Anyone out there with a dog that has a disease called Autoimmune hemolytic anemia? Any Success on survival?

Question

This is a disease that the white blood cells attack the red blood cells.

Nellie has had 4 blood transfusions. She started out with a red blood count of 10 and would go up with each transfusion, but within 24, would drop again. The highest it has gone is 20 and today it is back down to 12. Is this a loss cause? What else can be done?

Answer 1

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a disease in which the body attacks its own red blood cells. In dogs with AIHA, red blood cells are still being manufactured in the bone marrow, but once released into the circulation, they have a shorter-than-normal life span, since they are constantly being attacked and destroyed by abnormal antibodies in the blood. Antibodies are normally formed by the dog's immune system when needed to destroy invading bacterial or viral signs. However, with AIHA, the dog's immune system is not working normally and sees its own red blood cells as foreign, and therefore produces antibodies to destroy them.
A second abnormality often seen in AIHA is a decreased number of platelets. Low numbers of platelets is called thrombocytopenia. Platelets are tiny structures, which circulate within the bloodstream and function in the formation of clots when vessels are cut or broken. Over the course of a day, many of the body's small vessels normally break and the platelets clot the blood so no bleeding occurs. A simple bruise is nothing more than a collection of broken vessels, which allowed some blood to spill into and discolor the tissue. When low platelet numbers are diagnosed, clotting does not occur correctly. AIHA dogs, are therefore, similar to human hemophiliacs. Uncontrolled bleeding further decreases the number of red blood cells caused by the abnormal antibodies.

good luck to you and your poor dog

Answer 2

My doxie had it. We treated him with azathioprine (an immune modulator normally given to human patients to prevent rejection after kidney transplants) and prednisone (an immune suppressant.) His first attack, the one that lead to the diagnosis, was very severe and he nearly died before he had a blood transfusion. Once he recovered from the transfusion his red cell counts came up gradually and we dropped the pred and cut down on the azathioprine and just monitored his bloodwork biweekly. He went into full remission for about 6 months before he had a relapse, although this time his immune system was attacking platelets rather than red blood cells; he bled into his skin at the slightest touch and we had to put him back on pred and up the azathioprine again. Once he pulled out of that one he went into remission for the rest of his life, which was sadly only three years (he was diagnosed with lung cancer, thought to be completely unrelated to his autoimmune condition.) The only vaccine we gave him post-diagnosis was rabies; the vet didn't want to stimulate his immune system any more than necessary. Other than the extreme symptoms he had prior to his transfusion (lethargy, labored breathing) his quality of life was great until the cancer. He responded very well to both drugs and once his energy was back, he was oblivious to the fact that he was a patient with a potentially life-threatening condition. I fully believe that had the cancer not interfered, we could have continued monitoring his blood counts monthly and kept him well, just responding to potential relapses before they got severe enough to be life-threatening.

Answer 3

I just posted the same question. The white blood cells do not attack the red blood cells. The red blood cells attack themselves
and the pet cannot produce enough fast enough to reproduce.
Therefore, they tend to have a real low red blood cell count, and a high white cell count (the body is trying to defend itself). My dog was diagnosed in June. I have read and read all I could to educate myself with this condition. It is not cureable, but manageable. You need to make sure your vet is familiar with this condition. My mastiff (160lbs) was on 80 mg of prednisone to start, after a blood transfusion of oxyglobin, he stabilized.
He is now down to 10 mg a day. His original red blood cell count was 8. He is now up to 41. The prednisone will make him/her extremely thirsty and hungry. I had to install a pet door because he urinated about 20 times a day. The prednisone supresses the immune system (making them supsetible to all kinds of things) but it gives the body time to replenish the red blood cells.
My dog was also on all kinds of antibiotics to bring his white count down. So far, so good. He hasnt had a relapse. This is very costly and you have to have patience. Hope this helps

Answer 4

she should be on imuno suppressive drugs (predisone is one but not he only one) to have any chance at all.

Answer 5

survival but pain!