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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Sheba Update
| Thought I would post an update on Sheba as I haven’t posted in some time. In mid-December we were finally able to cease all meds and on December 31st we went for a check up. At the time our PCV was holding steady at 42 but we discovered our BUN and creatinine were elevated. Because of Sheba’s age (12), the vet wasn’t sure if this was due to the meds or “old age”. We put her on Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d and scheduled an appointment for a follow up. When we had everything tested again at our last appointment her numbers were pretty steady but her weight had gone up. (Mostly due to a lack of exercise as Sheba is unwilling to walk after dark these days. Cold doesn’t bother her a bit but the dark does. I suspect she can’t see as well as she used to and it bothers her.) We decided to start mixing her food (back to Purina OM for the weight) to see if we could get her weight down. And of course, schedule another appointment for blood work. We just got back from the vet’s this morning and it was mostly good news. Our weight had remained the same (still over weight but we hadn’t put any on!) and our BUN and creatinine were back to normal. So, we suspect that was a side effect of the Atopica. Our PCV, however, has dropped 5 points to 37. While obviously not below normal, it is on the low end and does concern us. (I know a lower PCV in “old” dogs is not uncommon but given her history it is worrisome to me.) So, back in two weeks for another check up and in the meantime we keep our fingers and paws crossed. Sheba continues to be in good spirits and other than some weakness in her back legs, happy as ever. We are off to the park this afternoon as it is warm here today (upper 40s!) so I hope we can get in a good walk. Even a slow, meandering walk full of lots of sniffing would make me happy! We continue to keep everyone here in our thoughts and prayers (hang in there Sway and Billy and way to go Mac and Kahlu) and hope everyone has a great weekend! Rita, Mike and Sheba |
| Rita IA |
| Rita, 40 degrees sounds like a heatwave for you. Ha! I wonder if it is the sight or whether these drugs cause some mental things? I hope Sheba has a glorious sniffing about day. Sometimes it is just nice to rejoice in the normal doggy things that give you that moment of forgetting about all the other things that you've had to deal with. Penny |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
| Hi Rita, 37 is in the normal range for Shebas age. If it were me though I would not wait 2 weeks for another test, they are cheap and fast, since she's been holding at 42. It could be just a fluke, but I would do it after a week and see if its holding, then if its the same I would wait 2-3 weeks for another test to see if it continues to hold. I Think I told you about my Wylie who is 11+. She was holding at about 39 when she was first diagnosed. which is great because of her age and she also doesn't have a spleen. She was never on very high doses of pred and on it short time. In Nov she had a relapse and she was on higher dose and she shot up to 46. We have been slowly weaning her off and she is holding at 46. Crossing my fingers she is down to 5 mg every other day and hoping her pvc is staying at 46. Laurie |
| Laurie CA |
This thread was discussed between 07/02/2009 and 09/02/2009
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