Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Sway Update

Because the last Sway thread is now over 80 posts long I am starting a new thread that contains Josh's last post. Joanne Josh's last Post start NOW! thank you very very very much everyone for all the good thoughts- im glad she is made an impression on so many people and just very thankful to have yall here praying for her- so saturdays blood draw was not a good result... shes came down from a 25% - all the way to 17% + her RETIC count was only 171,000 which is her lowest level since 2007... i mean anything over 60k is low-regenerative but sway was around 355k in july for example. i started the pancreatic enzymes on the 18th... her blood draw was on the 24th, my vet said he doesnt think the 2 are related in any way..i havent heard of anything bad about the enzymes but i guess u never know. for the first couple 4-5 days on the enzymes i really felt like she was gaining a very subtle amount of weight...but then on sat she was weighed and she was still just at 26 pounds. since then it visually seems like shes even got skinnier and back to where she was when i originally posted this thread. im definitely going to continue to try and be patient with the enzymes and just pray that they do end up helping. aden- i would like to speak with ya but i cant put my address here cuz thats what got me blocked apparently. you actually mix the enzymes in a liquid? couldnt that possibly render them useless if it is too hot or too cold? let me know what the best way to mix them in is cuz i definitely dont want to do anything wrong- i basically wet her dry food down with chicken stock and then let it sit at room temp for 20 min, then mix the enzymes into the food and let that sit for another 30 min--then i give it to her. let me know if i am doing anything wrong or if there is a better way. karen- i did speak to dr. cameron- after bouncing back a few emails i called him on the phone and actually talked to him for about 45 min. he laid out a nutrition plan for sway for the next year that was pretty extensive. i will post that info here for anyone to see what other's opinions are- do that tonight. i had to re-start her on the pred at her lowest dose (2.5mg EOD) because her allergies have started now again and she is back to chewing her pads off her feet. i also had to restart the tylosin powder because 2 weeks off of that and her stools were terribly runny and just an all around hard time for her. for now thats about it here, so much info patrice, thanks for getting my info to joanne. joanne- thanks for clearing my IP

Josh CA

Josh, I know you have pretty much ruled out everything, but what whipworms, I was just reading about them and in extreme cases, they cause severe weight loss and anemia and are almost impossible to get rid of and the dog keeps getting reinfected because these worms can live in the ground here is an interesting article http://www.greatlakesbcrescue.org/HealthNTraining/Whipworm.htm Laurie

Laurie CA

Josh, I am glad you were able to talk with Dr. Cameron. He has helped me through many things in the past. Our dog Lilly was diagnosed abt. 2 yrs ago with Lymes & Ehrlichia & Dr. Cameron helped us through that. Now, she has developed AIHA (diagnosed on 1/27) and I plan to speak with him again. I don't have many blood counts on her but know that her PCV was 26 on Fri & 29 on Tues. Both tests done at different vets so i have to allow for machine differences. She doesn't have any of the other symptoms I've read about except lethargy and a bloated stomach. I hope for the best for you and Sway. We are just starting our journey with this & can only imagine what you're going through. I'll be anxious to see what Dr. Cameron had to say.

Ann WI

Josh, While the retic count is low, it still indicates regeneration of some amount. This is good. We have discussed in detail how her M values (MCV, MCH MCHC) are constantly indicative of a microcytic anemia. This is smaller than normal RBC and lower than normal hemoglobin content. This difficulty making good sized and healthy RBC just keeps her pcv at a lower number. Her tests just keep coming back like this. The most common cause of this is iron deficiency as relates to dietary deficiencies. There are other causes. I am not an expert at this but perhaps Dr. Dodds can give some insight. However, because she has reverted back to runny stools as soon as you stopped the tylosin powder, I still feel she may have some kind of malabsorption problem that may be related to SIBO small intestine bacterial overgrowth or perhaps inflammatory colitis. I can say for sure that Chance had problems like this when he became so dreadfully sick. It was a very long treatment with metrondiazole that eventually returned his digestion to normal and seemed to improve his health significantly. Tylosin does have the same anti-inflammatory properties as metrondiazole, but I wonder if there are subtle differences between the two that might be significant? Without the ability to properly digest food, Sway will be low in two very important nutrients that assist manufacture of RBC and transfer of oxygen: B12 and iron. Lack of other nutrients is going to keep her weight low and her systems low on proper nutrition. The digestive enzymes can help with this to a certain extent. You can't do any harm by giving them to her. But I wonder if her intestine is so inflamed that she just can't get the nutrients through the wall (into the blood) to the body cells? If this doesn't happen properly, the enzymes won't really be very effective. As for allergies... Well Chance has had them all his life. The allergy shots worked great, but we can never go there again because of AIHA. What we finally settled on was Temaril-P. It's used for reducing allergic symptoms (is also anti-inflammatory) and it works very well. It will not solve the cause of the allergies, but it is very effective. It is a combination of two drugs, one of which is 2mg of prednisone per tablet. If you are going to be on prednisone anyway, why not try the Temaril-P to see if you can't control the allergy symptoms a little better? They are prescription only and can be purchased by the pill (at around .30-.40 per pill). Your vet may even give you a small quantity to try. There isn't a day that goes by that I do not think about you and Sway. my best patrice

