Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - What to do?

I lost my beloved Golden Retreiver, Jack, this past August to Evans Syndrome. I now have another dog, a little resuce, Collie/Chow Mix, Miss Foxy. She is wonderful. I have only vaccinated her for rabies. The vet was not happy, but I said ONLY rabies. Now I'm faced with heartworm and flea, tick, prevention, etc. Went to Petsmart and they only have topical applications for fleas, of course, flea collars, etc. That's what I did with Jack. I am convinced I over vaccinated him, over dosed him on all the "Wonderful" drugs to keep him healthy, which lead to his demise.. But he still contracted this horrific disease. I do want to protect her and the last visit to the vet they told me, mosquitos can cause heartworms???? Suggested Heartguard. I am so very leary of all topical applications but must protect her against fleas, ticks, etc. and heartworms. Any suggestions? I am SO against over vaccinating but I also know I need to protect her against some things. AND I found out that if you want to send your dog to a grooming place, they require all those vaccinations before they will accept them. What a money game!

Mary GA

Hello Mary, good to hear from you! I am happy to hear you and Foxy are doing good. I just saw this natural flea/tick/mosquito repellent add that sounds pretty good. I have not tried it, but I am sure it is better than the chemical alternative: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control.aspx As for a groomer requesting immunizations, time to change groomers! I know that Foxy is a rescue and I would bet that she has had already a lifetime worth of immunizations. You could do a titer for Parvo and distemper and then you would know for sure if she is immune or not. If she is not you at least know there is a reason to immunize. I know that many kennels/groomers/trainers now accept titers instead of immunizations. At least the ones that are up to date to what is happening in the dog world! Here is a link to Dr. Dodds immunization protocol: http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM Best wishes, Brigitte & the poodle boys

Brigitte BC Canada

Mary - My holistic vet recommended Interceptor (base formula no "plus" or anything like that) for my IMHA dog and Dr. Dodds confirmed that would be her recommendation for him as well. Also, Whole Dog Journal recommends some type of heartworm protection because it can be a devastating disease. Depending on your climate, you may be able to give it only "in season" but you should check with your vet to see what that would be for your area. For example, in Chicago, I give it from June - November/December, every 45 days; with Intercpetor, the dose is effective beyond the 30 days the manufacturer recommends - not sure if that is true for every brand - again, I would talk with your vet and if they are not open to a different dosing schedule, you could contact a holistic veterinarian for help. Good Luck, Bonnie

Bonnie Chicago

Bonnie, This 45 day window is one that Dr. Dodds advised me of when Chance was ill. There was a European study that confirmed that Interceptor is effective for this time period. However, the manufacturer (any manufacturer for that matter) knowing human behavior, is aware that people can be forgetful. The 30 day cycle is well established and easy to follow. Thus it is an accepted dosing cycle. There is very little of the active drug in Interceptor (milbemycin) or Heartgard (ivermectin) etc in these monthly tablets. It is very important to realized that if you follow the 45 day cycle you MUST be sure to always administer it within that 45 day window. If you miss a dose while doing this, you must take your dog back to the vet for a heartworm blood test (SNAP 4 DX). Giving monthly heartworm pills to a dog that is infected with adult heartworms is very dangerous without veterinary supervision. If you fail to protect your dog from heartworm in this manner and the dog contracts full blown heartworm disease, the treatment can be very severe, utilizing a very serious drug, depending on the disease stage. The dog may need to be confined to a crate for the duration of the treatment, approximately one month. The drug kills the heartworms and as they die the parts can cause a potential embolism. I am very sad to say that my first Schnauzer, Heather, died in 1977 from a probable case of heartworm disease. There weren't monthly preventatives then because we didn't know about the disease! I am grateful now that I have a way to easily prevent this disease. We live in an active heartworm area and my vet says she treats a number of dogs each year that have the full blown disease. She has now begun advising clients to treat year round because of the milder winters. (Though you would not know that here this week, it was 12 below the other morning). my best patrice

Patrice NYS

Mary, I am sorry, I forgot that there is places where there actually IS a danger of hearworm. We are lucky to get away without preventative protection here. For now anyway. Best wishes, Brigitte

Brigitte BC Canada

Mary~ Our Tori (8 yr old IMHA poodle) has to take the heartworm and flea preventatives because of our breeding ground & humidity for fleas and mosquitos on the coastline in FL. She has always taken them, but since her IMHA diagnoisis we stretch it out to 35 days for Heartgard and 6 weeks for Frontline. Vet also checks her for heartworm every 6 months. It is not an easy call, but because of the risk to her without the preventatives we chose to continue on a year round basis. So far, so good. Enjoy your Miss Foxy! Blessings, Cindi & Tori

Cindi PCB

Patrice - Thank you for the reminder - I should have mentioned that the forty-five day dosing plan doesn't allow for any missed days - it's become second nature to me - I have reminders on all my calendars! And, it's a great point to stay aware of climate change - unfortunately, we all may be on year-round schedules one day. Take care, Bonnie

Bonnie Chicago

I have friend who shows bearded collies....she will NOT use Heartgard. She uses only Interceptor for Collies. Says there is an ingrediet in Heartgard that is fatal to Collies. Share your concern about the flea and tick issues...I think the dosing is an issue...the range is too wide for the size of dogs....I am going to consult the vet. But this is an issue for rescues since they often come with "passengers." And, of course, ticks come with their own deadly effects. I understand that Advantix is a tick repellant...and not just a pesticide and thus ticks don't come along. Maybe some others can confirm this...I am only beginning to learn about all the details of this following Juliet's IMHA. Pat

Pat Vermont

This is what is so darned confusing......what to do to protect our dogs and what will not kill them. Vets need to get up to speed. The old ways and old days are a thing of the past. My vet recommended Heartguard...go figure. I asked about Titers. She said they very seldom did them because they were "very expensive" about $150.00. And no one in my area, NE GA ever asked about them. BUT what is the cost of blood transfusions, etc for a dog with Evans Syndrome? I can live with the fleas, ticks, etc., but not heartworms. I will continue to research. And rely on Dr. Dobbs. She must be a saint and why aren't more vets, research people, University vets relying on her? She is the forerunner and no one is taking up the banton............

