Split: Split: For Hope and Steve

[admin]

Hi Hope
It would be a good idea to print out our glossary item on abnormal clotting & take it with you to the vets – you can ask if any of 1-5 are present or not.
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/abnormal-clotting/
Hope this helps!
Love Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx

[Linda]

Hope, I sure hope you, Steve and Jeffrey are okay. Poor Steve – know I’m thinking of you.

I don’t like that your vet does’t want to draw the blood for you to send. Dog gone it, sometimes they just don’t get it. I’d insist in a nice way. I was afraid to ask too, but I got to where I let them know that I had enough knowledge to know I wanted it done and that I wanted to schedule the blood draw
to send the serum. They ended up
working with me. Just nicely, say you WANT it done. Period. Don’t be intimidated. ;)

Here’s so hoping good news soon. Sending huge hugs and much love,

Linda and Sadie

[Hope]

Hiya sheena and Linda!

Sheena – thanks for that link! I forget that glossary is there sometimes and it’s really so helpful. Still waiting on the vet to call me .. Arghhhhh! When I went to pick Steve up yesterday they said tha the ultrasound came back good but we were still waiting on the CBC to come back. Vet was supposed to call us but haven’t heard back. I need to talk to him about the anti-clotting meds.
Linda – hope you are well!! Miss you around here! He drew the sample for dr dodds!! Yay! And I just got an email that it arrived to her this AM. Poor mr Steve seems to be having a little harder time with this reduction. Hubs says he is like this at every reduction but I’m super nervous and always worried as usual.

Hugs to y’all!
Hope and Steve

[Hope]

hi all!
i just spoke with steve’s internist — first time I’ve actually gotten to speak to him, not a tech, in a while so i’m really happy! lol! he’s awesome though.

he asked if steve was still having GI upset, which he is. he vomited again last night and he’s super gassy. The doctor said if we have any other GI issues in the next day or two to bring him in and he’s going to do an X-ray to rule out obstructions. The U/S came back clear, specifically he mentioned pancreatitis but he said it may not have picked up something in his stomach. Steve’s still also kind of lethargic and being picky about food and drinking today, which I’ve not seen in Steve since he’s been on Pred. The vet said that we may consider dropping his Pred AGAIN if the GI issues do not resolve, to add another Pepcid and that he might add some Flagyl if I have to bring him back in.

I’m a bit worried about the PRed reduction again since steve hasn’t been up to himself since the last one. He said most dogs don’t have PCV’s in the 40’s a month after diagnosis so he feels okay with it… thoughts anyone?!

He actually gave me more specific info about blood work today:
– agglutination: “a while” but he didn’t say an actual date
– spherocytes : none since June 9
– markers for hemolysis: none since June 18, though that might have been from the blood draw? What exactly are markers in blood work for hemolysis? I asked him and he didn’t really say.
– 2/3 liver enzymes are elevated
– out of house PCV was 44% (!!!)… which one is usually more accurate?

Here’s what I am kind of concerned/confused about… he said WBCs were kind of elevated but that’s consistent with IMHA. I know I should know this but I’m a little brain-deprived at the moment.. shouldn’t that NOT be the case since he’s on immune suppressants?!

Tamara – you were totally right. He said the Lovenox needs to be tapered. I’m glad I made a pt to talk to HIM about it today bc the tech yesterday said no, we can just stop cold turkey.

Patrice – do CBCs detect cancer at all? I was talking to someone about my fears of MMF with the lymphomas, etc. and we didn’t know if the CBC could rule that out.

Thanks and hugs to all!

Hope and Steve

[Hope]

Hey all!
Wanted to ask a quick question — did any of y’all take your babies on trips/vacation with you while they were still being treated? We had plans to go to the beach with hubby’s family in a few weeks. I’m not comfortable boarding him for a few reasons, most notably that regular vet (where he would have to go) doesn’t do 24hrs and since he’s on meds all night they’d have to move him to an emergency clinic at night and back to her office in the day. Do y’all think it would be okay to bring him with me? I asked his vet and he said yes but to be careful for ticks bc they can wreak havoc on IMHA pups obviously. Just wanted to get y’all’s opinion!
Thanks!
Xoxo hope and steve

[Brigitte]

Hope,
we took Kahlu on a 3 week road trip from Vancouver Island to Nevada and Northern California, 6 months after his diagnosis. He was still on a whole bunch of medications, sorry I can’t remember the doses but it was prednisone and azathioprene for sure. My husband took a course in Reno (no not gambling:)) and I decided to go along. I did not do it lightly, but honestly it did us all good. I spent so much time with my dog it was wonderful. He was in pretty good shape by then and we went on walks and just played and rested under beautiful big trees in parks. I have wonderful memories of this trip! I think taking Steve would be less stressful for him that having him stay with someone else or have him boarded. Ticks are of course always a concern, even with healthy dogs. Are there more ticks where you are going? Steve has such a short coat, you would see them on him fairly easy. Try that on a poodle with a very thick coat!
Best wishes,
Brigitte

[Hope]

Hiya Brigitte!
I’m not sure about ticks so I need to look into that before I make a decision.. It’s the beach so definitely safer than going camping or something like that I would hope(?).
Your memories are exactly why I want Steve to come! He loves the beach – he came with us a few years ago and seriously had the best time. I was originally planning to stay home with him bc of my issues wjth boarding, not to mention I am certainly not a beach bunny lol. then I thought it might be nice for him after all he’s been thru. I don’t think I would let him go out in the sun too much tho.. He’s on MMF, which I think is linked to an increase in skin cancers in humans.
Since IMHA pups don’t get flea and heartworm meds anymore (right?), do you know of anything I can do to help keep the ticks away? A collar maybe? His fur is so short it shouldn’t be a problem but I’m all for prevention too lol! I CANNOT imagine checking a poodle baby — they have SOO much hair. But gorgeous!!

Thanks!
Hope

[Vally]

Hope, Patrice mentioned in the thread

https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/forums/topic/nexgard/

about the Doggles Insect Sheild Bandana. Maybe have a look at those as a repellent. I think you both deserve a holiday.

Vally & Bingo