Going down hill - Advice needed

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I can't add anything to what has been said already.

  to all three of you

You know if you and OH would like to go out for a meal or just a bit of time out together, we can offer some doggysitting time for you?

[Pop-Star]

I do hope this is the beginning of good news and they can find a level of medication to stabilise him.

Me too 

[Mudmagnets]

I do hope this is the beginning of good news and they can find a level of medication to stabilise him.

Me too 

Yes same here, hope things start to improve 

[Chocolate Hero]

Thanks Emma, thats really kind of you.

Thanks for the continued support, it really does help get us though.

[ejp]

A little bit of hope, it is always a good thing.  Hope this works out for you all, sending 

[Countrygirl]

Hope with all my heart that the change in medication helps Jethro.

[8 Hairy Feet]

Me too 
Sending you and Jethro a whole
heap of positive vibes through the Ether...

[julie1]

I can only repeat all the good wishes everyone else has said        from Julie & Kez

[MacTavish Boys]

Continued healing and positive thoughts for Jethro from all of us too 
Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx

[pipkoi]

Lots of positive hugs, snuggles & thoughts continue to be sent to you all.

[Qwerty]

Our last cocker had an autoimmune disease where her platelets were destroyed. To be honest our own vets although lovely would not have been able to save her. However, we were eventually referred to a specialist in glasgow and they got her better. Its like seeing a consultant instead of a gp, they have so much more expertise in a specific area. Our cocker needed to have azothioprine added but it was stopped after a few weeks once her platelets were stable. The steroids were then reduced over the course of a year. She was happy throughout that time and we had several wonderful years after that on no medication at all.  We were so so grateful to the glasgow vet school.  I know that all dogs fespond differently to treatment and not all are so lucky but I hope you are.

[helshaw]

Our dog Buster was diagnosed with IMHA a year ago and it has been a roller coaster of a year with him now on medication for Addisons, another autoimmune disease. He is off all medication for the IMHA though with his PCV stable at 40. He had been on steriods and also atopica as just steriods weren't working. I don't know whether this is the same drug as azathioprine but it certainly worked for Buster. Its an expensive drug but we got it online with a vets prescription and its a fraction of the price of the vets. Hang in there and while there's life there's hope.

[PennyB]

Our last cocker had an autoimmune disease where her platelets were destroyed. To be honest our own vets although lovely would not have been able to save her. However, we were eventually referred to a specialist in glasgow and they got her better. Its like seeing a consultant instead of a gp, they have so much more expertise in a specific area. Our cocker needed to have azothioprine added but it was stopped after a few weeks once her platelets were stable. The steroids were then reduced over the course of a year. She was happy throughout that time and we had several wonderful years after that on no medication at all.  We were so so grateful to the glasgow vet school.  I know that all dogs fespond differently to treatment and not all are so lucky but I hope you are.

Yes, Wilf developed an autoimmune problem recently which was diagnosed as immune-mediated thrombocytopenia as a result of a bad urine infection - I asked for a referral straight away - my vet had a hunch it might be something like this or worse cancer. The following day we went to Langford (Bristol vet school) and their 1st tests revealed he had no platelets. Their treatment was vincristine, high-dose steroids and antibiotics. Then it was each day at a time, now it is every 2 weeks (he has to have blood tests then).

I'm pleased I asked for a referral as the vet school had everything that is needed to support, diagnose and treat your dog and even now my vet is still working with their vet at every stage which makes me feel better at least.

Vincristine was their drug of choice as it gets them out the hospital faster and they can administer it better there as its also a cancer drug (used to stimulate the bone marrow). Wilf is still on steroids and antibiotics.

Wilf is still holding his own and I know I've done my best for him even though I also know it could change any time

Would it be worth Edinburgh actually seeing your dog and him staying up there - or are you already doing this - I would rather my dog be within vet school at this stage than everything being done 3rd hand all the time.

As has been said don't think of what they're suggesting as a last resort. When I was at Langford another cocker was in after Wilf and she was still on steroids 1 year on but being managed well

Hope you get better news soon

[Chocolate Hero]

Just a quick update. We have got the haematology results back in. manual PCV is 35.6% so coming back up from the dip (over the moon). His white blood cells are sky high which is to be expected. I need to do a bit of re-reading as my haematology is out of date and can't remember what all the other immune cell presence means. We are starting the Azathioprine in the morning, we have been given a nice treat from our vets as they couldn't get the make they wanted of tablets so have got double the amount of tablet this time and they haven't charged us for the extras so set for 3months  , the staff at the vets are absolute stars.

The results have shown his guts fine so no leaky gut and its a continuation of the IMHA, so we can take the alternate route without the extra gut worries. Got to go in next week for full haematology just to check how he's getting on with the drug change. Were also dropping steroid from 7 to 4 twice a day from tomorrow.

At the minute from what they were expecting the bloods to show its reasonable news but were more than happy to take that. As usual the dougle is totally unaware anythings wrong. 

Thanks everyone for the continued pulling us back up when were down . If this starts giving us the results we need i definitely think a celebratory cocker meet up is needed.

[elaine.e]

That's really encouraging news

I hope the Azathioprine kicks in quickly and helps too.