Idiopathic thrombocytopenia in dogs

[MaxaLisa]

Timber and Shiloh are great looking dogs!

Sure hope that you can get her past that "pointy head" issue soon.

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by SuperWanda

I may be investing in a tick collar...

Tick collars aren't very good...topicals are much better protection and even they aren't 100% (though they're pretty close)

[rainbow]

I love the pics you posted in your albums ....Timber and Shiloh are two beautiful puppers.

Is Timber still doing well?

[MaxaLisa]

I've actually had very good luck with the Preventic Tick collar. I've found ticks crawling on my girl with that when I used to use it exclusively, but I never found one attached. That was not true when I was using Frontline. They aren't a good option if you have dogs that bite each other's neck.

From what I'm hearing on the boards, response to Frontline is regional, some places it seems to work better than others. Some believe that the Frontline Top Spot is more effective than the Frontline Plus. I think that was my experience.

[Love4himies]

Oh, your pups are beautiful

Is Timber still getting progressively better ?

[SuperWanda]

Thanks everyone!

Yes, I think every day she is doing a little better. The one thing I wish would improve is her energy level. She is really slow on walks and can't go very far. Hopefully that will improve with time.

Her appetite is still great so that is a good sign.

Our vet is coming on Tuesday for another blood test. She is going to bring some Panacure so hopefully that will settle the loose stool which I am still dealing with.

I'm guessing that her platelets will be higher but not sure about the white cells or red cells -- if there is a Giardia infection and I haven't had her on the metronidazole, I'm wondering if the white cells have increased again? Her gums are nice and pink now so wondering if she's not as anemic.

[hazelrunpack]

Pink gums are a good sign! I hope the Tuesday blood test gives you nothing but good results!!

[rainbow]

Yep, pink gums are a really good sign.

Glad to hear that she is still eating well and I'm sure her energy level will improve with time. Good luck with the blood test on Tuesday.

[Love4himies]

Yup, pink gums and good appetite are all good signs . As for the energy, just like humans after getting over such a serious illness, it takes time for the muscles to regenerate itself.

Lots of rest and sleep is better for her now anyways

Sending lots and lots of

[Myka]

Originally Posted by SuperWanda

Thank you Myka! I haven't heard of Dr. Shawn -- is that the Martha Stewart vet? I will certainly look into that. I wonder if they ship to Canada? Or maybe the alternative vet here will have a similar product for liver support?

You're very welcome! Ya, Dr Shawn (the Natural Vet) is one of the vets on the Martha Stewart radio channel on Sirius. Another vet she has on is Dr Marty (Ask Martha's Vet) who also practices integrated veterinary care. I think Dr Marty would probably give better advice in your case. He was on lastnight, but I didn't have any cell reception to try to call.

I'm sure you could find a similar product in Canada or get it shipped.

[SuperWanda]

Dr. Marty -- yes, he is the one I am familiar with. Thanks for that info Myka!

Had some great news today -- Timber's blood was almost normal! Her platelets are 287, WBC are 6 and RBC are 4.8 (still a little low but much higher than last time).

We are also going forward with further testing for Bartonella and Babesia and that will be sent to North Carolina State University.

I am really happy about that. Not sure if we will find out anything further but it may bring some peace of mind after everything that has happened.

Just took the dogs for a walk and we went a little further today. Before this all started, Timber did have some spinal weakness (discospondylosis) so not sure if I am seeing that or the effects of the anaplasmosis or both problems? She does sometimes stumble still and we went down a bit if a snowy incline and she fell down so doesn't have good control or strength back. I hope that it is just from muscle loss and not permanent damage. She really wants to participate in things now so I am happy she is enjoying life again!

[Myka]

Great news SuperWanda! Go Timber Go!!

[hazelrunpack]

Great update on the bloodwork, SW!

[MaxaLisa]

Great update so glad her bloodwork is responding so well.

I hope her strength and stability continue to improve and a steady pace. there are so many variables at play here, but she sounds so much happier and stronger, and that just makes my day!

[rainbow]

Awesome news and I hope Timber continues to improve.

[SuperWanda]

Yes -- things are really looking up. I feel a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders. When I look back now I really can't believe it. Especially after the cancer diagnosis when she was in transfusion range, hardly able to walk or eat.

I am very thankful for everyone's support here! I really appreciate the time you took to wish us well, offer advice or answer my questions -- it really helped me take care of her when she was so ill.

MaxaLisa's determined e-mails trying to get us to consider the possibility of tick disease again -- pretty amazing considering we are on the internet and in an area where anaplasmosis is not that common.

Thank you so much to everyone and I hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday with your loved ones (furry or not so furry)!

[MaxaLisa]

After your update on the 14th, I was thinking about you (SW) and Timber as I was driving on the way to work...just the way that everything happened and everyone seemed to be in the right place to help Timber through. I have to give great kudos to you for asking a lot of questions, and following through on your instincts once you gathered the info you needed to make your decision. Nothing at all was clear, but it was all about the best treatment considering the odds.

