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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Poppy -questions
| Thank you Joanne and Anne-Marie...i really feel I need to hear from others who have been through the same. From reading through the agony so many have suffered from AIHA(pets and owners) I find it hard to comprehend how prevalent it is. Do all the dogs with the disease go through the initial critical phase?...it is so new to me and it sounds as though some are treated as outpatients?????? My heart goes out to all who have and are suffreing due to IMHA and I believe this site will be a great help to my daughter and myself. I will be recommending it to others such as Poppy's Mama(her breeder)and putting my energy into learning more and spreading awareness. I read in the grief and loss section about training a possible new dog in therapy work...well that is what my Poppy did. I am a teacher and she has been our school dog since she was 4and a half months old. She gave, gave, gave to all the school community but especially some behaviour, special needs and underpriveledged children. She was a special angel and I just don't understand how my healthy, vibrant girl can be gone so quickly at such a young age. Maureen |
| maureen Bris |
| Hi Maureen. Trixie came down with AIHA last October. I first noticed she wasn't very well when one morning she came upstairs to me, I was getting ready for work, I heard her on the top stair. When I looked, she had her 2 front paws on the top stair, her head was down and it seemed she was trying to catch her breath. When I called her in to my room, she was a little wobbley on her feet. Up until then she seemed fine, normal eating habits etc and still active. I took her to the Vets. Whilst I was there I also mentioned about her front paw, it seems the base of the nail was torn. He gave her antibiotics and said they should help with her paw and might help with whatever had happened to her that morning. I was asked to keep an eye on her and take her back after 4-5 days. The decided to do a blood test and thats when I was told her had AIHA. Basically that was it, the course of medication was started, one of which had an adverse effect on her. As of today she is climbing back slowly after having a blood transfusion and Bone Marrow biopsy, in January. From what I have read here on this forum, the start of AIHA seems to be different for each of our furry pets. Tricia |
| Tricia UK |
| Maureen, Sounds like your Poppy was truely a wonderful girl and she will be missed dearly by alot of loving people. I entered this site one year ago March 2007, when our Holly, 2 year old mini dachshund, started having seizures. Our local vet did blood work and we found out at that time that her PCV was down to 12. Our vet was not equipped to deal with this disease, and luckily our bosses were up from Atlanta and took Holly back down to Atlanta, where she spent one week in the hospital. When she entered the hospital on Monday morning her PCV was 8, they really didn't know how she was even walking around. They began testing her for everything and did a bone marrow aspiration and gave her one transfusion and started her on all the meds and she began her long journey of recovery. Today, 1 year later, she is still in her journey of fight and still on low dosage of meds and weaning off slowly. It is a very long, expensive disease to treat. We often tease on here because quite a few of dachshunds that it is the stubborn German in them that keeps them fighting. Not sure what the answer is of why some make it and some do not, I guess it is just what their little bodies can endure. For everything that your little girl gave in her love and caring for others, I just know that you gave back to her just as much with all your love and caring. Please take care, Linda |
| Linda Sapphire |
| Maureen, As I expressed earlier, my deepest sympathy to you. My Molson was officially diagnosed with IMHA in Dec. 07. It was very stressful and my vet didn't seem to know a lot about the disease. I tried to offer input, but that was not really welcomed. I thought Molson was pulling out of the woods when he was quietly moving toward the light/color of the Rainbow Bridge. On March 25, 2008 I had to put him down as a result of the complications of the disease. It has been by far the most difficult thing I have had to do. Never, did I think that Molson's death would have hurt so much. He was such a good cocker spaniel. I continue to miss him. Know of my thoughts and prayers at this time of loss. Ann Marie |
| Ann Marie FL |
| To everyone, thank you for your support, even when you are obviously grieving yourselves. My heart aches for all of you. I am also praying for those little ones still fighting a battle and pray that those much loved furry ones that are experiencing a good quality of life continue to do so into a nice old age. maureen |
| maureen Brisbane |
This thread was discussed between 13/04/2008 and 14/04/2008
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