Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

[mita]

Brockie, the tibbie next door was rushed to hospital yesterday after being found bleeding from the insides. Diagnosis is Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. He's since had 2 transfusions of whole blood.

Prognosis uncertain. Vet said 1/3 die, 1/3 can live with medication, 1/3 completely recover.

Has anyone had a dog with this condtion?

If so, what was your experience?

[fiery_di]

pm Jenti1 on this one. They have had a dog with this condition. I think they have just weened the sick one off all meds, so in somewhat of remission phase.

My dog had Immune mediated thrombocytapenia which affects the blood platelets so is a little diff. I know that in most cases the disease can be stabilised with Prednisone and Imuran (steroid based drugs). My Ruby also grew out of this disease after 3yrs. She is now totally med free and back to normal.

Alot has been said that the cause can be from heartworm prevention meds, esp the Proheart yrly injection. Find out if the neighbour recently had the dog treated for heartworm in this way..

[dogbesotted]

A dear friend lost her girl to AIHA a couple of year ago and my boy Morris has Immune Mediated Thrombopcytopenia. Morris survived after several blood transfusions and a long time on medication. he passed a few years layer due to lymphoma. A vet friend of mine says that often they suspect some sort of other disease such as lymphoma or a tumour somewhere having some slight involvement but I have not read anything else about that.

Both AIHA and Thrombocytopenia can be the result of vaccinations, the yearly heartworm injection ( in both cases it is only a small number affected but worth keeping in mind and insisting on a report being made).There are some plant and poisons that also cause AIHA.

Helen

[poodlefan]

Dogbesotted:

Both AIHA and Thrombocytopenia can be the result of vaccinations, the yearly heartworm injection ( in both cases it is only a small number affected but worth keeping in mind and insisting on a report being made).There are some plant and poisons that also cause AIHA.

There are far more causes than these... any viral, toxic or other "shock to the system" may produce the condition in dogs. Some breeds like Border Collies are more prone to it than others.

Two friends of mine have dogs who have survived the condition - at great financial and personal expense to their owners. One is on meds, one requires none.

Dogs affected were a BC and a Silky/Maltese cross. Cause of the condition in the first dog was traced to a rare parasite.. in the second no cause found.

The drugs used to treat the disease are very full on and its sometimes a case of a race to see if the drugs kick in before THEY kill the dog.

If owner's require support and a friendly chat with someone who's been through this, PM me Mita and I'll hook you up.

Edited February 19, 2007 by poodlefan

[mita]

Thanks for all that info, folks. Just the kind of information that's wanted at the moment.

Especially the point that there could be some other pathology behind it, like a tumour ...which explains why the tibbie's vets want to do a scan.

Also that survival may be at much cost to the owners in a number of ways.

Brock the tib's owners honestly didn't think he'd survive when they found him bleeding early Sunday morning. Described as 'buckets of blood.'

Vets found his blood count down to 8%.

Since then, he was given plasma, with disastrous results...vets said it almost killed him. Later they gave him whole blood & his count went up to 20%.

Then the vets gave the diagnosis of Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia & mentioned a prognosis of 1/3 recover, 1/3 survive with ongoing meds, 1/3 die. But could give no idea of where Brock would fit.

Each night since, the owners have been phoned in the early hours of the morning to say that Brock's blood count was down again & asking for permission another blood transfusion.

The vets have established Brockie's had the condition long-term....but the cortisone he takes for his skin allergy has kept it dormant. When it broke thro...it was horrendous, with all that bleeding.

Brockie's owners adore him...but thought very hard yesterday evening, what this will mean for Brockie. In the short-term, the crisis treatment is awful for him and the outcome is totally uncertain...& they now know the condition was/is firmly established in him. They've decided that Brockie will not continue to be put thro' all this.

But they gave permission for a blood transfusion early this morning...deliberately, so that Brockie will feel as best as possible, when his family are with him today while he's helped to heaven. He's 8 1/2 yrs old.

It's an awful condition...no predictability. His family are shattered....this is a specially lovely little dog. Even the staff at the emergency hospital remarked what a great little dog he is. Through all the ups & downs & handling by staff in the last few days, Brockie's quiet tibbie buddhist calm has won them completely.

Edited February 19, 2007 by mita

[dogbesotted]

Dogbesotted:

Both AIHA and Thrombocytopenia can be the result of vaccinations, the yearly heartworm injection ( in both cases it is only a small number affected but worth keeping in mind and insisting on a report being made).There are some plant and poisons that also cause AIHA.

There are far more causes than these... any viral, toxic or other "shock to the system" may produce the condition in dogs. Some breeds like Border Collies are more prone to it than others.

yep i know ..was just mentioning a few

h

[fiery_di]

Re the heartworm treatment being a cause of immune related diseases. I am 99% certain that this was the cause for Ruby's ITP as each time she had the vacc approx 1wk later in the initial instance she contracted ITP, then the second yr of having the vacc 1 wk later her platelets decreased enormously even tho she was on the Pred and Imuran so had to double the dosage.

