Our beloved Jazz needs help and prayers.
Last Friday Jazz didn't eat and seemed to want to be left alone. We were housesitting a friend's dog, so we had three dogs with us in all. It was hot and I assumed she was tired from all of the running and playing she had been doing with her friend and brother.
On Sat. morning, she was still drinking, but not eating. I thought maybe she had an upset stomach. She did not play with her brother or friend, but she was alert and seemed happy. Sat. afternoon, I told my husband I was concerned, and would he please take her for a walk. During the walk she slightly limped on her left back leg, but was curious, sniffed around, ect., and urinated in all the usual places.
We're remodeling our back yard, and I assumed she must have rough played and briused her hip or something. We bought her a rotiseree checkin, mixed it with broth, and she seemed to enjoy this quite a bit. Then, we let her rest.... It was about 3p.m.
At 6:30, we called her to come into the backyard. Jazz would do anyhting to please us, and has NEVER not come when called. No response. We oppened the sliding glass door to see what was going on, and to our horror was our beloved Jazz, desperately trying to walk, taking steps then falling and trying to get up again. Her head was frozen to the right. We swept her up and took her to emergency room. Our thought was that our dog had been poisoned.
Jazz was diagnosed with IMHA. Her blood count was 10. We were shocked to see for the first time her yellow gums and eyes. How could we have missed what is now blatently stating us in the face?
She had a blood transfution on Sat. night. On Sun. night her number again dropped and she required a second trasfusion. The second transfusion has brougt her up to 28. her numbers have remained at 26 and 27 since.
She has been on iv fluids, Doxycycline, Nitrofuran Monohyd Macro, Prednisone, Cyclosporine and Famotidine (to protect her stomach). They have performed numerious Tox. screens and blood tests for possible cuases. She has had x-rays and ultrasounds. She got to come home to us yesterday. Her gums are still pale, but no longer yellow. She will eat shredded chicken with a bit or rice, cottage cheese. She is drinking water. She is up a bit, and will walk outside to use the bathroom.
Mostly, she wants me to pet her and gently massage her, especially rubbing her belly. Her little brother follows her, but is keeping his distance from her.
I posted on the IMHA discussion forum as well. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right... Move me to where I need to be if I am in the wrong place.
Thank you,
Amsten