Doberman with AIHA

[Karxlee]

Update: We have heard back from Dr Dodds and we have recommendation, after searching the internet for the past few weeks, it is looking more and more like Louis has Lupus which is showing the symptoms of AIHA, it’s known as the great pretender.

We had a slight crisis last night where we thought we were loosing him, his paw has swelled to twice the size and he seemed very very lethargic, once again Sheena jumped into action and sent us loads of information.

At 4am this morning Louis woke us up to go out, but by the time my husband got his shoes on Louis had laid back down and wouldn’t get up, we thought it was his time, so he sat up with him all night, just stroking him.
7am came round and Louis wouldn’t get up, we had agreed that maybe this is him telling us enough is enough. My husband went downstairs to get Louis’s lead to see if we could coax him outside and as soon as he heard it, he got up and almost ran down the stairs because he thought he was going for a walk!

He’s had a bit of breakfast which was a chicken breast and his medication, his paw is still swollen and he is currently asleep at my feet. We are going to get his PCV checked today and we are also going to try and get him back with Stefano at Rutland House, because when we called Liverpool last night and asked if they would do another transfusion they said they would discuss that but most likely they wouldn’t transfuse him again.

We need to give him some time to get back on the cyclosporine and to start tyroxcine as well as folic acid and iron supplements as suggested by Dr Dodds.

I guess his next treatment is out of our hands now, we need to get a vet to dispense the medication and to offer a blood transfusion if his PCV has dropped, we are expecting it to be around 15% now, as his last transfusion was on Friday and they are only lasting a couple of days.
This is a cruel and nasty disease, it doesn’t just take our dogs it destroys them before taking them.

I’ll update this thread again when I have any more news.

Thank you for your continued support you are all amazing.

xxxx

[Vally]

Oh fancy doing that to you this morning. Was Louis on cyclosporine before? Hoping with everything that the PCV is steady at least to give you a break.

Love Vally and Bingo
Xxx

[Sheena]

Hi Karyn

Just to wish you all the luck in the world for your vet visit. You know I will be thinking about you every minute.

Love & massive hugs
Sheena xxxxx

[Sheena]

Forgot to say I hope your vet will be happy to follow Dr Dodds suggestions – this will give him the best chance of recovery, I’m sure. And I hope you can get some help with that diarrhoea too. No fun for Louis at all to be like that, bless him. Is it worth getting a sample for the vets to test just in case it’s an infection, even though it’s likely to the side effects of the drugs? I think so.
Sheena xxxxx

[jill]

Hi Karxlee, just want you to know im thinking and praying for you and Louis , hopeing his blood has stayed stable .this is such a terrible desease,it gives us hope and takes it away again, but miricles do happen, Sheena was and is my rock she is fantastic, you can ask her anything and she will always be there, and so areall the ladies on this site, love and huge hugs Jill & Snoopy xxxxx

[Karxlee]

Update: Well we took Louis to Rutland today at 13:30 and Mr Stefano had read all the papers I had sent him from Dr Dodds, as well as the report from Liverpool. He said he had a slight problem because Louis isn’t technically his patient but he would check his PCV and assess him.

I thought his gums were looking a little pinker by my husband said they weren’t so as we sat in the surgery I thought he would be 18% and John said it would be 15% and would probably need another transfusion. When Louis and Stefano came back in he was smiling and said it was 21%!
We know on Friday straight after his transfusion he was 23%, but he was losing 4% a day, so to be at 21% after 3 days has given us some breathing space.
Stefano said he didn’t want to add anything into his current medication because he didn’t want to change anything, he also confirmed it’s NOT Lupus his blood smears have confirmed that, so the only thing he has added is antibiotics and told us to stop the drugs for ringworm because they cause upset tummies.
I wish you could see the smile on my face, i feel this is a small victory this week.

I know this is a very very long road, and we may not get to the end, but today is a good day :)

[Sheena]

OK, I know you are not out of the woods yet, progress is often slow. BUT this is the BEST news! Karyn, you & your lovely man have been fantastic for Louis – however small you think this victory is, it IS a great victory as it is the first time he hasn’t dropped.

I have done a happy dance with Worzel & Ollie for you guys – too right – today really is a GOOD day.

I completely understand where Mr Stefano is coming from – don’t rock the boat if something good is happening – and it is. Dropping the ringworm drug should hopefully stop that awful diarrhoea & he’ll be a much happier lad!

Much love & a smiley happy face (or 4 actually) from our house to yours,
Sheena & the boys xxxxx

[Vally]

Doing more of the happy dance over here. Oooooh, I wish we could add the thyroxine though. That simple little drug has made a difference so often. I also understand though that for the first time, there’s no dramatic drop.

Lots of love
Vally & Bingo