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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Pancho is ill: please HELP!
| Hi everybody, Pancho is a 1.5 y/o Jack Russell Terrier. He's been vaccinated when he was a puppy with Nobivac DHPPi and Nobivac Lepto 2. He never had any particular health complaints a part for a ring worm infection (treated, but left a rounded scar on his front leg) and a minor infection which solved itself quickly with some generic antibiotics. His diet should be pretty good: we cook for him every 4-5 days mainly brown rice or brown pasta mixed with cooked meat (chicken or beef) and plenty of vegs, both cooked and row. Sometimes we put some olive oil and primrose oil in his food. He also took some pro/pre-biotics on and off. His treats are dry sausages. He has always been a very active, muscular dog. He gets plenty of activity and he's very bright. He goes hunting for bunnies and foxes and other animals in the bushes in Scotland. He's very sociable and of good nature. About 10 days ago we notice he's not the usual himself. First thing we notice he shakes. A visible tremor occurs, looks like it happens when he inhales. He's becomes quieter and quieter, he doesn't want to go out when normally he always wants to shoot outside the door. Sometimes he asks to go out but when out he just either sits just outside the door or he wants to come back home straight away. He seems to pee and poo normally, but we noticed that when he lifts his leg he's unstable in his balance. At home he doesn't seem to follow his usual rest/activity patterns. He sits on the floor looking numb and he lays down, but he doesn't really go to sleep in his bed. His appetite is 40-50% than normal. He drinks water, maybe a little bit more than normal. We take him to the vet and she finds his temperature to be really high. She finds his glands swollen. She gives him an injection of generic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory and she asks us to continue with antibiotics at home and to keep an eye on him. On that evening he seems to be a little bit more active and brighter, he takes a small walk and he seems to be more bouncy and energetic. Overnight same story. He doesn't come to bed with us as usual and he seems just to stay there, awake, looking at us from the floor. He wakes us up around 4am moaning but after a while he quiets down again. He's still shaking. The day after we take him back to the vet and she decides to take blood and urine samples. She injects him with more antibiotic. She takes x-rays of abdomen and chest. The results don't show anything abnormal and she decides to refer us to the hospital vet. Once there a deeper, full examination and more tests are performed, including a neurological test. They confirm the swollen glands and he seems to have some complaints fully bending his neck downward, left and right. The blood test results show a worrying low level of platelets, to the extent that they are near to zero and spontaneous internal bleeding is feared. He doesn't show any signs of internal or external bleeding. They ask us to leave him there for observation and to get more tests done. It's 4 days he's there. They phone us everyday updating us on the situation. Pancho seems to be quite bright and active, but once back indoor he quiets down, shakes and literally sleeps on his feet, even if it appears to happen with less intensity than before. He eats plenty. They took a sample from his glands and the results are negative. They put him from day 1 on a different, more specific antibiotic as they suspect a systemic infection. The platelets are still near to zero and they don't show any sign of improvement. Tomorrow or after tomorrow they should receive the results for the bug culture (I apologise for my poor terminology) to see if it's the case of a bacterial infection. They might want to send us to the vet hospital in Glasgow to perform him some deeper neurological tests. Reading a little on the internet I came across thrombocytopenia as a possibility. I'm posting here to hope some owner or vet can give me their opinion based on a similar experience or specific knowledge. Please help. We're experiencing some dreadful time and we're dead worried. This is a photo of Pancho: paquito He's our special one. Many thanks Paolo |
| paolo scotland |
| Paolo, With platlets near zero, ITP (immune mediated thrombocytopenia) may be a real possiblity. If you have not read about "Midnight the Miracle ITP Dog" who had ZERO platletes when she was diagnosed with ITP over 10 years ago, you might want to do so: http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson/midnight.htm At the end of Midnights story are a couple of links to more info on ITP. If this were my dog I would certainly be going to a specialist to see if he/she can find out the problem since such low platelets can be very dangerous. Keeping both you and your Pancho in my thoughts and prayers. |
| Joanne MN |
| Paola, I am so sorry to hear about this very serious problem that Pancho is having. You must be so worried. Please stay with us on this list for advice and friendship. Thrombocytopenia is a description of the condition of low platelets, not a cause. It means "low numbers of platelets." There can be several causes for this, one of which is autoimmune, or immune mediated. The body's own protection system gets confused and attacks itself. If this is the case and platelet numbers are very low, your vets should begin treatment with immunosuppressant drugs like dexamethasone and/or prednisone very soon. This can be life threatening so prompt action is important. Please ask your vet if they have done any tests to determine if this could be the caused by a tick disease. This should be part of any preliminary testing when platelets are very low. Tick disease is very common around the world and your vet will know which tick diseases are most prevalent in your area. You may not have seen ticks and may discount that this is possible. Esp in the spring, ticks can be as small as the size of the period on this sentence and could go unseen(.) Often the symptoms come on suddenly with no warning. Treatment is usually straightforward with a special antibiotic and, if tick disease is the cause, results are often seen in a matter of days. my best patrice |
| Patrice NYS |
| Paolo, I don't have anything to add at this point I just wanted to let you know that you have found a great support group here. Please feel free to post anything and know that it is very likely someone will share their experiences with you. I hope that you can get a diagnosis soon so you can fully understand what you are up against. We have a number of posters from Scotland so they will probably offer advice of where to get the best treatment. Keeping you and Pablo in my thoughts and prayers. Penny |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
| Dear Paolo, I am so sorry to hear about the difficulties you are having with Pancho. As always, Patrice explained everything so well in her post above, I don't have much to add on that front! Has your vet mentioned Thrombocytopenia to you? It certainly does fit the symptoms you mention with Pancho. Maybe you should discuss this urgently with your vet if you haven't already done so. Everybody here on this forum has battled IMHA/AIHA, ITP or Evans Syndrome at some point in time, so please stay on this forum for advice and support. Please keep us posted on Pancho's progress. Jack Russell's are tough so I know Pancho will put up a good fight and beat whatever is causing his low platelets - I have a Jack Russell X (Harry) and I swear he is indestructible! :) All the very best - you are in our thoughts, Samantha & Millie. |
| Samantha Geelong Australia |
| Paolo, I am so sorry to hear that your Pancho has fallen ill. It is such a scary thing to see an active dog, fall ill so fast. You have found a great place. Those here are a wealth of knowledge, and support. You and Pancho are in our thoughts and prayers. Jessi & Toqua |
| Jessi BC |
| Paolo, is it only the platelets that are low? I second the Tick testing. These are a usuall cause for low platelets (thrombocytopenia) and it would be a good starting point. If the platelets are still SUPER LOW the perhaps you can ask the vet about a drug called Vincristine. This drug causes a sudden release of platelets from the bone marrow. It's used occasionally for the treatment of ITP (thrombocytopenia). When are you having blood work again? Hopefully we'll hear an update soon. I'll keep Pancho in my thoughts and prayers. Johnny & Tessy |
| Johnny |
This thread was discussed between 02/05/2010 and 03/05/2010
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