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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Newman is med-free!
| I am sitting here at work with tears running down my face after reading about all of the pups who have lost their battle to this crappy disease. So I thought I would share some good news! Newman is 4 days med-free! I know it's not a long time but it every battle won against IMHA is another step towards winning the war. Some of you may have read Newman's Success Story (April). I think I am more proud of that than anything else we have done. Last Thursday Newman had more bloodwork done and his PCV was 43 (again!) and Dr. Mason described his results as "perfect". We have been slowly reducing meds for months now and Dr. Mason said to stop giving him the last med (Azathioprine). As I said, I know it's only been a few days but so far so good. I don't want to jinx anything but I just had to share some good news since it's been so sad here lately. I don't think I will ever stop poking at Newman's gums but he just rolls his eyes and lets me. I don't know that I will ever truly believe we are completely out of the woods. Next week will be a year and a half from his diagnosis. I can't believe his little body has gone through so much. I know so many lose their fight but so many win too. To those still fighting the good fight, keep fighting and keep the faith. I will post pictures soon of my whole gang in their brand new Truman collars! Louise |
| Louise Georgetown |
| Wow, do I ever know that feeling. Sofie is med free for a week, her blood test today, the first in a month was great, everything normal. I too check gums, the poor girl wonders if I will ever let her lips alone. But, the good thing, she has no problems showing her teeth/bite to a judge now. You worry about everything, and always wondering if its gonna pop up again unexpected. I know my vet did all the right things, and even though there were times I wanted to stop meds sooner, I am so glad I listened to him. I also know that PCV done in house will differ, usually higher than a hospital test. It will also be a bit different if the blood amount is not the same as before. WBC's might be higher one test. Little things seem to esculate into "what if" type things, until you realize that as long as everything is in the normal ranges, its okay. Heck, our blood values probably change week to week also. Its still hard to relax and feel "its all gone". I think Sofie being such a young puppy helped her, she fought hard. The worst issues were trying to balance her tremendous growth spurts with not too much weight gain, etc. But, your results, my results and the couple of others right now that are off meds show this horrible disease can be beat. |
| Joanne Wyoming |
| Ernie is 3 months med free now, his last blood draw was all normal and to see him now it's hard to believe he was so sick 6 months ago. I've finally stopped obsessively checking his gums but I don't think I'll ever be completely relaxed about any of my dogs again. One day last week the smallest one woudn't eat her breakfast and just wanted to go back to bed. My first instinct was to rush her to the vet! I had to work hard to calm myself down and remind myself that Tasha isn't a 'morning person' and quite often wants her breakfast a bit later in the morning. In Ernies case we're lucky to know exactly what caused his AIHA and the vet seems to think that as long as he never has phenobarbital again there's no reason to worry about a relapse. Even so, all 3 of my dogs are now due for vaccinations and I'm really not sure what to do. I definitely don't want Ernie vaccinated and I'm reluctant to get the girls done. I made the appointment once but then changed my mind, I don't think I could live with the worry of it. |
| Sue Northamptonshire UK |
| Interestingly, I asked Newman's specialist about relapses. He said that if a dog relapses shortly after being taken off meds then he considers that a relapse. If they come down with IMHA, say, two years after stopping meds then he does not consider that a relapse. He says if it happens a considerable time after stopping meds then they have got the disease again, he does not consider it to be ongoing from the original onset "flaring up". It would be getting IMHA again and probably from the same trigger. In Newman's case we have no idea what that was. I was very hesitant to take Newman off meds completely but I have trusted Dr. Mason all along and he asked me to keep trusting him. He said he was as sure as he could be (given the circumstances) that Newman was ready and the only way to tell if the disease is gone is to take him off meds. If his blood values changed then we would know that the meds were controlling the disease and not that the disease was gone. I think in the early stages of being med-free it is very important to keep a close eye on things. In Newman's case, the last med to go was the Azathioprine which, as I understand it, stays in their system for a while. It is slow to build up and become effective initially and is slow to leave their system. I will be forever poking at Newman's gums. I think I'll teach him to lift his lip on command. With a new puppy in the house that shouldn't be hard. I'll just shape it with a clicker when he lifts his lip at the puppy. Don't know why I didn't think of it before! |
| Louise Georgetown |
| Congrats to each and every dog who is now med free. I know it will always be that 500 lb gorilla in the room but every day that you are able to hold and love your dogs is a bonus day. Enjoy the fruit of your long hard battles. Penny |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
| Louise & Newman, Congratulations on this wonderful accomplishment!!! Can't wait to see the pictures! Jeanne in NJ Angelo & Archie |
| Jeanne New Jersey |
This thread was discussed between 08/04/2008 and 11/04/2008
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