My beautiful Mai Mai had this awful condition. Her vets were wonderful but the
steroids took their toll. However, my alternative vet was very helpful and
able to get the condition under control for a pretty good length of time. You
might investigate this avenue. Mai Mai left this world over 5 years ago and
treatments may well have improved.
Good luck and blessings to you.
If you have men who will
exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion
and pity, you will have men who
will deal likewise with their
fellow man.
St. Francis
----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:57 AM
Subject: Re: Auto Immune Hemolytic Anemia
I've never had or dealt w/ [that I can remember now anyway.....] a cat w/
this disease...
But I DO remember when my first Rottie was diagnosed with it......
What had me concerned was his lethargy, not common for him. Just laying
around, sleeping alot.
So, I took him to my vet. Was devastated when I got results!!! Mind you, I
WAS thinking positive, after all, he was my baby.
It's a nasty disease...... (Very prevalent for his breed as I learned doing
my research)
We tried everything as it progressed....... PCV's every three days,
transfusions, epoeitin [sp?], an oncologist, chemo (THREE diff.
prescriptions!), etc., etc.........
Needless to say, and I'm sorry, but after TOO long, I finally had my boy
PTS......
He could no longer walk, even get up. And, the chemo drugs made him so
sick..... He couldn't even eat on his own, something he LOVED to do!!! I ended
up "hand-feeding" him. He developed ulcerations in his mouth because of all he
had to take. It got to the point where I was hand-feeding him a diet of cottage
cheese!!!! (NOT a great diet for a big boy......) In the end, my "former" big
boy weighed only around 60 lbs. (And I do remember my vet always getting on me
about his weight....)
It broke my heart, but I'm even more heartbroken about all I put him through.
I did it for me - I didn't want to lose him. But, after all I put him thru, I
did lose him. We humans can be so selfish.....
After losing Bear [in a HORRIBLE way- treatment was probably worse than the
disease!], I made a promise to ALL my babies, I would never let them suffer.
Found out, the hard way, that in loving the most important thing is knowing
when to let go......
Sorry this wasn't about Feline AIHA, but I just had to share what I know
[sadly, only TOO well] about the disease.....
Best wishes for your baby.....
Hugs,
Patti & her gang (Which DOES include another Rottie!)
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