Sunny

[Vally]

Ah thanks Sheena, I didn’t realise Azathioprine was possibly bone marrow suppressant in the LONG term. I thought possible suppressant and that’s it.

Always learning.

Love Vally & Bingo

[admin]

Vally – you made me think – am I sure about this? Thank you for that. I was doubting myself (I remember my specialist told me about aza being toxic/suppressive long term high dose) so I’ve looked this up in more detail. I have to apologise – YES it CAN be toxic/suppressive in the short term for a few people & a few dogs. In humans, aza is dangerous for people with a genetic deficiency of the enzyme thiopurine S-methyltransferase & the suppression is a real threat for them straight away- it is very toxic & myelosuppressive to this group of people.

I have found this vet article –
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_azathioprine.html
It looks to me like a small proportion of dogs have the same kind of problem with it at the beginning too. From reading this that it can suppress any or all of the cell lines too. It also says that if this doesn’t happen in the early days (up to 2 months), it is unlikely to happen later – maybe this is genetic too as most dogs don’t have this problem, but I don’t know.

I have looked up the Cornell study again – 151 dogs with AIHA. Amazingly, not one dog had an adverse reaction to the azathioprine, so it must be pretty rare.

To correct myself (I’m so sorry to mislead you Maura), it IS possible that a few dogs can be affected at the beginning of treatment. In the long term, azathioprine is definitely toxic & myelosuppressive at high doses – it alters DNA too. The Marvistavet article also says high doses are bone marrow suppressant, lower doses are not. It is a good drug for T-cell suppression (in theory, it takes 7-10 days to act on T-lymphocytes) and has been used for 50 years for various diseases. On the whole, it works, but is not always the drug of choice these days for AIHA. Cyclosporine is preferred by many vets.

Many apologies for not being accurate in what I said.

How is dear Sunny today? Hope she’s feeling a little better – I hope I haven’t confused you with all this information.

Love Sheena xxxx

[maura]

Hi
Sunny is the same. Her breathing/panting from the pred. is still there. She likes to find the cool tiles and just lay there looking out. I looked at her gums and they are pink today. I am scheduling her appointment with Orchard Park for Sat and if her PCV dropped they can transfuse her right that day and I can be there. My husband agreed to shuffle my daughter to all her activities and I can go with Sunny.
Sunny is on now both azathyiaprine and atopica. That seems like a lot of meds. She is getting the pred cut in half for each pill now. I hope that is not too fast. But Dr M thought the pred obviously had not helped.
I am nursing Sunny best I can. She must be so tired of me checking her gums all the time.
I will write later–Thank you all !!!

–Maura and Sunny

[maura]

Sheena
i read the azathioprine article -that is a lot of info. So Sunny has jaundice, no baby red cells forming and thus non responsive . She is the ünlucky patient.”
I just hope that atopica is a solution.
–Love,
Maura

[maura]

Hi All
I am wondering if it is the anemia itself that the dogs who get this pass from or is it acute clots? I have the dr appointment set for tomorrow 920 am.
I worry Sunny will have a reaction again and I will have to make a quick decision in her suffering. The thought of having to make that decision (and trust myself with it) scares me. Orchard park clinic is where i am going -they have a blood bank.
I will TTys
Love
maura and Sunny

[admin]

Hi Maura

Having pink gums is such a good sign – we used to have a lady on here whose dog smiled for her as she was so used to having her gums checked!

Yes, she has been unlucky so far & I’m so sorry for this, but she’s only been on the drugs a few weeks – was it 12th August she started them? There are a lot of people on here whose dogs have taken a long time to respond & become regenerative, so you are not alone.

Sending you loads of best wishes for Saturday,
Love Sheena xxx

[admin]

Hi Maura
Missed your last message as I was typing. Clots can be due to the disease and also the transfusions. Sunny is on aspirin now to prevent further clotting, but you need to have a good chat with the vets about how worried you are. They can explain what they intend to do if she needs transfusing again. Please can you print these & take them to the vets with you:
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/abnormal-clotting/
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/AIHA_Terms/transfusion/
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/effect-of-duration-of-red-blood-cell-storage-on-transfusion-associated-inflammation-in-dogs-with-imha/
Love Sheena xxx

[admin]

Forgot to mention our new Hemopet Resources link at the top in the blue bar.
https://www.secondchanceaihadogs.com/hemopetresources/