I now refuse to treat my dogs for fear of the vacc ailing them again.

[weiz4eva]

Hello all,

My Eurasier nearly died from Immune mediated thrombocytapenia too, and my vets say it was from her yearly vac as it was not long after it she became VERY ill. My vet refuses to give her Vac any more, and i havent. im so glad im not the only one to have delt with this due to Vacs too.

Claire

[starcastle]

My dog died from it.

She had recently had Erlichia and was treated with Interceptor, it is not clear whether this had anything to do with it or not.

[Tassie]

Poor little Brock - but sounds like his owners are doing the right thing for him, given his history and the probable progress of the disease.

I lost my first Border Collie to acute IMHA at age 12 and 3/4. He went from apparently fit on the Sunday and Monday, to acutely ill on the Thursday. Vet made the diagnosis, but the treatment is so hard on the dog, she wanted to confirm the dx with a pathologist before starting him. I took him home for the night, and he died the next morning. Very hard at the time, but in retrospect, probably the best thing. No apparent connection with vaccs (6 months previously) or h/w - not on it. I didn't have a necropy done, but at his age, it wouldn't be unreasonable to suspect an underlying tumour - maybe in the spleen.

[mita]

Brockie's owners asked to thank you all, most sincerely....for the information & sharing of experiences which gave them huge support at a shocking time. They said it helped them understand the condition & do what they thought was right for Brockie, tho' it broke their hearts.

When they went to be with Brockie for the last time, on Wednesday, he was as fresh as it was possible for him to be....thanks to a last blood transfusion. He was thrilled to see his family.. Tail wagging & giving Tibbie kisses. Cradled in his dad's arms, he gently went to heaven helped along by a sedative before the green needle.

The following night....his dad, a big, tough ex-Navy man...told us he dreamed Brockie came & saw him and gave him the 2 Tibbie kisses which he gave him every morning of his life...on his arm at the edge of the bed or on his leg when he got up. It was Brockie's little ritual...

His family are missing him dreadfully....but his dad feels that Brockie's told him, 'I'm OK now, dad.'

Edited February 24, 2007 by mita

[Owned by Shelties]

Our shetland sheepdog has just been rushed to the vet with the same thing. He had this back in 2001 and after many blood transfusions he has been great until this morning.

Dad went to let all dogs out and Pepsi just stood up the back of the yard looking like no body was home so mum had a feeling that the disease has come back and yep she was right.

His blood count back in 2001 was 18 blood count this morning was 14 the vets doesn't hold much hope we have got bloods coming down from werribee..

Please we could really use some prayers right now.

[Vonasche]

My thoughts go out to Brockies family.

I lost my Rotty boy, also named Brock, at the age of 4 yrs to AIHA.

Came home from walking the other dogs, to find him down, laying in pools of blood. By the time i scooped him up and rushed him to the vet, he was too far gone, his lungs were full of blood and he was virtually drowning. He crossed the Bridge in my arms on the floor of the Vet Clinic.

[mita]

Lots of prayers for Pepsi from all of us here. Brockie's blood count was down to 8 at his worst. When transfusions got it to 20, they thought things were looking up. But it kept slumping back.

Let's know how things are going. My heart goes out to your mum & dad.

Zeds_mum, I'm sorry about your Brock. That was exactly the same for Brockie....found in a pool of blood.

Horrible disease...& a horrible way for most people to find out about it.

Edited February 28, 2007 by mita

[Owned by Shelties]

I'm so sorry for your loss must have been heart breaking for you and your family does anybody know if this lays derment for years and years? does it come back if dogs are run down?

Will keep you all updated waiting for vet to call us back.

[Vonasche]

Owned by Shelties, prayers and hugs for you and Pepsi.

AIHA is something the dogs will live with for their natural lives. I know with my boy Brock, any infection, including kennel cough, put him into an episode.

[mita]

does anybody know if this lays derment for years and years? does it come back if dogs are run down?

Brockie's vets said he'd had the condition for years... but the fact that he had to take prednisone for a persistent skin allergy, had kept it dormant. But finally it broke thro'...with a vengeance.

Hoping for the best for Pepsi.

[Owned by Shelties]

Are they suppose to be on medication after the first episode? as the vet didn't give pepsi anything

When should Pepsi be put on medication now or wait to see if he comes good????

[Vonasche]

Owned by Shelties,

Speak with your vet before Pepsi comes home in regards to medication. The majority of dogs with AIHA do require medication, and i would certainly be pressing for Pepsi to be started on prednisolone, considering this is the second episode.

[Owned by Shelties]

Hi just had call from vet his blood count has come up to 23 from 14 he has eaten dinner and is on a fluid drip, they will take more blood tomorrow morning and afternoon. Mum has asked them y he wasn't on medication for this when he first had it in 2001 vet didn't explain y they didn't do it. I will be making sure along with mum that he doesn't leave unless he's on medication.

Prayers are going his way tonight for a safe and uneventful night.

Edited February 28, 2007 by Owned by Shelties