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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Reposting for Christine
| Christine, BC, Canada, wd1n@shaw.ca My special little schnauzer, Riley, has just been diagnosed with hemolytic anemia. Our first schnauzer, Willy, died of this in 1991 and I cannot believe that I am going through this nightmare again. I suspected this was what he had 2 weeks ago but the vets reassured me that he did not. Now, his blood count is down by half of what it was and he is currently at the vet on an IV and prednisone. Tomorrow night I will be bringing him home for 1 1/2 days. Please send your prayers for him. He just turned 8 and he has always acted like a puppy. |
| Christine |
| Christine, I am so sorry that Riley has been diagnosed too. I am sorry too that your Vets decided not to listen to you. Your name and location seem to be familiar have you posted here off and on the last few years? If not be sure to read up at Joanne's web site http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson/ While there hasn't been a major break through like a cure the monies raised through Meisha's Hope are funding research that may make a difference in how Riley is treated vs how Willy was. Be sure to read the success stories too. It is very fortunate that we have this board to come to and get advice of what is working or not working for others. The most important thing is to have a Vet that is open and experienced in treating this. I will be keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted. Penny |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
| Christine, I am so sorry to hear about Riley. I own two Giant Schnauzers and love Schnauzers of all sizes. I am always especially heart broken to hear about any Schnauzers that have AIHA. You asked in another post about his apparently normal plasma levels of bilirubin but yet his urine samples at a moderately high level. I can guess that he most certainly had a hemolytic event but that the hemolysis has stopped. Now the liver and kidneys are clearing the body of the bilirubin? This would make sense to me. You really want to see some kind of CBC on this fellow. What you want to be looking at is the reticulocyte absolute value. If this is >60,000, and it most likely is much higher than that, you will know for sure that he is responding to anemia. But you and I both know that anemia is a symptom, not a condition. So what is the stimulus for all this destruction? In an 8 year old Giant Schnauzer I would be looking for autoimmune causes, hemangiosarcoma or possible internal bleeding from something like an ulcer or intestinal puncture. In a younger dog I would be looking for either rat poison exposure or ingestion of a zinc coin. Remember that not all Coombs test results show positive in canines. So if a diagnostician bases their diagnosis solely on the results of this result, they may be wrong. If this were me I would certainly want to know what is going on in the spleen, what size is it? And I would sure want someone to do a smear and take a good look for abnormal red blood cell types. Not all vets see many cases of AIHA and they may not be familiar with what most of us see here on this forum as a *red flag.* I have seen more dogs go either undiagnosed or under-diagnosed and under-treated than you could possibly imagine. You are Riley's advocate and you have some extra knowledge of what you are looking for. I can tell you that most of Chance's treatment was implemented by me, with the help of my local vet. They wrote the scripts and did the blood work and other tests, but I *drove the truck.* You can do this too. Stay here on this forum for help from many owners who have been through this. my best patrice |
| Patrice NYS |
| Christine, I am so sorry to hear the Riley is newly diagnosed. You are on a wonderful site that will be there for you and Riley every step of the way. Wealth of information and support. I am thinking of you both. |
| Mardi Northern Calif |
| Hi Christine From one Riley owner to another, I send my prayers to you for your Riley. As Mardi says, this is a great site for information and support as i know well with the short time I have been here. Are you able to post his blood count results? Best wishes and prayer to you. Silka |
| Silka Melbourne Australia |
| Dear Christine and Riley, I just saw your post, and see no updates. How are you and Riley doing? My name is also Christine, and I had a schnauzer who survived AIHA and Evans Syndrome, passing away last Christmas from a different disease at the age of 11 1/2. So young! I imagine you and Riley are on the AIHA rollercoaster and you barely have time to breathe, let alone post. My thoughts are with you both, Christine and Angel Kent, and Muki |
| Christine Florida |
| Christine, It must be horrible to lose a pet to this awful disease and then have another diagnoised with it. I echo everyone when I say that this site has been an amazing source of not only support but knowledge as well..My prayers are with you and Riley, stay strong and remember that it can be beat! Keep us posted...Kelly |
| Kelly Redding |
This thread was discussed between 19/12/2009 and 06/01/2010
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