Very surreal in some aspects, and I bet you will be processing it a bit for awhile. Curious if you've had this conversation with your vet, and what your vet thinks of all this.

I lost my heart dog on 10/2. She had the high neutrophil pattern too. I think she had a raging infection that got to her brainstem. I couldn't save her, and I had to fight with the vets and never really had a chance to treat her for what I think she had. I think she was probably too far gone, even if I could have got her the right treatment. I like to think that she was helping us out with Timber.

[Myka]

That'sd a nice thought MaxaLisa.

[MaxaLisa]

Thank you Myka

[Myka]

How is Timber doing these days SuperWanda?

[MaxaLisa]

I've been wondering the same thing?

[Myka]

She's probably busy with the holidays. I hope Timber is continuing to do better everyday.

[SuperWanda]

Hi MaxaLisa, Myka,

Timber is doing very well! She is still not back to where she was before this all happened but I think I see a little improvement every day. She has gained a lot of the weight back now so is looking quite a bit better.

Still weak in her hind end and seems to have a chronic limp but hopefully we can get that settled down with our visit to the alternate healing vet here.

She is off all steroids and I just stopped the doxy -- really watching her now. I was just talking with someone who's dog had Lyme and had to go through 3 rounds of doxy before symptoms subsided.

MaxaLisa -- Thank you so much for your thoughts! I am so sorry about your loss. Do you think that she had the same illness as Max? How is he doing? Is he still improving?

As for what all the vets think about this -- haven't heard anything from the internal medicine specialist -- she was the one that finally sent the blood to Toronto for tick testing but got our regular vet to deliver the positive results. She knew our regular vet had prescribed the doxycycline but the last time we spoke, she thought it would be a miracle if she responded -- and then the results came back positive so I would think she would have been very surprised but really don't know.

I did call and leave messages with receptionists about what Timber had with the first clinic we visited and the emergency clinic. I wanted the emergency vet to call me back but she never did so I just left the information with the receptionist.

Overall I'm a little upset that the vet's I dealt with haven't really expressed anything over the situation. It makes me think that they don't care or are even happy that we found the right answers. I don't know...

I do appreciate that our regular vet is the one that is still sticking with us now. She is the one that got us going on the doxy and has helped us get the blood to North Carolina for further testing -- just got those results back and Timber is negative for all other tick disease. I know that isn't 100% but it makes me feel better for now.

Happy Holidays everyone!

[MaxaLisa]

Glad to hear that she is still doing well!

I am *really* concerned to hear that the doxy has been stopped. She was so sick, and not off the steroids for very long, and this is chronic, probably going back to that anemia a couple of years ago - the bugs are deeply rooted in her. I know that you will be watching carefully and frequently testing those blood counts.

Even after a year on doxy (also used for treating his fistula), it only took a month for Max's platelets to start dropping and for the red blood cells to start looking not normal. He is now back on his abx regimen, but at least he is still here and not in crisis. It will probably eventually win, whatever he has, but with luck, it won't be for a long time.

Do keep an eye on the limp, if it starts getting worse, back on that doxy!

It is disappointing that you haven't really heard back from some of the vets. I would have hoped they would have showed more professional interest, if not personal interest

[Myka]

Originally Posted by SuperWanda

Overall I'm a little upset that the vet's I dealt with haven't really expressed anything over the situation. It makes me think that they don't care or are even happy that we found the right answers. I don't know...

Hmm...that is rather frustrating. I think it would be in all vet's and all dog owners' interest to be aware that tick diseases are a concern in the prairies! I don't understand why the vets don't think this is significant!

I'm happy to hear Timber is continuing to improve. I was also under the impression that the Doxy would need to be continued for quite some time.

[SuperWanda]

We are getting some more doxycycline and are having a blood re-count next Thursday. Next week is also our appointment with the alternative therapy vet.

She is still doing well but seems to have some limping that comes and goes. Not sure if that is from the muscle weakness and everything she's been through or still signs of the disease itself so she will get some more doxy as a precaution.

I hope the next blood test shows that her platelets and RBC are still going up!

[hazelrunpack]

Oh, good! I'm a fan of keeping them on the doxy until all the bloodwork is normal and the symptoms are totally a thing of the past! Hope Thursday's blood results show continued improvement!!!

[rainbow]

SW, I've been thinking of Timber often so thanks for updating us.

Glad to hear that she is still doing well and hoping for a good report on the blood test.

[Myka]

Thanks for the update SW! Fingers crossed for Timber's Thursday blood test!

[MaxaLisa]

Relieved to hear about the doxy! I too like to keep them on it until all is normal, and then just a bit longer, particularly when they have been so sick.

I'll be very interested in the bloodwork! Very happy to hear that she is still doing better. That limp, if it doesn't improve with antibiotics, might be a chiropractor thing, I dunno.