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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Junior --my maltese
| We recently lost our Maltese Junior to AIHA it was sudden on Monday he was his old self playing and all and by Thursday he couldn't even walk I carried him to his water dish and held him as he had what would be his last drink Taking him to the ER we were told he had this and was in extremely bad condition after talking to the doctor and discussing the financial expense we had no choice to have him put down Our dr said he probably wouldn't survive the transfusion. How can this come on so suddenly we had no idea he had anything wrong it has just broken my heart and I cry alot His mate SIS is so depressed and I don't know what to do We got a puppy a few days later everyone said that was the best thing to do She still won't play she just lays in a chair and looks so sad it breaks my heart Any ideas would be greatly appreciated Thank You Nana |
| Nana Ohio |
| Nana, I am so sorry to read this about Junior. Your family has been through a very difficult time. I know you wish you could explain to Sis what has happened. But I think dogs are very aware of these things and she may have known long before you did that he was sick. Eventually I think she will feel better. It can sometimes take longer and sometimes they will surprise you and they will be fine in a week or so. I think each dog has their own personality. Give her space right now. Adult dogs are often not fond of puppies anyway.... There are a number of causes for this happening. Sometimes it happens and the vet cannot identify what the main reason is. Often, applying a treatment without fully understanding the cause can be successful. These cases are often autoimmune in nature and they might not have a clear trigger. In other cases there can be an underlying disease process that is the culprit and the vet must do significant diagnostics to determine the treatment. Some of these might include a tumor, ingestion of something dangerous like rat poison or a coin, a recent vaccination or even something as benign as a recent bee sting. Without knowing what the cause was for this to happen and owing to your severe financial situation, the vet probably anticipated a tough road ahead for you. I have always felt that most vets do what they do because they love animals very much. I think maybe that your vet felt nearly as bad as you did, but just did not express it publicly to you. Perhaps you can revisit with your vet in the future when you are feeling better to privately talk about what happened so you have a better understanding. It will go a long way in healing your heart. I think that this disease comes on so fast at times that there is no way an owner can anticipate it or make any kind of educated decision about what to do. It is easy to feel guilty, but please don't. Everyone here understands exactly what has happened and why you did what you felt you needed to do. What is important is that you did your best and took Junior to a vet. Please accept my deepest condolences. patrice |
| Patrice NYS |
| Dear Nana, We have no words to express how sorry we are for you and Sis. Our hearts go out to you so deeply. My Clyde came down with this a couple weeks ago and we feel so blessed that he is back home and we are taking things one day at a time. We will keep you in our nightly prayers. Many, many hugs to you and Sis, Kathy and Clyde |
| Kathy |
| Dear Nana, I am so sorry you had to say goodbye to Junior. You have my sincere sympathy. It is always very hard and sad to loose one of our beloved pets. I know you did the best you could and your heart is broken. Dogs are very aware of our feelings and I am not surprised that Sis is also very sad. I am convinced dogs grieve in their own way. When we lost our Standard Poodle Kahlu, his "brother" Ripley showed signs of depression. He is a very thoughtful dog, an "old soul". It took a few weeks for him to feel better and when we added a new puppy 3 months later he was his old self again. I am convinced that some dogs grieve in their own way. I am sure that is what Sis is going through and you just have to give her some time. Try and be upbeat, but at the same time don't force it. She will bond with the new puppy in her own time and she will feel better. Just like for her, your broken heart will heal in time. Your sadness and grieve will be replaced with all the good memories you have of Junior. Best wishes, Brigitte & the poodle boys |
| Brigitte BC Canada |
| (((NANA)))I'm so sorry for your loss! My heartfelt condolences and sympathies to you and yours. Run free Junior. Johnny & Tessy |
| Johnny |
| Dear Nana I am so deeply sorry for your loss of your Junior and I will keep you and your family in my prayers during this difficult time. Here is what I found in regards to helping your other grieving dog. I do think it may take time for him to accept the puppy. I often foster pups and sometimes it has taken 4 weeks for my other dogs to accept the puppy and once they do they are just fine so maybe Sis just needs more time to grieve and in a few weeks or perhaps longer she will being to bond with your new puppy. Stick to Your Routine No matter how your dog reacts to the loss of another dog, chances are he's feeling stress over the changes in the household. One of best ways you can help him adjust to the loss is to stick as carefully as possible to his normal routine. Continue feeding him and walking him at the same times. Sticking to his usual schedule can help a great deal in reducing his stress. Provide More Exercise and Stimulation Chances are the dog that passed away played a large role in the day-to-day life of your other dog. They may have played together or napped together. Losing this may leave the remaining dog feeling bored and anxious. You can help your dog deal with the boredom and anxiety by providing him with more exercise and mental stimulation. Some things you can do include going for an extra walk each day, providing plenty of interesting toys, starting an obedience program, and playing extra games of fetch or tug-of-war. Sending our prayers Cheryl & Ginger |
| Cheryl & Ginger Pinevile PA |
| Nana, I am so sorry for your loss. It is so much more painful to lose a dog to this disease because they seem fine one day and all of a sudden you are at the crisis point. Junior is at the rainbow bridge with a lot of mighty fine dogs playing until you are reunited. I agree with Cheryl that as hard as it is you need to try to resume a routine to help Sis and your new puppy. It is so hard to know another dog is grieving and you can't explain to them what has happened when you don't really grasp it yourself. The pain will ease in time and hopefully you will be able to smile when you remember the happier days with Junior. Sharing in your sorrow. Penny |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
This thread was discussed on 06/03/2011
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