Mary

Mary, From my perspective as I learned from my first breeder, ticks and heartworm can and will cause serious illness and death. Fleas can cause misery in a household, but generally don't cause serious illness or death. Mosquito do carry heartworm and West Nile disease. Heartworm can cause serious illness and so far the reports are that West Nile seems to not bother dogs as much as it does humans. To protect animals in your home start by looking at the environment. My breeder advised me not to use the dog as the instrument with which to kill fleas and ticks as the first line of defense. If the area around your house outside and the inside of your home are loaded with fleas and ticks, that is the first place to begin. Landscaping changes can significantly reduce the infestations. Piles of dead tree limbs and other yard waste are an open invitation to this. Tall grasses and too many trees with vegetation also contribute. If there are woods and wild animals near your home create a barrier strip around the property with an area that has no vegetation and is covered with rocks. If there is a serious infestation, then it's likely that some limited extermination must be done. If you don't reduce those numbers outside, they will just come inside your home. I also use beneficial nematodes on my lawn every year. This reduces the number of fleas and ticks. Inside the home, begin with cleaning. Everything needs to be cleaned to remove infestations. If this is not successful, then you could try what I do. We wait until we are about to take a trip and then set up insect bombs in multiple rooms of the home to set off just as we are about to leave. This requires great caution so reading the instructions is a must. Among those precautions, I remove everything from the counters in the kitchen and when I return, I completely wipe down the whole kitchen to remove any residue. If this process is not successful, then consulting an expert is required. Once the environment is clear, then I examine what I need to do to protect my dogs. This depends on the geographic location and the incidence level of certain diseases in my area. We are in a high rabies and heartworm area but in a low to moderate area for ticks. So heartworm protection is a must, year round. We travel to a location in NYS that has a high tick incidence so the dogs must be protected from them when we go there. They have picked up ticks every time we go. So this means that the dogs must be inspected head to toe when we return from an outing and all ticks are removed, carefully. When you buy medicines for flea and tick protection, consult your vet. Use products with a proven safety record. Apply only the amount specified and no more and follow the instructions carefully. A little more for good measure is not a good idea. Your vet can also take the dog's breed and general overall health into consideration. Avoid combo ingredients. Only target the one thing you are trying to protect from. There are many negative reports coming out about IGR's insect growth regulators. The government is currently studying them to see if they are safe to remain on the market. These are the "extra" or "plus" ingredients you see to control fleas. Start with your environment first. Revisit with your vet yearly to see if there are changes to these products that need to be addressed. We are able to keep our dogs fairly free from infestation with these steps but it requires a lot of work. my best patrice

Patrice NYS

Patrice, thank you so very much for your response. I live in NE Georgia where it is humid and lots of vegatation. I think your comment about the yard is right on track! Foxy is 99% inside dog but of course, she goes out to do her "business". I am thinking about a flea collar as opposed to topical applications. I also am leaning toward Heartguard as a heart worm preventative. All my dog owner friends are totally against the topical applications and they have never had a problem with the health of their dogs. I don't think Foxy has fleas but she does seem to itch and bite. I've checked her for fleas and found none. However, ticks are prevelant in this area, more so in the summer, as I did find a few on Jack. Another question to all that read this, Dog Food. Foxy seems to have food allergies. She was fine on Purina Sensitive which is mostly fish. The store ran out so I got another kind which she promptly got an ear infection. Purina again. I went to Petsmart and bought Nutro Natural Choice for sensitive skin and stomach. I'm leaning more to Taste of the Wild. Any suggestions? There are just way too many choices and options in trying to keep your beloved dog healthly and well these days.....LOL. By the way, Foxy says thanks too! Those little "mutts" are just wonderful, aren't they? So appreciative and devoted. I am beginning to think they are healthier than the purebreds, altho, I'd take a free Golden anytime.

Mary

Sorry, not Heartguard after what Pat said.

Mary

I live in a rural area and while our dog didn't run wild, we took her on hikes in the national park and on ski trails in the summer. We have lots of deer and moose (even walking through our village a la Northern exposure) black bear, coyote, porcupines, etc., etc. that are about close by. It is really tough to totally ensure that the fleas and ticks are at bay with just landscaping. This might work in suburbs. I've been through infestations with fleas...used bombs and found them to be only marginally effective. The fleas are a nuisance and the diseases caused by ticks and mosquitoes are potentially life threathening to pets and people. It is a terrible dilemma. I wish I had an answer. There are a some great sites on the net about dog food ratings...Taste of the Wild, Orjen, EVO, California Naturals all have EXCELLENT/TOP ratings. You want the Main ingredient to be meat or fowl, contain no wheat or corn and use rice, not brewers rice which is a by product and not as nutrional as real rice. The rest should be fruits and vegetables and something like flaxseed oils. Especially avoid any food that says it contains "meat by products." By products are thingls like chicken beaks and feet and god knows what else. Just Google Pet Food ratings... you will get some good info to help you make an informed choice. And, of course, you can feed human quality prepared food as Johnny suggests. That can be difficult as he notes and tricky to get the right nutrients.

Pat Vermont

Thank you for the responses. This is just the best group of folks (doggie lovers) I've ever had the honor to "know". Foxy says thanks too.........

Mary

This thread was discussed between 25/01/2011 and 27/01/2011

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