Immune mediated hemolytic anemia
In October of 2006, my normally fun loving Dingy Doo was acting a little strange. I thought that perhaps we had overdone the exercise the day before, but noted that if she still seemed off in the morning I would take her in right away. Well, at 5 am when I got up to go to work, I walked to the bathroom in the dark and stepped in something wet. I thought it was maybe a spilled drink or ? so I turned on the light and was horrified to see what looked like blood, lots of it, all over the rug. I woke up my husband, had him load her into the car as I called the emergency number to our vet. She was pale and weak and unable to move under her own power. We were terrified. When we reached the hospital our vet rushed right out and took her in to emergency, where they took her vitals and ran tests. I was not willing to leave her, so my husband went to work and left me with her. Within the hour, we had a diagnosis, IMHA. Her RBC count was 18%, and she had to have a blood transfusion. This was NOT from poisoning, her body just started attacking itself, the reason is still a mystery. Anyway, after the first transfusion she improved for almost 2 days her RBC count was hovering arond 25%. Then it started to crash horribly. In this time frame we were trying to stabilize her enough to transport her to Michigan State University, but she was in such poor condition we feared to do so. I told my vet, Dr. Jennifer Bell, that I had complete faith in her, and to spare no expense. She had another blood transfusion from the same donor and again held steady for 2 days. At this point our expenses were up over $4,200 and growing daily. Then she crashed again, and Dr. Bell suggested OxyGlobin, a synthetic blood replacement which would be her only hope. She was at 3% RBC. My husband had to drive 325 miles rt to get it and the kit to administer. By the time he got back she was 2% RBC. Durring this whole time I only left her side to go potty. I even slept in the kennel with her. Well, the oxyglobin transfusion took 6 hours. Her paws swelled horribly. Her catheter broke when she shifted and she had to have it put in her hind leg. At that point all 4 of her legs had been cath'd. I don't know how but she started to improve the first day. I literally watched her tongue grow pinker, and her eyes seemed to focus. The next day she sat up and drank so much water that she wet herself. Two days after that she was going outside to pee. She hadn't eaten in this whole time, but after the 3rd trip outside she strained toward a piece of kibble on the floor and then she couldn't get enough to eat. I cried with joy and relief. She remained on meds for 9 months, slowly being weaned off immunosupressants and steroids and having blood tests every day, then weekly. Today you would never know she was ill, except for the pot belly she got from all of the steroids and being funny about her legs being handled. Her Dr. can not explain how she survived. Dogs as sick as she was just don't make it. I know why. Because we never gave up on her. I bought an OxyGlobin kit and donated it to the hospital. It was expensive but I would never have forgiven myself if money were the only thing that stood in the way of saving her, or someone else's baby. They were instucted to use it in any way they saw fit. After it was all said and done and she was off the meds and back on regular food, her illness cost us over $9,000. Not counting the time I missed from work or the OxyGlobin kit we donated. Basically our entire savings. But I would do it again if I had to. Thanks for listening. Today she is healthy and happy, and when she looks at me I know I did the right thing by saving her.
In October of 2006, my normally fun loving Dingy Doo was acting a little strange. I thought that perhaps we had overdone the exercise the day before, but noted that if she still seemed off in the morning I would take her in right away. Well, at 5 am when I got up to go to work, I walked to the bathroom in the dark and stepped in something wet. I thought it was maybe a spilled drink or ? so I turned on the light and was horrified to see what looked like blood, lots of it, all over the rug. I woke up my husband, had him load her into the car as I called the emergency number to our vet. She was pale and weak and unable to move under her own power. We were terrified. When we reached the hospital our vet rushed right out and took her in to emergency, where they took her vitals and ran tests. I was not willing to leave her, so my husband went to work and left me with her. Within the hour, we had a diagnosis, IMHA. Her RBC count was 18%, and she had to have a blood transfusion. This was NOT from poisoning, her body just started attacking itself, the reason is still a mystery. Anyway, after the first transfusion she improved for almost 2 days her RBC count was hovering arond 25%. Then it started to crash horribly. In this time frame we were trying to stabilize her enough to transport her to Michigan State University, but she was in such poor condition we feared to do so. I told my vet, Dr. Jennifer Bell, that I had complete faith in her, and to spare no expense. She had another blood transfusion from the same donor and again held steady for 2 days. At this point our expenses were up over $4,200 and growing daily. Then she crashed again, and Dr. Bell suggested OxyGlobin, a synthetic blood replacement which would be her only hope. She was at 3% RBC. My husband had to drive 325 miles rt to get it and the kit to administer. By the time he got back she was 2% RBC. Durring this whole time I only left her side to go potty. I even slept in the kennel with her. Well, the oxyglobin transfusion took 6 hours. Her paws swelled horribly. Her catheter broke when she shifted and she had to have it put in her hind leg. At that point all 4 of her legs had been cath'd. I don't know how but she started to improve the first day. I literally watched her tongue grow pinker, and her eyes seemed to focus. The next day she sat up and drank so much water that she wet herself. Two days after that she was going outside to pee. She hadn't eaten in this whole time, but after the 3rd trip outside she strained toward a piece of kibble on the floor and then she couldn't get enough to eat. I cried with joy and relief. She remained on meds for 9 months, slowly being weaned off immunosupressants and steroids and having blood tests every day, then weekly. Today you would never know she was ill, except for the pot belly she got from all of the steroids and being funny about her legs being handled. Her Dr. can not explain how she survived. Dogs as sick as she was just don't make it. I know why. Because we never gave up on her. I bought an OxyGlobin kit and donated it to the hospital. It was expensive but I would never have forgiven myself if money were the only thing that stood in the way of saving her, or someone else's baby. They were instucted to use it in any way they saw fit. After it was all said and done and she was off the meds and back on regular food, her illness cost us over $9,000. Not counting the time I missed from work or the OxyGlobin kit we donated. Basically our entire savings. But I would do it again if I had to. Thanks for listening. Today she is healthy and happy, and when she looks at me I know I did the right thing by saving her.
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