sassy is relapsing.

[alyssa]

21% this morning. Whites down to 17. Platelets are at 550.

I’ve had her on 20mg baby aspirin as that is why we did last time. The specialists my vet consults with is saying to have her on 80mg. Does this sound right / safe to you guys? She is 75lbs and he said that is still very low dose for her weight.

[Jen]

Hi Alyssa, I’ve been seeing online 5mg-10mg per lb. but I’m not sure how accurate that is. I looked up vet info website & dog place website. I’m sure more knowledgeable members will comment on correct dosage. My Maggie was advised to take one baby aspirin (81mg) and she weighed 24lbs so she was on low end of what I read..
I’m glad to hear Sassy is doing well

Jen

[Sheena]

Hi Alyssa

Aspirin – ultra low dose is recommended:
http://www.vetbook.org/wiki/dog/index.php/Immune-mediated_hemolytic_anemia
says 0.5mg per kilo per day is best. That’s about 0.25mg per pound.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/circulatory_system/anemia/hemolytic_anemia.html
says the same dose. My old Cornell file from when Worzel was diagnosed (my Specialist was this chap’s good friend at Cornell!) also says that dose, so stick with that. I can only find this Cornell PDF on the net now:
https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.scvsec.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/85969IMHA-Paper.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwit38jhkpbKAhVFvBoKHfYiAWsQFgguMAY&usg=AFQjCNETriTSfl6vj4AqIm-sOo2MnETqeA

Bearing in mind Sassy had low platelets AND the research, I think this is the right dose from all the research. Anyone else care to comment please do.

Glad she’s doing much, much better!

Love Sheena xxxx

[Vally]

Hi Alyssa, this is good news. She’s a very clever girl.

Vally & Bingo
xxx

[Alyssa]

When is the best time frame to give Xanax (ALPRAZOLAM)? Sassys dr prescribed it to her for storm phobia. While I’d love to use herbal stuff or thunder shirts I’ve tried it all and it simply won’t work.

I am nearly certain she relapsed from 2 days worth of the worse thunder even I’d ever heard, produced by winter storm Goliath. Christmas day she was fine. That night the storm started. She was out of her mind paralyzing fear for those 2 days and nothing I did worked to bring her down. The last day of the storm she started acting sick, had a fever and relapsed. So we’ve got to try a stronger approach. I know that it is going to storm tonight with thunder, wind and potentially hail. It’s not entered the state yet but is on the way. What is the best time frame? 30 min before? 1 hr? 2? longer?

[Alyssa]

I’d also like to note that her dr (well, one of her drs – she sees two – one didn’t dismiss the idea) doesn’t really think the storm relapsed her / that stress can do it. I strongly disagree though. If he saw her those 2 days maybe he would as well. But it would have been awfully coincidental if she just relapsed out of no where and that storm had nothing to do with it. I’d never even heard thunder that bad & it was scaring me.

[Brigitte]

Alyssa,
it is a known fact that stress can trigger AIHA and a relapse. I used to think as stress in being anxious. but stress can also be stress to the body because of inappropriate food or lots of medications that stress the body. Anything that makes a dog anxious could potentially trigger it, so your thought that the storm did it is definitely not far fetched. Even in people it is known that stress is the biggest killer.
Even if you don’t agree with some of the vets, I would just let it go. No point in arguing over that one. I am sorry I have no experience with the medication you mentioned.
My dog has shown focal seizures and shown more anxiety lately, intolerance of other dogs(not AIHA related, he is not a AIHA dog) and his holistic vet suggested to put him on a Chinese herb called Free and Easy Wanderer. I will give it a try since it also supports the intestines and he is a very fussy eater. Of course this means that he will have to have it for a while to take effect. But maybe you want to have a look at it. I would however not give it without the supervision of a vet, preferably a TCM vet.
Best wishes,
Brigitte

[Vally]

Hi Alyssa, Bingo used to love storms and fireworks. He’d be out there chasing them and was great fun to watch. He can’t hear them now unless they are tremendously loud.

I’m sure that’s the last thing you want to hear.

However, someone came to the house and brought their dog with them, a little black Maltese. Well talk about anxiety. He was in such a state that I didn’t know what was wrong with him. He ended up in hospital for a day while they did a zillion tests on him. In the end, I’m pretty sure it was this little dog that came into HIS home.

Going over it all with the vet, I realised that at the same time as this monster came into the house, the Adaptil Plug (pheromone plug) had run out. I am pretty sure the pheromones DO work for Bingo. I can tell when it has run out because he starts to lick his front paws a lot and he starts jumping at shadows. So I still think he sees the monster in the shadows when the liquid has run out.

Good luck
xxx