Update On Lady - LADY IS GONE.....

[Reachoutrescue]

You are doing a great job with Lady and all the pups.

I do hope this Vet can at least, give you a payment option.

Thank you Lizbud. It is hard, but worth it. I can only hope the vet will work with me. I will post an update after I talk to the vet in the morning.

[Daisy and Delilah]

As a Pet Talk group, I hope we can all help this sweetheart. She's such a pretty baby and has never had a good life. I will be willing to help with what I can. Any more helpers out there?

[Pawsitive Thinking]

As a Pet Talk group, I hope we can all help this sweetheart. She's such a pretty baby and has never had a good life. I will be willing to help with what I can. Any more helpers out there?

Count me in! Got another pay day coming up...

[Reachoutrescue]

Count me in! Got another pay day coming up...

Thank you so much!! I will update after the vet tomorrow. One day, one paw at a time. Thank you so much guys.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Poor beautiful Lady. If I had some money I would be sending it in. I hope there is something that can be done for her, and I wish you luck with her at the vet. You really are a wonderful person to take her and her puppies in.

[Reachoutrescue]

Poor beautiful Lady. If I had some money I would be sending it in. I hope there is something that can be done for her, and I wish you luck with her at the vet. You really are a wonderful person to take her and her puppies in.

Thank you for the kind words. I really apprecite it. Don't worry about not being able to help Lady finacially, just please say lots and lots of prayers that everything goes well at the vet tomorrow.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Just wanted to wish you well on the vet visit, Tracy. I'll be checking back for updates. I hope the vet finds that Lady can be easily cured of anything that might be wrong. She deserves to be happy and I would love to hear that she's eating good and smiling. Wouldn't it be great if she could play with those adorable roly poly babies? Again, Bless You for trying to save her and help her. Lots of people would have given up by now. We need a PT miracle!!! I'm keeping Lady and you in my thoughts and prayers. Keep up the good work!! {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

[cassiesmom]

Count me in! Got another pay day coming up...

Yupper

[Reachoutrescue]

Thank you everybody. I will PM everybody that has requested the vet's info. You guys are wonderful.

I just got off the phone with the vet. Lady is out of surgery, there were no complications, and she is waking up. Her blood work came back and she is severely anemic. Her blood count was 16 where it should be at least 36. Upon opening her up, they expected to find internal bleeding, a large tumor, and an enlarged spleen. They found her spleen enormously enlarge, but no tumor. There was no internal bleeding either. Therefore, the Dr. is sure it is not cancer. So, now we are trying to find out why she is so anemic and what to do to make her better. Dr. thinks one of two things. One: she was so full of parasites and now that she is being treated her blood count will go up. Two: she has something called Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Here is what I found about the disease:

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Anemia is a clinical sign, not a disease, and is defined as a decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBCs) or the amount of hemoglobin, resulting in a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Anemia can be caused by blood loss, decreased production of new RBCs, or an increase in the rate of their destruction, known as hemolytic anemia.

In hemolytic anemia, the RBCs become "defective" in the eyes of the immune system by acquiring markers on the cell surface that are recognized as "non-self."These markers can be true autoantibodies, as in primary AIHA, or can be secondary to drugs, infectious disease, cancer, blood parasites, or heavy metals. Levamisole, certain antibiotics, Dilantin (phenytoin), lead, and zinc have all been implicated as potential causes of hemolytic anemia.

When the spleen and the rest of the immune system is working to rid the body of old, diseased, or damaged RBCs, it is doing its job appropriately. When a large percentage of cells are affected, and they are removed faster then they can be replaced, AIHA results and the animal shows external signs of the disease.

The clinical signs of AIHA are usually gradual and progressive, but occasionally an apparently healthy pet suddenly collapses in an acute hemolytic crisis. The signs are usually related to lack of oxygen: weakness, lethargy, anorexia, and an increase in the heart rate and respirations. Heart murmurs and pale mucous membranes (gums, eyelids, etc.) may also be present. More severe cases also have a fever and "icterus" (jaundice), a yellow discoloration of the gums, eyes, and skin. This is due to a buildup of bilirubin, one of the breakdown products of hemoglobin.

The diagnosis is usually made on these clinical signs as well as a CBC documenting anemia, often with misshapen or abnormally-clumped RBCs. A Coomb's test may be done to confirm the diagnosis. Corticosteroids are the primary drugs used to treat any autoimmune disease. Very high immunosuppressive doses are used initially to induce a remission, and then the dose is very slowly tapered over many weeks or months to a low maintenance dose. Most affected dogs must be kept on steroids the rest of their lives and are susceptible to relapses.

If steroids alone are insufficient, more potent immunosuppressive drugs such as Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) or Imuran (azathioprine) may be added. These chemotherapeutics are very effective, but the dog must be monitored closely for side effects, including a decreased white blood count.

Splenectomy, the surgical removal of the spleen, has also been recommended for nonresponsive cases. This benefits the dog in two ways: less antibodies are made against the RBCs, and the primary organ responsible for their destruction is removed. An animal can live quite normally without a spleen.

Blood transfusions are rarely used. Adding foreign protein can actually intensify the crisis state, increase the amount of bilirubin and other breakdown products the liver must process, and suppress the bone marrow's natural response to anemia. In a life-threatening anemia, cross-matched blood may be transfused along with immunosuppressive therapy.

So our next steps are to get the Coombs test done and hope her blood count goes up. Please pray for Lady, though it is not cancer, it is still very serious. Thank you everybody.

[cassiesmom]

Oh, boy! Let's hope her anemia is due to parasitic infections and not to autoimmune HA. Reachoutrescue I'll mail you a check tonight so it will go out in the a.m. mail. Give her a skritch for me when you see her again.

[Reachoutrescue]

Oh, boy! Let's hope her anemia is due to parasitic infections and not to autoimmune HA. Reachoutrescue I'll mail you a check tonight so it will go out in the a.m. mail. Give her a skritch for me when you see her again.

That is what the vet and I are hoping for. Thank you so much Cassiesmom. I am going to visit her tomorrow, the vet said to not come in today, just to let her rest. Hopefully, if her blood count goes up and she eats, she can come home tomorrow anyway. I will definetly give her a lot of pets for you!!