Patrice NYS

Partrice, what about having Josh add vitamin c to Sways diet? I read it helps to supplement vitamin c as it helps with iron absorption. It did say if you have kidney problems not to supplement it though Laurie

Laurie CA

just got back from the vet and sways PCV has dropped again to 15%- we are probably going to transfuse on tuesday :(

josh california

oh no! so sorry to hear this. we are praying for poor sway.

leslie ca

We are keeping you and Sway in our thoughts and prayers. Please let us know how it goes on Tuesday. Cheryl & Ginger

Cheryl & Ginger Pineville PA

Josh, I am so sorry. We will all keep praying for you and your dear Sway. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Josh, I am continuing to keep Sway in my prayers. I have to think she has fought for so long that she will be a winner. I surely hope so!! Try to stay positive, you have been just amazing. Jess

jess BC

Josh, ((hugs)) and prayers to Sway. Laurie

Laurie CA

Josh, Also, continuing to keep you and Sway in our prayers! She has fought such a hard battle and I hope and pray she will continue to fight! Linda

Linda Sapphire

Josh, Praying for you and for Sway that Jesus will heal her, protect her, and send nourishment through her entire body with new RBCs. Please give Sway a hug and a kiss from me. Karen

Karen NC

Hi Josh, Just want to say my thoughts are with both you and Sway. Samantha

Samantha Australia

Josh, lost my Holly to this last year, am really rooting for you and Sway. Hope transfusion goes well if it goes ahead. Keri x

Keri Lynn Wales UK

Josh, your and Sway's fight is such an inspiration to everyone here. I'll say prayers for your sweet girl -- a transfusion can be a very good thing, so hoping for the absolute best. Sharon

Sharon CT

^^ yea shes already had 8 of them back in 2007 so she is a veteran of the transfusion game- thanks for everyone who is praying for her... i have the packed cells in my fridge right now and i will be dropping her off 2morrow at around 9am. will update on how it goes, im not anticipating any problems with the actual transfusion itself- hopefully that is the case.

josh california

You guys are in our thoughts today - Good luck! Chris

Chris Pa

Thinking of you today and sending lots of positive energy to both of you! Love Brigitte

Brigitte BC

sways transfusion seemed to go okay today... she is back home now- something worth mentioning tho is she is now down to 24.4 lbs, from 26.5 on saturday- so her body is just continuing to crash. this was an image taken just tonight- http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3252444196_da294cfecf_o.jpg i spoke to dr. dodds tonight and we are trying to figure out if the reason her count has dropped is because the vial of steroids i was using is almost empty... so it could in essance be 'diluted' to a point of not giving her the needed potency. needless to say, trying to get to the bottom of these numerous things is just difficult. i still need to post what Dr. Cameron has suggested to me as far as her nutritional supplements- it was co-signed by both dr. dodds and my everyday vet dr. woods i will post my own thread with the details of that, hopefully over time that will begin to help her in treating some of the roots of these problems. thanks for the thoughts-

josh california

Josh -- thanks so much for posting the update on Sway. I know you have so much on your mind, but I have been thinking of you two all day and hoping all would go well. I am glad the transfusion went well, and she is back home with you. I don't know what to say about the weight thing. This is just mystifying, but for you it has got to be excruciating seeing her physical decline and not having anyone able to find an answer. I hope that Dr. Dodds and Dr. Cameron can find the fix. Please take care. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Brenda VA

Josh, I am thinking of you both and keep praying that someone will find that elusive key to what is going on with Sway. Penny

Penny Lytle Creek Calif

Josh, I am so glad that Sway's transfusion went well. I understand that it takes the Standard Process products a few weeks to work. The guy at the health food store suggested I start Darcy on some SP enzymes and I emailed Dr. Cameron before doing so. He agreed and also suggested adding in the SP chlorophyll. Darcy is on about six Standard Process supplements right now. I hope Dr. Cameron is able to help Sway. My best to both of you. I continue to hold you and Sway in prayer. Karen

Karen NC

Thanks for the update. She is such a fighter. Glad to read that the trasfusion went well. Hoping and praying they will be able to find out what is going on and help her.

leslie ca

Lots of hugs and prayers are with both of you.

Sue K PA

Josh-I think of you and sway often-I'll pray that things turn out okay.

joe ohio

This thread was discussed between 30/01/2009 and 09/02/2009

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