I wanted that flat tire I had to BE part of our "three" (you know, bad things happen in threes?? *sigh*) It wasn't.
Last week my husband's Mini got broadsided (he's ok, and it WAS covered by insurance cos the lady was 100% at fault)
Tree of my neighbors broke and crashed and obliterated our backyard -- mega expensive ($3600 all told) but it didn't damage the house too badly and we ARE all right!.
#3. *sigh* It's Billy.
On Saturday we found out he had that deep bacterial infection 'behind' the ear drum. But because I've been worrying for a few weeks that *I THOT* Billy was somehow sick, my husband and I decided to go ahead and pull that senior blood panel ANYWAY. Just because he's 6, and he feels so much better this summer than last (with all the mega skin problems -- the thyroid meds are helping), let's at least have a 'baseline comparison'.
Oh boy -- I am SO GLAD we had that blood panel pulled.
No, he's not ok. His red blood values were totally trashed -- hematacrit verylow, packcell value VERY low ... his body is producing red blood cells as fast as it can, BUT his body is also killing red blood cells as fast (or faster than) he produces them.
The vet is 99.999% certain he has a diagnosis of Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia.
Not good. Now ... Billy has not 'crashed'. We didn't find this because he's so weak that he's dying. WE found this literally by accident. His values are low, but not deadly.
That may come. Yes, I am beyond devastated. This boy is very very close to me -- he's another dog I have poured tons of blood, sweat and tears into getting him healthy.
The 'good' part is that he has NOT crashed. This is treatable at this point. This may be *very* treatable and he may have many good years left. Or ... he could suddenly crash next week. WE don't know, but chances are he has a decent shot.
Why?
Typically IMHA results from over-vaccination, over-medication (antibiotics, etc.) -- NOT Billy. (he's had virtually no vaccines at all in the 2 years he's been with us -- I'm totally anal about it. 6 months ago he had a 3 year rabie shot because it's the law here -- and he may never have another. That's gonna be a big decision.
IMHA is also incredibly breed-related. About 1/3 of all dogs who get IMHA are cockers. Particularly American cockers (Billy's an English but likely a mix of the two). But astonishingly -- it's VERY predominantly buffy coat cockers! Yep -- That's my boy.
Ultimaely it will likely be fatal -- maybe not. Because we caught it VERY INCREDIBLY early. (Can I simply say that the Alpha of all Alphas WANTED us to find this?? I can't come up with any other reason).
He's virtually showing no signs and Dr. Bailey has already sent off the confiming test (Coombs test) to find out "for sure". But the list of things it *could* be beyond IMHA is pretty darned short and pretty darned impossible, at least to MY understanding right now.
He's trying to get hold of my holistic vet so they can put their heads together and try and see if it is possibly some 'reaction'. Dr. B has started Billy on pred (typical for immune-mediated anything -- slow down the immunity so it will leave the body alone). But Dr DiNatale- my holistic vet -- she's also prescribed some herbs for Billy. One is a glandular supplement to sort of 'decoy' the boy into chasing better things than it's own immune system. And the other is a blood-builder (which he can certainly use because he is so very anemic).
I talked to my regular vet because I know this drug he gave us on Saturday (Clavamox) is one of those biggies on the list of "don't give to dogs with immune-mediated ANYTHING". But actually both the regular vet and the holistic vet agree it will likely be ok, particularly since the body probably needs to hit this ear infection hard and get rid of it.
I'm blown away folks. Honest and truly I am. I need prayers and good thots -- this boy came to us with SO many problems, and he and I have developed a very very close bond.
It is POSSIBLE (not likely, but possible) that with treatment this may just plain 'go away'. We are in SUCH early stages of it, that it's impossible to predict -- typically no one EVER catches this, THIS early.
But, we have a history of helping dogs where little hope is offered. We were able to keep Foxy's renal and [link
http://www.vegsource.com/animal/dogs/messages/1011974.html#]liver[/link] issues at bay and they were pretty normal right to the end (and he just plain succumbed to problems from old age). .
I'm hoping for that here -- but flatly, folks I'm asking for some prayer and good thots support here. Prayers, good thots, whatever you feel comfortable with.
This is not far advanced -- he's not at death's door this instant. But, as I have felt ... he is NOT feeling well. he's weak and he's anemic as heck. But we know now. Prayer & good thots, plus a whole lot of care ... that's a lot to give the best shot he can get.
Flatly, this is NOT a disease I wanted to have to learn about. But I will. Because somehow, somewhere ... I know there is a reason and a purpose. I am willing (and I type that with tears ... I know only too well what 'willing' may mean here) to do whatever we gotta do here.
Thank Heavens I have an awesome husband.
But mostly, I have to say ... the Alpha of all Alpha's has a reason for this ... I need to learn new stuff for this, and somewhere maybe we can help some little girl or little boy when THEIR dog gets sick. Let's hope ... (and think, and pray).
Thanks -- I have had a lot on my plate this week. My best friend's sister has MS and she had to go to a nursing home, and I've been on the phone hours to help my friend deal with that. And now this today -- I'm tired. So forgive me for not being attentive. Holler at me e-mail if anyone needs me, ok?
