AIHA or IMHA

 I'm still on Aspirin with Cyclops.  Last month her Platelets fell into the normal range but we want to wait for at least 2 times in a row before discontinuing the Aspirin.  Blood clots are something that have really worried me since this whole thing started.  But I know they took Tessy off the Aspirin pretty early too.  I think Cyclops and Cooper are the only 2 who have been on Aspirin for quite a while. 

I know what you mean about saving money!  I should probably start trusting his machine again. 

Best wishes for Calypso =)

I know even the low doses of aspirin are hard on the stomach (let's talk about the price of Prilosec TWICE a day for 18 months sheesh *rolling eyes*) but I'll tell you -- I worried SO MUCH about how "thick" Billy's blood was and they didn't do that then.

They ARE learning things with this disease -- and the trick with the aspirin to thin the blood is one of them;

No joke guys -- one of the last times they tested Billy's blood the tech fooled and fooled with it and couldn't seem to "hit a vein".  She called in the other tech ... who was getting some blood and it "stopped".  She took the syring out to switch needles and when she took the needle off a STRING of blood followed it.  It had COAGULATED THAT FAST.  Literally -- it was coagulating SO fast they couldn't get it into a syringe.

To say I was scared to death is an understatement.  I couldn't wait to get him off the freaking cyclosporine after that (and it's the cyclosporine more than the pred that causes the thickening of the blood *I think*).

I don't blame you for worrying (gosh this whole THING makes you worry) ... but thinning the blood with the ultra low dose of aspirin is a good thing long term.

Thanks everyone for thinking of Willow!! 

We are looking for updates on all the dogs who had blood work done this week!  Good luck!!

Lori

calliecritturs

I couldn't wait to get him off the freaking cyclosporine after that (and it's the cyclosporine more than the pred that causes the thickening of the blood *I think*).

I think you're right about the Cyclo making the blood thick.  I haven't read any study about this, but like everything else with IMHA most of these things haven't been studied. It seems that when the platelets get too high that seems to go along with the Cyclo being very high in the blood.  Reduce the Cyclo and the platelets come down. I can also tell when its time to reduce her Cyclo by looking at her poop.  I know that sounds nuts but when it starts getting really moist we do the CBC, see the platelets have come up, lower the Cyclo then both the platelets and the poop go back to normal.  

All these things are just anecdotal but its kinda neat that you said that Callie about the Pred = thickening the blood, because I've been thinking that very same thing.  I also think that using the Ultra Low Dose Aspirin is more common now than it was when Billy was first going through this.   

With Tessy the platelets were always on the high side.  They dropped  to almost the high end of normal while on the low dose aspirin and then we agreed to discontinue the aspirin.  The platelets went a bit lower in the following weeks after the removal of the aspirin and also with reductions in her prednisone.  She still remains on high doses of cyclosporine (higher than average for her size) and her platelets are still getting a bit lower.

 Johnny & Tessy

Frisby update:It was a crazy ferry ride to get to the mainland (stormy), but we did it!  She's still got a touch of pneumonia but her white cell count is coming down. Yeah! Her reticulocyte (baby red cell) production is WAY UP--from 37,000 to 162,000--YEAH! Her crit went up 1 point (18 to 19). We'll take it. Liver and kidney numbers are all good. So, we think the meds are beginning to work. (She's been on the az for just 17 days--and it takes 10-14 for it to kick in.) Someone asked about the aspirin--Frisby takes a liquid aspirin suspension (0.7 ml once a day). We've added Pepcid AC. She's also taking milk thistle and a vitamin. (We're going to change to vitamin to Pet-Tinic as soon as it arrives. It's a liquid and has more iron--recommended by Dr. Dodd.)  A re-check in 2 weeks.

Thanks, everyone, for your continued support. It means SO much!

YAY, Frisby!!!!

 Great Progress report on Frisby =)

FrisbyPI

Yeah! Her reticulocyte (baby red cell) production is WAY UP--from 37,000 to 162,000--YEAH! Her crit went up 1 point (18 to 19). We'll take it. Liver and kidney numbers are all good. So, we think the meds are beginning to work. (She's been on the az for just 17 days--and it takes 10-14 for it to kick in.) Someone asked about the aspirin--Frisby takes a liquid aspirin suspension (0.7 ml once a day). We've added Pepcid AC. She's also taking milk thistle and a vitamin. (We're going to change to vitamin to Pet-Tinic as soon as it arrives. It's a liquid and has more iron--recommended by Dr. Dodd.)  

ALL very very good!!  Good for you!! Good for Frisby!!  The fact that the crit is "up" means there's more 'constructive' going on than 'destructive' and in this disease that is SOOOOOOO big. 

Good reports encourage everbuddy!! RAH!!!

 Good news for Calypso too!

WBC 16.7 (5.5 - 8.5)

HCT 34.8 (37 - 55)

Platelets 351 (164 - 510)

Smear showned no sperocytes
No clumping seen

 Kidney functions were good. Liver functions were still slightly elevated, but about the same as her initial blood work!

So we decreased the Prednisone!

We added carafate because she threw up yesterday. 

Way to go, Calypso!  That's great news. I do hope your tummy feels better soon!

FrisbyPI

Frisby update:It was a crazy ferry ride to get to the mainland (stormy), but we did it!  She's still got a touch of pneumonia but her white cell count is coming down. Yeah! Her reticulocyte (baby red cell) production is WAY UP--from 37,000 to 162,000--YEAH! Her crit went up 1 point (18 to 19). We'll take it. Liver and kidney numbers are all good. So, we think the meds are beginning to work. (She's been on the az for just 17 days--and it takes 10-14 for it to kick in.) Someone asked about the aspirin--Frisby takes a liquid aspirin suspension (0.7 ml once a day). We've added Pepcid AC. She's also taking milk thistle and a vitamin. (We're going to change to vitamin to Pet-Tinic as soon as it arrives. It's a liquid and has more iron--recommended by Dr. Dodd.)  A re-check in 2 weeks.

Thanks, everyone, for your continued support. It means SO much!

I am glad you had a safe trip! Awesome news on her retic count! Sounds like good news to me!

Good job Calypso girl!!!!

Who else are we waiting to hear news on???