Hi
I'm new to the forum but couldn't go past this post as it brought back horrible memories.
5 yrs ago my silkie X got AIHA - took her to the vet with a PCV of 8. After 24 hrs IV fluids and then a whole blood transfusion she came home with me on cortisone and Imuran - big doses. I was on leave so I could nurse her 24/7, but I think the vet didn't expect she would last the night. After 4 days of treatment she was going nowhere and I had decided to have her put out of her misery but the vet had been doing lots of research and talking to the specialist clinic at Sydney Uni. The result was that Imuran was changed to cyclosporin and it was explained to me that the drugs could kill her as easily as the disease, but that they were her best shot and the vet considered that she'd fought hard to stay with us so she had a good chance of responding. I'm glad I trust my vet enough to go with the advice. After a number of painful months, with the silkie's PCV yo-yoing backwards and forwards but trending upward she finally looked like she would actually get better. 8 months after the nightmare began she was off drugs and in the 5 years she's lived since she has had great health, lots of energy and is full of life - basically she's never looked back. Maybe she won't live as long as little dogs generally do because I'm sure the drugs and the disease have used up any 'extra lives' her liver and kidneys might have had, but her quality of life is great. Getting her through the disease took a great toll on me both emotionally and financially (although I'd never complain about the vet's charges as they were pared basically to cost but cyclosporin was hideously expensive even at cost and even for a small dog) not to mention the lack of attention the other dog suffered for at least the first month. However, I guess I can say from today's perspective that it was worth it, but I don't know that I'd put either a dog or myself through that again. The bottom line is, make sure your vet is really up on the latest treatment for AIHA as it changes all the time and some of them are still using 10 yr old treatment regimes. Good luck - we'll keep you in our thoughts.
