fastback08
Veteran Member
My wife and I have four Dachshunds and the oldest male is a ten year old named Beau. About three weeks ago we noticed Beau had slowed down considerably and was panting a lot. Being on a weekend we took him to an animal emergency center that happens to be a teaching hospital and part of Mississippi State University. Beau was diagnosed with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. When your dog has IMHA, it means his immune system destroys its own red blood cells. Your dog’s body still produces red blood cells in the bone marrow to replace the destroyed cells, but once they are released into circulation, the immune system mistakenly recognizes them as something foreign, like a virus or infection, and destroys them.
His hemocrit level was 15. normally it would be between 35 and 50. He received an emergency transfusion and began steroid therapy to try and suppress his immune system. Three days later they let us bring him home as his levels had improved. A week later he was tested again and his levels were now down to 11. Our vet told us there was little hope. She added Vitamin K and Atopica to his battery of drugs. Yesterday it was back to the vet for another blood panel and his hemocrit level is now 29. Our vet was ecstatic as were we. It seems like our little man may beat this. We are looking at months of recovery and we have just about spent down all we can, but we felt as if we owed him the best chance we could give him.
If any of you feel like saying a little prayer for Beau, it would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks, RIck
His hemocrit level was 15. normally it would be between 35 and 50. He received an emergency transfusion and began steroid therapy to try and suppress his immune system. Three days later they let us bring him home as his levels had improved. A week later he was tested again and his levels were now down to 11. Our vet told us there was little hope. She added Vitamin K and Atopica to his battery of drugs. Yesterday it was back to the vet for another blood panel and his hemocrit level is now 29. Our vet was ecstatic as were we. It seems like our little man may beat this. We are looking at months of recovery and we have just about spent down all we can, but we felt as if we owed him the best chance we could give him.
If any of you feel like saying a little prayer for Beau, it would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks, RIck
