Question Details
Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia In A Dog
by LJH - September 5, 2018    View Case Report
Hi Steve, I’ve just started seeing a 2 1/2 yr M(N) Bernese diagnosed with IMHA in mid June. This dog’s mother died at 3 yr from “ something neurologic” and he is the last surviving pup from his litter. Was returned to breeder when Dx with luxating patellar RH requiring surgery about a year ago. Owners have had him 7 months.Owner reports he has always had periodic muscle twitches. Was vaccinated for Rabies in Dec/17 and Lyme in April/18.When initially Dx IMHA he was started on prednisone and Azathioprine with slight improvement in HCT and RBC’s. Ret% 0.9. WBC 29. Mild elevation Alk Phos. Diagnosed with UTI and rDVM started on clavamox. HCT dropped again, down to 26%. Anemia has improved slightly then dropped again a few times since.HCT has never got much above 30%. Currently HCT 26% RBC 4.1 WBC 26. Has UTI again and back on Clavamox. rDVM also just added cyclosporine. Dog is having a terrible time on Pred huge appetite, PU/PD, incontinent, continuous panting, heat intolerant. He has pronounced atrophy of temporal muscles and muscles of dorsal thorax, lumbar region and hind quarters since started on meds. Anxious, restless at night, snores and dreams a lot. Hx of anal gland issues. Haircoat dull and dry, used to have greasy feel. RH stifle now a problem again, possible partial ACL tear. Tongue flabby, very pale pink, very slight lavender tinge, moist. Pulse rapid 104,weak, slippery,moderate to superficial, thin. Can sometimes feel more wiry. Responds to GB points. Splenomegaly/ hepatomegaly. With the slippery pulse, response to GB points, I have just started Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang and Acupuncture but with how desiccated he seems, the muscle atrophy and the vaccine history planned to include Qing Ying Tang as well and maybe Yi Guan Jian. The owners are losing hope at this point. Alternative medicine is a last ditch effort. They are not prepared to transfuse him if it became necessary and would euthanize. I’ve discussed no vaccines or toxic products, hypoallergenic homemade diet. Any thoughts or suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Llewanda
Replies
by LJH
September 7, 2018
Hi again. Bloodwork today RBC and HCT same Ret 1.5% but WBC up to 34. His appetite is a bit more picky. Stool normal. MM very pale. Temp 38.4 Panting HR 84 Tongue very pale pink, flabby, a bit less moist. Pulse weak, a bit less slippery and less superficial, more moderate depth. Not fluctuating back and forth to wiry. He is needing a bit of help to get up but is still better energy wise than on our initial appointment. Thanks, Llewanda
by naturevet
September 12, 2018
Hi Llewanda,

It sounds like you've made an excellent start. See if his pulse becomes more moderate with tonification of GB points like BL 19, GB 25 or GB 34. If so, then you have confirmation to continue with the Shao Yang approach.

If those points don't help, then try draining or sedating Spleen points like BL 20, LV 13, and SP 9. If the pulse improves, then a Damp Heat approach is called for. I'd consider Si Miao San, 100g, with about 20g of Dang Gui added. It might also help reduce the toxicity of the pred.

If they are thinking about putting him down anyway, they should at least reduce the pred dose. With the other drugs and your bone marrow stimulating herbs on board, there's no particular reason to keep it so high. You'd have added confidence to recommend that if RBCs move up over 30.

Hopefully they will give you the same time allowance as they gave the conventional practitioners to produce results, as once you find an effective approach, it will probably work to rapidly treat or eliminate any future episodes.

Naturally any and all future vaccines should be avoided unless the dog is vulnerable due to high risk of exposure with the pathogen being more deadly than IMHA; or lack of a protective titer if already vaccinated. Any distemper or parvo titer at all in an adult dog is considered protective. Rabies titers are often protective for five to seven years

Steve
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