PLEASE HELP. My best friend Lab, Buddy, has just been diagnosed with IMHA. He is struggling. Thanks and GOD bless

Brian -- my email is callieatcritturs@yahoo.com (it's faster to get me that way than just a post).

The aspirin dose is too high -- even one "low dose" aspirin is WAY too high.  It's just to thin the blood because at the beginning of IMHA one of the hallmarks is the tendency of the red cells to "agglutinate" or stick together.  But It has to be an extremely low dose *and*  it's hard on the stomach.

Dogs can take Prilosec, Zantac, Pepsid or Tagamet -- Zantac is a 12 hour drug -- be sure to give two a day but at least 1-2 hours 'off' from the immune suppressors/pred (it's a delicate dance to 'protect' the stomach but not prevent the drugs from absorbing).

Diarrhea is typical (so is all sorts of stomach distress.).  I will post below here my vet's recipe for Slippery Elm Cocktail.  It is an incredible help.  But be *very* careful to use the "inner fillet" aloe and NOT anything labelled "whole leaf".  You absolutely must read the label carefully.  Whole Leaf aloe will cause more diarrhea rather than helping it.

Right now allow the dog to be absolutely sedentary.  While the red cells are still low, fhe heart has to work way way too hard trying to cycle the blood around and around in an attempt to provide enough oxygen to sustain life.  Even just sleeping their bodies are working as hard as if they were running the Boston Marathon four times today.  

IMHA is very difficult to treat.  I am not saying anything at all bad about your vet -- but if at any time you feel like the dog isn't progressing or isn't thriving then just plain head straight for the nearest vet school.  Often they are far far better than a specialist, often far less expensive, and truly more cutting edge.  It is absolutely no bad mark against your vet if you decide to go to a vet school.  This disease has protocols that change instantly over and over -- for any normal vet to try to keep up on this disease is freaking impossible.  

And with a vet school you don't have to make an appointment -- you can literally go in via ICU any day of the week, any time of the day.  

In short, "waiting" with IMHA can be fatal.  If you decide one day he's just not quite acting right -- or really not as good as he was yesterday -- with IMHA that is sufficient reason to go to the vet.  It can be too difficult to tell when they are crashing.

I am so sorry you had to find us -- but I'm glad you did.  There are no stupid questions -- feel free to ask me anything.  I've been doing this almost 9 years now.  My Billy not only survived but he thrived!  He wasn't a young dog when he came to us, and had been with us a couple of years when he got IMHA -- it took me 18 months to get him off all the drugs, but then he had the best 3 years of his life **post** IMHA.  Yes, it can truly happen.

It will take you a long long time to get your dog off all the drugs -- you do not want the vet to wean them off any of the drugs fast (it can cause relapsing).

If you will email me I will send you other information -- particularly about milk thistle (which protects the liver and aids liver function) and SAM-e (which helps detox the liver).  There are a lot of things you can do beyond the immune-suppression to help Buddy.

This is actually to prepare the stomach *for* food - and specifically it will heal ulcers that often occur because the meds are so strong. When the stomach is 'sore' (and dog stomachs sort of roll the food around so it 'rubs' on an ulcer and can be **very** sore) they don't want to eat.  The recipe is from my holistic vet, Dr. Connie DiNatale (in Winter Park FL). It is ***not*** a stomach protectant (don't use it as such) and the slippery elm in these doses should not prevent the drugs from absorbing

NOTE:  don't use slippery elm "tincture" for this ... you really need to use the ground 'bark' (listed as an "herb" usually) to get the full benefit of the tummy help here.  You *can* buy a bottle of capsules with the ground powder in them and empty enough to make 1 teaspoon.  

Also – look for a liquid aloe that says “gel” or “inner filet”.  But specifically do *not* get an aloe vera that says “whole leaf”.  All of the aloe plant is medicinal but those little spines on the edges are a laxative and you don’t want those in your liquid aloe.  Typically if one brand of aloe juice is way cheaper than others, if you read the label you’ll see “whole leaf” – pass that one by.

It is drinkable aloe – not aloe formulated or thickened to use on the skin.  If you are looking online go to the ingredients list.  That is where you will find the words like “inner fillet” or “aloe vera gel”  (those are what you want but usually it will use one term or the other).  But if you see the words “whole leaf” pass on it.

1 -- half a cup of boiling water.

2 -- add 1 rounded tsp. of ground slippery elm (powder not tincture)

3 -- let cool totally

4 -- add 1/8 c. + 2 tablespoons of aloe juice (real close to ¼ c.)

5 -- add 10 drops of chlorophyll

6 -- Add 2-3 capsules (open the caps) of acidolpholus

Once you get it mixed up and whipped smooth, it keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days (after that the acidopholous dies).  

Use a baby medicine syringe and load it FULL.  Give about half an hour before a meal.  Just put the tip of the syringe behind the canine tooth and hold the mouth loosely closed.  Squirt slowly so they can work their tongue to swallow.

Most baby medicine syringes are 2 teaspoons.  You need that much even for a small dog.

You can give this 4-5 times a day if you need to.  No specific dose.  Those baby medicine syringes hold about 2 teaspoons.  Use what helps your dog.  

Get several of the syringes – I usually load 4-6 of them at night so they’re ready in the morning. It is helpful to keep a big glass of soapy water on your kitchen counter.  Once you’ve given the “cocktail” pull the syringe apart and drop the pieces in that soapy water.  It makes it all far quicker and it makes cleaning them EZ (if the stuff dries on it’s yucky to clean)