with her, and take one day at a time. I can tell you from experience it will be very difficult for months but after that each day will get a little better. Take care, Linda

Linda Sapphire

Gail, I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Jennie. Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt sympathy. I do truly believe that last night was your thought you heard her in the kitchen you did as was saying goodbye. But there will be many times when you will feel her presence as she will always be with you. Evelyn and Daisy

Evelyn So Jersey

Gail, I am so sorry to hear about Jennie. I hope that in time your sadness will fade and you will be able smile again when you remember all the good times you had with Jennie. How lucky for you that you had such a wonderful dog as your first. She showed you what special friends dogs can be and in that sense, she will always be with you. I'm sure she knew that she was loved very much and that she had a really great life with you. In the end, that is what counts. Please now take care of yourselves. deb and Duck

Debbie BC Canada

Gail, first of all I want to thank you for the compassion and kindness you showed to me... I am so sorry about everything that you are going through, with your Uncle, Dennis, and now Jennie. You are very much in my thoughts and prayers. Take care, and feel free to send me an e-mail if you would like to talk. Chris

Chris Ohio

Gail -- I was so sorry to read that Jennie didn't make it and that you have such deep additional grief after recently losing other dear ones. Please know that I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Penny said it best, that the pain of losing a dear dog to this disease seems harder than anything else. I think it has to do with the fact that most of us have never heard of this disease before it strikes and breaks our hearts. Please take care of yourself and let us know how you're doing. I hope your memories of your life together and your understanding that you did the best you could do for Jennie will help ease your grief.

Brenda VA

Gail- I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Take comfort knowing that you provided the best care you could for Jennie during the fight with the god forsaken disease. I am also sorry to hear of your friend's untimely passing.. :(

Jason Myrtle Beach SC

Gail, I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. When you feel up to it could you please email me jdickson@cloudnet.com since I would like to visit with you in private a bit.

Joanne MN

Gail, I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine the grief you are feeling right now. It's hard enough to lose loved ones, but to loose your beloved animal at the same time is devastating. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family right now. I believe that the noise you heard that night was your Jennie letting you know she as okay. I'm sure she is at the bridge playing and running at this very moment. She is no longer in any pain from the awful disease. Thinking of you, Layla

Layla Brantley Raleigh

Gail, I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Jennie as well as the loss of your friend. Jess

Jess BC

Gail, Maddison & I will be thinking of you.

Kathy N.C.

My maltese was diagnosed last weekend.

ernie texas

Ernie, I also have a maltese that was diagnosed on 1/24. How is your little one doing?

Evelyn So Jersey

Ernie, Take care of your little maltese and read all the great success stories of our pets that have made it through this awful disease. I can tell you that reading this forum will help you so that you are able to ask the right questions and be more informed when your vet starts throwing medical terms at you. Read the recent Sophie's Update and it will give you great hope that this can be treated. Everyone on this forum is so caring and concerned about each other's pets because we obviously all feel the same about each of our canine family. Take care and fight hard for your dog. Gail

Gail SD

Dear Gail, I am so sorry for your loss. You did everything you could do, and Jennie let you know she was alright - I have no doubt that she let you know that in you kitchen. I am just so sorry, please accept my condolensces and prayers. And also for the loss of your dear friend Dennis. Indeed, they can walk toward their next journey together. Please email me when you are up to it, You and your Jennie are in our hearts and our prayers, Christine

Christine Florida

This thread was discussed between 02/03/2008 and 04/03/2008

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