4mo pup IMHA

[Sheena]

OOOOOHHHH I’m a scaredy cat too, just like Vally – I also would prefer 5mg every day at least, then go to skip a day. Confession – we did do a 10g every other day with Worzel as he was completely emaciated with the pred, BUT we knew the azathioprine was working for him – that’s what scares me a little with Coal as she only has the pred & no other immunosuppressant. So my personal opinion would be to take it a bit slower – always up to you, Amy, but please have a good chat with your vet. I admit I am very cautious.

I found Worzel very, very naughty on pred – he recently had a dose for his sore shoulder & immediately became a little sod! Cheeky, greedy, nutty, annoying, noisy. I quite like him that way after he’s been off colour, but my goodness it’s wearing!

Love & luck
Sheena & the boys xxxxx

[Amy E]

To be honest I am scared as well. So far everything my vet has done has been correct. I do trust her and she thinks this is best for Coal. I don’t really understand how any of this works so I worry about all of it. Because Coals IMHA came on so young they can not be sure she will be protected when going out to the dog parks. She is allowed at play groups but not public dog parks. Thats ok I don’t like them much anyway because of the badly behaved dogs AND owners! I will talk to the vet again today and ask if she is SURE this is the right route to take for her. Coal is having another blood draw so I will make sure we talk and I voice my concern. Do either of you know of dogs who relapsed with a 50% reduction at this low of a dose? I can understand when she was at the super high doses but maybe it makes a difference when the dose is lower? I know the lowers doses have something to do with the adrenals. UGH! I hate all of this!!! Thank you for being such great support to me!
Lots of Love and Sassy puppy kisses!
Amy & Coal

[Sheena]

Amy – this is so hard to decide. To my knowledge, we have never had a dog just on pred on here or on a previous site (VetNet) that has recovered fully. They always need a second immunosuppresant unless the diagnosis was wrong – we have had some dogs with haemolytic anaemia which is far more common, but NOT IMHA. I have always been joyous & thrilled to tell owners their dog doesn’t have IMHA/AIHA – we don’t get many straight foward cases like that on here because generally people find us when the treatment isn’t working (because it’s wrong for various reasons) or it’s a fast onset serious case requiring transfusion/ emergency room care or the horrible & seemingly hopeless (but far from hopeless!) bone marrow failure. So I have personally never come across this scenario. If someone else has, please join in folks!

What i’ve long-windedly tried to say is I don’t know – when I don’t know for sure I am always inclined to be cautious, just as I would if it were Worzel. I promise you I would never advise you to do something I wouldn’t do myself.

So here is my opinion & the reasons behind it:

Go for the slower option of 5mg daily for 2 or3 weeks, then every other day for 2-3 weeks, then stop altogether – rushing things for the sake of a few weeks extra is not worth the risk. To me RELAPSE is the scariest word on the planet – all this effort to get Coal well & the gentle, safe reductions so far have paid off – she has no terrible side effects from the pred (Worzel did big time) but has no back-up drug either, so I honestly don’t know what could happen & would personally go slow & safe. If your vet feels the pred is affecting Coal badly, that would be a good reason to go faster – but that to me is the only reason. My confession about our fast refuction- I was truly terrified & I promise Worzel really suffered horrendous withdrawal symptoms – he was hurting & it was painful for him when we touched him – he was a walking skeleton by then. I knew we had to do it, but I also knew the azathioprine was what saved his life & started his bone martow working again. You are not on the same steroid river – I’m so glad you aren’t with Coal being such a puppy baby. Keep on the pleasant meandering stream, gently reaching your destination. The ride on the rapids is best avoided – I hated every second of it!

And finally, the every other day is always good to finish on as it’s less shocking for the adrenal glands. I have a friend who has a very rare genetic aldosterone deficiency who takes meds every day. If he forgets his Dexamethasone for a day, he’s OK. If he forgets for two days, he feels really REALLY bad, proving those adrenals need careful wake up calls!

My specialist told me he didn’t gave a crystal ball, but he wished every day that one would appear so he could always give the right advice, bless him. That is how I feel. I really cannot give you a precise factual answer, but only an opinion.

Love & hugs

Sheena, “bored with that long message” Worzel, & “nodded off ages ago as there are no biscuits” Ollie xxxx

[Sheena]

Sorry – typos on my Android thingy AGAIN

[Vally]

Amy, Bingo was doing 5mg daily and we went to 5mg every second day and relapsed. We had done 50% reductions up until this time. His PCV dropped from 47 down to 32. Now I had my doubts about the 47 result, but nevertheless, to be on the safe side, we upped his pred back up from 2.5mg every second day up to 10mg again and all over again. This happened twice. Now Bingo has never been able to come off pred totally and is only on a small dose now, so maybe he’s a special case (and not just “special”).

I know every second day is the way to wake up the adrenals, but I just think 10mg to every second day is a little too quick, especially just for the sake of a few weeks.

Vally & Bingo
xxx

[Patrice]

Amy,
Go back to this post and re-read my math on this. I show you how to do a 25% per week reduction.
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/forums/topic/4mo-pup-imha/page/13/#post-16165
my best
patrice

[Amy E]

Ok so we started the 10mg every other day on Thursday so that means we skipped Friday took a pill on Saturday and skipped sunday and will get a pill tonight. I have seen NO CHANGE in her at all. I will not lie I jumped out of bed this morning in a full blown panic thinking I forgot to give her the meds and messed the schedule and she was supposed to get them yesterday. Thank the good Lord that wasn’t the case. I put her pills in a medicine box with the days on it so I was relieved that there was a pill in there for Monday! PHEW!!!!! I have been watching her very carefully and so far I think she is ok. I don’t know if this disease looks very different because of her age or what but I do know that I don’t see any change in her behavior and her eyes and gums are pink as ever. Unless I find a significant change in her I am going to stay the course for now. I so appreciate all of you and your info! Much Love
Amy & Coal

[Sheena]

Glad all is well – she has youth on her side for sure, plus a vigilant Mum! When is her next PCV check? Just pop her in early if you are worried. I could not have coped without a medicine chart & pill box either – that feeling of panic that you’ve done something wrong is just awful.

Crossing everything for Coal to be fine & off the drugs completely very soon – what a relief it will be to have reached the landing point on the steroid river! It’s called remission & I love that beautiful place.

Promise me something – you will stay on here – please – we need wonderful people like you. You make a huge contribution to helping new folk & encouraging everyone to fight hard, which makes such a difference.

Come on Coal & Amy! I am so thrilled she’s doing well.

Love & hugs
Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx