Split: Split: For Hope and Steve

[Hope]

Vally – thank you! I feel awful asking about 42% bc I know that’s good. I just wish I knew what Steve’s PCV was prior to getting sick, ya know? I don’t know if that’s his new normal or not I guess.

Tamara – they gave us humilac spray and Apoquel (Oclacitinib) allergy meds in April bc of the chronic ear infections and because (I forgot all about this until just now — my mind is gone!) for like a year or so before he got sick he had this persistent red rash around his crotch/abdomen. He would bite at it and it would get all irritated. We threw away all of our rugs and tried to find out what was causing it but never did. THIS might also lend itself to the whole cascade of problems chipping away at his immune system. Have you ever heard of a rash like this before?

Hugs all!
Xoxo hope and the stinky boys

[Tamara]

I know skin problems can be related to hypothyroid and/or allergies too, just like the ear infections. The holistic vet was telling me that so many people have come in with their dogs with skin problems and ear problems and the dogs have been on tons of med and pred and she tests the dog’s thyroid and they’re hypo — and when they supplement, everything clears up!!

It really might be worth it to have him tested for food sensitivities at Dr. Dodds’ lab, it’s the nutriscan test to make sure that’s not part of it. Poor Steve, that just sounds miserable!

Didn’t they do bloodwork before his surgery? That should have an HCT on it that would give you an idea, also did they do bloodwork for his annual exams? I only have two for Ash, and on one of them he is mildly anemic but the other his HCT was normal, I just can’t remember the number right now lol.

xoxoxo tamara and ashki

[hope]

Tamara –

you’re so smart! I’m sure they did do bloodwork before his surgery, and, I would, hope at least once a year at his annuals.

hugs!
xoxo hope and the stinkers

[admin]

Hi Hope

42% sounds pretty good to me – way to go, Steve! Never feel awful for asking. It’s an understandable question. Mable was tested when Molly was sick (as a potential donor). I think hers was around 45% (cats and dogs PCV’s are slightly different) . I’d never thought about it before, but I was glad to know it at the time, as it has given me a baseline. I’d never thought about so many things before that I think, worry and fret about now: pale gums, onions, garlic, parasite treatments, vaccinations, algae supplements, propylene glycol, Zinc, sunscreen ingredients – the list is endless! But before we all went through this, I suppose we had no reason to think about it.

Pinpointing exactly what set off Steve’s IMHA may be possible, but equally may not be. I have, many times, thought I’ve discovered Molly’s trigger, but I really have no idea. Even if we have some idea, getting concrete evidence is nigh on impossible in many cases. However, it is wise to give it some thought as it could certainly be helpful to Steve in the future.

How do you get on with Comfortis? I tried it once with Mable and she vomited everywhere. The vets wanted me to give it again but I refused.

As for whether or not it’s normal for dogs to experience a sharp rise in PCV and then to plateau, I am not completely sure, but I would expect so. The medication itself does not raise the PCV but dampens the immune system to prevent it destroying the RBC’s. Once the body has produced and maintained enough RBC’s to function properly (i.e. achieve homeostasis), there is no reason for it to continue to produce more and more, simply to produce a “normal” amount to maintain that balance. I do not know the exact physiological processes and maybe someone else can explain better than me. The medication should simply stop the destruction, allowing a normal RBC lifespan to occur. Hopefully I am right about this but if anyone thinks differently or can explain it better, please chip in!

Sending big hugs to you, Steve and Stinky. I’m so pleased he’s doing so well.

Love, Mary and Mable x

[Linda]

Hope – keeping up with you and Steve. 42 – way to go Steve!!!

You are in my thoughts. Sending our love,
Linda and Sadie

[Hope]

Mary!
Missed y’all … hope you and Ms. Mable are well! I ‘m starting to think that like Tamara was saying with Ash, Steve’s issues might have been a cascade of things that I didn’t put together: has 2 bladder stones (so he probably has some inflammation there from them bouncing around), hypothyroidism diagnosed by Dr. Dodds, chronic skin and ear infections (inflammation there), possibly the Comfortis or dog food change in the months before, stress from getting bit by the dog at the vet (even though he ended up testing neg for Babesia thankfully) and then maybe the whole chicken bone/vomiting incident 2 days before he got sick was just the catalyst that sent him into it?
Steve had had the comfortis before and he did okay with it, I think — at least at this moment I can’t remember him having a problem with it. My vet had switched him back and forth from Sentinel –> Trifexis (which I hear is awful for them) –> Comfortis and I was never really in love with that.
Your explanation about the PCV stabling out makes so much sense lol! It really does — I’m going to ask my regular vet what his PCV was back in 2011 when he had the bladder stones. Hopefully she’ll have a newer one but if not, we should at least have that one from pre-surgery stuff.

Linda – miss y’all as well!

We’re going in Monday for a PCV check (it’ll have been 15 whole days since the last time he was checked — which y’all know is huge for me. Our vet was like “stop coming in here. 2 weeks. you only need to come every 2 weeks.” lol), chemistry, CBC and maybe a Pred reduction. It’ll have been a month since his last one. I’d honestly love to start weaning him off the dang MMF — it freaks me out so much because of the risks with it. He’s “only” on 15mg SID of Pred but I’ll try to behave and do what the good vet says. He’s totally kicked butt with Steve so I can’t/shouldn’t question him. I’ll actually be back in class so hubs gets to go with him — oddly (sarcasm), I think our vet prefers that.

Hugs to everyone! Thanks for checking in on Mr. Steve (and Stinker)! I’ll keep y’all posted!
xoxo Hope and the smelly sibs

[Hope]

Real quick question — for those who use/used aspirin for anti-clotting purposes, did you use pill or aspirin suspensions? I asked my vet to call it into a compounding pharmacy because cutting an 81mg baby aspirin into 1/8ths was ridiculous and not very accurate it seemed. However, I just read online that aspirin suspensions aren’t very stable.. so does that make them less effective?

thanks everyone!
xoxo hope and the stinkers

[admin]

Hi Hope & the stinky boys!

Things are going well – 42 is GOOD! Nearly in the normal range. I’ve just gone back through Worzel’s blood tests – he plateaued until we lowered the azathioprine – then his PCV climbed at every reduction. I suspect as MMF has a similar bone marrow suppressing action & that Steve will climb again when you can reduce it. We got him off the pred completely first as it was destroying him – killing him actually. Mary is right though – because he is reaching more normal levels, RBC production will slow down anyway.

I doubt there’s much difference in the aspirin meds as people take either/or, but I have no personal experience with it apart from with humans.

Sorry to hear about Jeffrey’s bottie – that must be uncomfortable for him & for your nose! Can the vet suggest anything else to help him?

Good luck on the next tests – hoping you can reduce the pred again. I would want a blood test after every drop in meds too – it’s peace of mind – so they’ll just have to put up with you going back to the vets – tough.

Let us know how dear Mr Steve is doing when you can

Love & cuddles from all of us, Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx