Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Maddie's Hot Spot

Hi everyone, it's been ages since I've posted. Last week I had great news! The specialist wanted to do one more urinalysis/culture to find out whether or not Maddie was totally clear of the e-coli infection. She was! Everything was perfect!!! However, she has had goopy eyes and gunky ears the last few weeks, and THEN she started chewing on herself. I was blaming it on blowing coat now. (Why would she do that now that it's the coldest it's been all year? Why, because all the other Newfs are blowing coat now too...) Anyway, I got about three Maine Coons' worth of coat off her, so when she went to the groomer yesterday (with the complaint that she was blowing coat) the groomer said she wasn't--I'd gotten it all out. Her assessment of Maddie's chewing and hot spots was air borne allergins--also responsible for her gunky ears and goopy eyes. However, because her hot spots were bad, she recommended I take her to the emergency hospital yesterday and not wait until today when they're open. It was a good thing I did, because the emergency vet had access to all her records and could see her history being treated for IMHA/e-coli. Because of that, she was not given a steroid which the emergency vet said could trigger another immune response and send her backwards. Because she didn't do well on Baytril previously, she was put back on Clavamox; she was also put on EnteDerm for 4 days. I had already put an e-collar on her the other day in the hopes of helping the hot spots dry up, and the vet said to continue that until they have dried up. So...our dogs, even once "cured" have to be cared for differently than those who've never traveled down this path. Best wishes to everyone at this time of year! Ruth

Ruth tddynewf@cruzio.com

Ruth, Good to hear Maggie got a clean bill of health on the e-coli but sorry she is having to deal with the other stuff. My non-Aiha dog has just gone through the same thing goopy eyes /chewing holes in his paws, scratching off a ton of coat. His usually strikes in the end of September and is gone in a few weeks but each year it seems to come earlier and last longer. I posted a while back about the recommended drug for it being Atopic. Was Maggie on the Atopic for the IMHA? Hopefully she will be back up to speed soon. Best wishes to you both. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Hi Penny, what is Atopic? The EnteDerm has Nystatin-Neomycin-Thio-Ttriam (whatever all that stuff is) in the ointment. Maddie hasn't been on Atopic; She was on prednisone and imuran and several different antibiotics at different times. I've got to apply the hot compress now and then the ointment; Merry Christmas! Ruth

Ruth Landmann Aptos

Atopic is one of the trade names for cyclosporine. A very Merry Christmas to you and Maggie. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

What a coincidence Ginger who is also being treated for AIA (since Sept) is also chewing on herself and is licking and licking her paws and legs until they are red and missing patches of hair. She just seems very itchy, Ginger has never done this previously to her being diagnosed with AIHA, she is still on . 5 mg of pred. EOD and 1 tablet of Imuran EOD. She is also being treat with Clavamox for a urinary tract infection that she is having a hard time getting rid of. She has a vet appointment on Thursday and hopefully we can figure this out and make her more comfortable.

Cheryl and Ginger Pineville PA

Hi My Manchester Terrier has just been diagnosed with AIHA. She is on 10mg twice a day plus 25mg of imuran once a day. She is not eating - if you give her the slightest thing to eat she sicks it straight back up, she is sleeping all day and is very, very depressed. Any advice, help would be so much appreciated. How do I encourage her to eat and what can I give her that won't be sicked up? Many, many thanks. Sarah

Sarah Wiltshire

Sarah, Sorry to hear about your dog, what is her name? Talk to your Vet about giving her something for her stomach protection like Pepcid or such. It is not unusual for them not to eat at first. Is she on Pred? If so soon she will be eating you out of house and home. You might want to start a new thread so more people will see your story. If you haven't visited Joanne's site yet please do. It will explain things a lot clearer than probably what your Vet has said to you. The most important thing is to have a Vet who is well versed in treating this and is open to your input. Here is the link http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson/ Keep us posted. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Having golden retrievers, i belong to several golden retriever forums. They are prone to hot spots and just about every single memeber keeps gold bond powder to treat hot spots. You do need to clip the fur around the area so the fur doenst stickto the "open place" and keep bacteraia trapped. Clean with peroxide and when dry, apply a lot of the gold bond powder. Apply several times a day, very heavy. Only one of my goldens gets hot spots and i am so careful what i give her--she had a severe reaction to her 2ed set of annual vax and we almost lost her. My vet only gives her rabies vax now. When she was younger i would take her in with each hot spot, but in the past few years (she turned 8 in Aug.)I have just cleaned with peroxide as my vet said, and then poured on the gold bond as other golden owners said and her hot spots heal up and she has not had to be treated at the vet in several years. AND having lost her litermate 4 years ago to a drug (ProHeart 6 heart worm preventative brought on AIHA and liver damage) I try to avoid all injections, antibiotics, etc that i can for her.

Sandra Texas

Hi Ruth and all, My "non-AIHA" boy Archie, who is 9, has very bad airborne allergies to mold spores and dust mites. His allergies are the very worst in the winter. I keep TONS of Gold Bond powder on hand among many many other things. I wanted to let you know this just so you and others may know why their dogs are having allergy problems in the wintertime. Dust mites thrive and multiply when the heat is running in the house and the humidity is low. Jeanne in NJ Goldens, Angelo & Archie

Jeanne New Jersey

This thread was discussed between 24/12/2007 and 27/12/2007

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