AIHA or IMHA

calliecritturs

But if you look closely at Dr. Dodd's website -- she's also going to tell you that light/white colored dogs (like buffy coat or parti-colored cockers like Tessy and Billy) are almost hard-wired for IMHA.  MUCH higher prevalence of dogs of a light coat color having IMHA than darker ones.

I'm sure she has good stats but how do you explain my dog having IMHA with black fur?  And a ton of Black Labs with it also?  Come to think of it I have a neighbor who breeds Great Pyranese  that are all white and never had a case of IMHA.   When I heard her say that certain breeds have higher incidents of IMHA that made sense to me. 

Like I say I'm not arguing with Dr Dodds. Personally I don't have any problem giving my dog grains either.  I just happened to have always thought that high protien/low carb is good for dogs.  Thats why I use grain free dog foods.  

No, I didn't mean she says ONLY light-colored dogs get IMHA -- but rather their chances of getting it are *greater* than a dark-colored dog.

In other words, cockers ALL are higher risk for IMHA than most other breeds, BUT a buffy cocker and a black cocker?  The buffy's chances are FAR greater of **getting** IMHA than the black AND the chances of it not surviving IMHA are also greater.

Did that make more sense?

Why, Callie?  What does the color of the fur have to do with it? Curious since Willow is dark too. . .

There seems to be some genetic link ... I mean they *know* that animals that have been bred for particular coat colors have often picked up other genetic problems and this, I think, is similar in theory.  Like dogs historically that are "white" (not blonde, but "white";) that have been bred specifically for that white coat (like maltese, bichon, westies, etc.) tend to have WAY more than their share of serious skin problems (and many of them tend to NOT do well at all in the heat of Florida which is one of the ways I have heard of this) simply because it was a problem that crept in while they were being over-bred for coat colors in the history of the breed.

If you go to Hemopet.com you can read about it for yourself -- I'm not well-versed enough on it to discuss it intelligently ... I just have seen it in action is all. 

I've also heard that Dr Dodds says that white dogs are more at risk for a reaction to sulfa antibiotics. Sulfonamides? (sp?)

Sulfa drugs are WAY up there on the list of antibiotics that can trigger auto-immune diseases ... that's part of the same thing.

What exactly are sulfa drugs?  Should I keep Tessy away from them at all cost?

Sulpha Tri is typically used for uti's but yes ABSOLUTELY NOT for her.  They are extremely tied to auto-immune triggers.

Its been prettty quiet.. everyone's dogs doing ok? 

Callie.. how are your doggies?

Val has been quiet.. but I think no news is good news.

Hope Tessy is doing well.. would like to hear the latest Hematocrit reports on Tessy and Cooper.

Nothing to report with Clops.  Been crushing her Iron pills and we'll see what happens in 3 weeks when we get another CBC.

I've always wanted a Great Pyranese but I bet it would cost a fortune to feed one.  They are huge!  I had another neighbor who had a Great Dane and he said he ate like a horse.  I met a lady with a Great Pyranese at Petco and it was her first day, she had just gotten him at about 1 year old.  I asked how much he ate and she said I have no idea but I have 4 bags of dog food in the cart just in case!

I've always had big dogs.. Domingo is my smallest dog I've ever had at 26 pounds.  

I'm just rambling.. have a great weekend everyone.

Val has been really laid low with the flu *and* it's the last week of school up there for her so she's trying to be sick AND do grading. 

I'll try to update later --

Hey all...been so busy as of late I forgot all about posting Tessy's HCT results from Wednesday.  Her HCTwent up from 28.7 to 29.1.  RBC up fom 3.81 to 3.88.  HGB up from 9.8 to 10.1.  WBC rose slightly but are still within the range (16.9) so not worried there either.  AND for the first time since her diagnosis her platelets are in normal range at 486 (514 last time).  All in all everything remains the same basically.

I went ahead and bit the bullet and sent her blood down across the border to Hemopet.  Going to get the full monty done by them.  The cost was outrageous....$285 total!!!!!!!  All I'm getting is the 7200 Profile ($95US), as well as getting her iron, folate, and cobalamin checked.  Not sure of the cost of these but I was talking to Dr. Dodds and told her I'ld make up the difference for these tests.  I'm going to have to question her doctor on this cost....just doesn't add up to me.

I'm a little anxious to say the least.  I have yet to have someone  like Dr. Dodds (a specialist) analyze Tessy's blood.  Hoping the results might be back today.  I'll update when the results float in.

I'm really looking forward to doing her first reduction here SOON.  Just waiting to see what Dr. Dodds says or suggests.

Hope everyone is doing well today.  Hugs to all from Tessy & I.

The extra charges are likely Fed Ex or DHL charges because the tricky thing is to get the blood "overnighted" all the way to California and being from out of the US the charges would be nauseating.  It's almost impossible to "overnight" something from Florida to California -- they don't want to guarantee anything that isn't a flat overnight "letter" and the price is horrid.  There is a specific window of time to get the blood where it has to be in order to analyze it before it loses it's viability.            

I got a question concerning puking after taking meds.  I've often wondered this.  We were out tonight running errands and got back just in time to give Tessy her 100mg of cyclosporine and her thyroid med Eltroxin.  This was at 8:00pm.  8:34 she puked and all I could see was the pink Eltroxin but no cyclo.  I'm assuming the cyclo breaks down faster?  Anyhow....the doctors at the teaching hospital said that if she pukes within an hour of taking meds to readminister them to her.  Since it was only 35 minutes past taking them I gave her another Eltroxin pill and gave her a 50mg cyclosporine instead of a 100mg because there was no sign of it.  Do you guys agree with this?  Should I have given her another 100mg cap?  If so should I give her another 50mg or is there a chance off too much of the drug in her system?

Also....what if this happens with other drugs....pred, azath, etc.

Thanks

Johnny & Tessy

Sorry -- I was out.  That's probably exactly what I would have done.  Does she OFTEN do this?  I always gave Billy his with dinner -- they seem to have you on a different schedule and I was always terrified his stomach would get upset if his belly was too empty.

If you are seeing ANY nausea that can be a sign of ulcer -- if you want I'll send you the slippery elm cocktail recipe that Dr. DiNatale had me give Billy to help heal his stomach.  These drugs are SO hard on the gut.

 Something must really be upsetting her stomach, not sure which drug it is.  I can't go by my dog because she has a stomach like an iron kettle.

 I think what you did with the Cyclo was pretty reasonable.  Because one of two things may have happened, the capsule may have disinigrated and the liquid gone down the digestive tract or the liquid came back up.  I think you did a good job by not giving her another 100mg because she is on such a high dose for a dog her size right now anyway.  

 How often in a week does the puking happen?  Do you know if it only happens with one particular drug?  I wonder if something like that oatmeal you were talking about might be soothing to the stomach to give at the same time.  I know they say that food might affect absorbtion but I think that the food helps cusion the stomach from what Callie calls the molten rock sitting in her stomach.

 Hey Johnny, thanks for posting the HCT, as I posted earlier I was wondering how it was doing.  I'd say things are stable but I hope you find a combo of drugs that might make things take off.  Hopefully your lab analysis at hemopet might provide some insight.  I know what you mean about the cost, this isn't a cheap disease.