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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Older dog with large tummy
| Just wanted to pass this along... Years ago, my 14 year old Cairn Terrier started to limp in his hind quarters. I took him to my vet and they said it was just arthritis due to old age. I also noticed his tummy looked that of a pot-belly-pig. Over the next 4 months my vet continued to treat him with Penicillin. He was a blond coat with black skin. His skin began to deteriorate over the fourth month period. My vet gave me some sort of liquid to use in the tub to soak off what appeared to be rotting skin!!! He got so bad during this four month period that he wouldn't walk anymore. This was back in 2005 and he was only my second dog ever so I was ignorant in taking him to see another vet for I believed my vet knew exactly what she was doing. Well, she didn't even have a clue!!! My friend told me to see her vet for advice and I did after my last visit when my vet recommended keeping him on the penicillin for another month and then bringing him back...I said, "He's 14! He may not have another month!" And he didn't.... The new vet found out within 2 weeks and multiple tests that my 14 year old, Simon, had Hepatocutaneous Syndrome. It is a rare liver disease that will cause the skin to "rot." By the time he was diagnosed, his organs were shutting down and only two days later was I forced to put him to sleep. His appetite never decreased and his water intake never was abnormal. He had a distended abdomen that I thought was his little "old man pot belly." I wanted to post this in case it may help anyone here with any strange symptoms they may notice. This liver disease is not breed specific.... |
| Shannon Florida |
| Very sad, it sounds like another mysterious disease that unfortunately, when it strikes, no one knows about it until after he was too sick.. Poor baby. melissa and tiggs |
| melissa slc |
| If Simon could have been treated even two weeks prior to his diagnosis he could have been saved. The treatment is given through their jugular vein so they have to be sedated. With his organs shutting down, this obviously was not a possibility. I wish their was a way I could get this to more people. I did post the information on a Cairn Terrier website. |
| Shannon Florida |
This thread was discussed between 22/05/2009 and 23/05/2009
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