Autoimmune hemolytic anemia

**katslady** · 04-20-2011, 10:36 AM

We took our 10 year old dog Holly to the vet yesterday, because she was not acting right. She was not energetic, loss of appetite, just not right.During the exam the doctor noted a yellow tint to her eye whites, and gums. After running blood work he thinks she has autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The blood work also showed liver damage. He is treating Holly with massive doses of prednisone, S-adenosyl (to help support her liver), and Doxycycline ( to rule out a tick born parasite and prevent infections due to steriod use). I researched the disease on the internet, but did not see much about cases with severe liver damage. We are so worried about her, as it seems her case is pretty severe. I just want to know if anyone has any experience with this disease. Please keep our girl in your prayers. Any feedback will be great.

**Karen** · 04-20-2011, 11:16 AM

No knowledge, but she'll be in our prayers!

**Freedom** · 04-20-2011, 11:17 AM

Aw, prayers for Holly!

Not heard of it. Yellow eye whites -jaundice - severe liver disease, that is all I know.

**katslady** · 05-03-2011, 06:59 PM

Holly is not anemic anymore, but she is still in liver failure, and now her white blood cell count is very high. She is still on the liver supporting supplement, and a lower dose of prednisone, also still on doxycycline, and has been put on Enroflozacin( to treat a possible liver infection). She got much worse after my first post, she stopped eating, did not interact with us, would only go potty when walked. She did not have a bowl movement for 7 days. I have been cooking for her since 4-21, and hand feeding her. She is showing signs of improvement, is eating on her own more often, has even ate her dog food the last 3 days, has gone in the yard with her sister to go potty on her own, and is wagging her tail when we pet or talk to her. The last 2 blood work have shown improvement in her liver condition, but the numbers are still not good. And her Doc. is very concerned with the high white blood cell count. Since it is not responding to the antibiotics. We go back for bloodwork on Sat. and he says the next step is a liver ultrasound. She is also retaining lots of fluid in her abdomen, five pounds as of today. I am so scared for my girl, and do not know what else to do. I have consulted with two other vets, one told us to prepare to let her go, the other said get an ultrasound and biopsy, of her liver. My husband is on unemployment and I do not make much, so all the the vet visits so far have drained us, I will not be able to pay for the ultrasound till the 25 of may, and I am so afaid that will be too long. And have not been given much hope of treatment after that if it shows cancer or a shunt. So just wondering if anyone has been through something like this and has any ideas the Vet is not trying. thank you for any input, and please pray for our girl Holly. I am not ready to loose her,this just is happening so fast.

**Catty1** · 05-03-2011, 10:57 PM

http://www.imom.org/

Maybe they can help you financially. Another option is Care Credit: http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/

**K9karen** · 05-03-2011, 11:11 PM

Prayers for you and Holly. I know the stress is terrible, seeing your Holly suffer.

**katslady** · 05-09-2011, 06:37 AM

Thank you all very much, Holly is doing better, white blood cell count is lower and liver is improving, we have another recheck on wednesday or Saturday.

**katslady** · 05-23-2011, 11:55 PM

Well Holly got even better after my last post. So much better that the Vet took her off of the Pred., enrofloxacin, doxycycline, and lasix, everything but the live supportative supplement, on Wednesday. We had to take her back on Friday, because she was not wanting to eat, was vomiting, and loose stool. Bloodwork shows everything is back, low redblood cell count. high white bloodcell count, and liver enzimes are getting higher, or lower, depending on what way they should be, they are doing the opposite. So she is back on all meds, and seems to be doing better. Her Vet no longer blames it all on the autoimmune anemia, or a liver condition. He seems really lost as what to do for her. My other Vet thinks it is autoimmune related, but no diagnosis there either. They both think at this point keeping her on the Pred. and the enrofloxacin is the only way to go. I feel like because they do not know what it is, they have both given up. We had the liver ultrasound, and liver is functioning ok, no mass or shunt, liver is normal size. I will not give up on my girl,and just hope both her vets keep looking for a possible reason why this is happening. Please keep Holly in your thoughts, and if anyone has experience with symptoms like this please let me know. Thank you