Vestibular Disease/imha

[Houndmommy03]

Yesterday morning my 7 year old male hound refused to eat and generally was acting odd (didn't want to eat or go for a walk - Marlow lives for both and will drive you crazy until he gets fed and walked). Anyway, when he finally came in from outside, he was walking oddly (I thought he 'd had a stroke or couldn't see), then later his gait was normal and then later got wierd again. I took him to the vet and when we got out of the car he was all wierd again - strange eye movements (now I think he is having seizures). The vet dx'd Vestibular Disease, which made sense based on videos I looked at. She also ran some bloodwork to just make sure nothing was off. She ran it twice because it was way off. For one, his blood samples looked weird (hemolysis of rbc's - she showed me normal sample and his. Didn't need a vet degree to see something was wrong). Mnay values were also way off. She thinks he could have Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. It is critical enough that she transfers me to a specialist/E-Vet immediately. They re ran the tests and say it isn't IMHA and want to do a brain scan but he would need to be stabilized and transferred again. So, they kept him overnight and I am waiting for a call. Meanwhile, I have been researching on my own and called my regular vet back. She called the E-vet and now they are saying yes, it could be IMHA but isn't presenting as a clear case. They are consulting with a specialist in this area. Like most folks, I have limited funds and so have to make sure we are careful with tests and not just running in different directions, which has already happened and his overnight stay has already racked up quite a bill. Thoughts? Recommendations? Personally I believe the underlying cause of whatever is happening is the result of the hemolysis of the RBC's. Although, I guess it is possible the vestibular event brought on the RBC issues. Sigh.

[NeylasMom]

I have absolutely no clue. Don't really know anything about the issues you're talking about. Having said that, the only thing that came to mind was to ask them if there are any infectious diseases that might cause these symptoms, even less common ones. There is such weird crap out there these days.

 

Really sorry you're going through this and hope you get some answers. Sending good thoughts your way.

[tbhounds]

Imha can be primary or secondarily to another underlying disease. The drunken gait that you witnessed may have been from weakness due to the lack of hemaglobin (which remember carries oxygen).

Edited to add-I see you stated your boy is 7 years old--that seems to be the witching hour from immune mediated diseases to rear their ugly heads. :-(

Edited October 5, 2016 by tbhounds

[Hubcitypam]

The Coombs test should have shown if it was AIHA. It took my first grey fast and it was fast. Even with vitamin K and transfusions she was throwing up blood and pooping blood. For some reason it hits middle aged girls hardest. .The gait and eyes sound like Poodl'e's two strokes. about the bloodwork.

[Houndmommy03]

He is still at the vet. Still waiting on 2 blood tests but right now they think it is IMHA. So far, they can't find a cause. His neurological issues have improved. The vet thinks he may have had a clot due to the agluttination. His blood count continues to fall which is why they wont let him come home. They have him on a low dose if prednisone and an antibiotic. Hopefully he will start showing some improvement. Also hoping we get the blood test back soon so they can determine if it is being caused by TBD. Now that I'm doing some reading, I'm not sure why they didn't do a Coombs test, although I remember them saying his presentation wasn't what they expected with IMHA when he first came in. Unfortunately I think the second vet that saw him threw us off the path my vet had us on and that the current specialist is now on.

[Busderpuddle]

Praying for Marlow and your family Kim.

[Batmom]

Best thoughts for you and your pupper.

[Houndmommy03]

Vet has officially dx'd him with IMHA. She has now increased his prednisone and put him on cyclosporine. Now we wait and see if his counts go up so he can come home. He is very jaundiced now as well. I've been visiting him twice a day and it is just so sad to see him this way. He was fine in Monday and then Tuesday afternoon he was taken into the vets office on a stretcher. Good grief.

[Batmom]

Hugs.

[EllenEveBaz]

Sending best wishes for Marlow and cyberhugs for you.

[Rickiesmom]

My Jeff was diagnosed with IMHA a little over a year ago. It was caught fairly early, but even so it was touch-and-go for awhile. Jeff was in the specialty hospital for a week, so they could keep an eye on him and monitor his PCV (packed cell volume) as well as the rate at which his marrow was trying to pump out new red blood cells to replace those being destroyed. It's a very scary time, and I feel for you.

 

If you would like to read about our experience, here is Jeff's thread.

[greyhoundgang]

Dr Couto - Greyhound Health Initiative is the place to get a second opinion.

 

here is also some neurological info - FCE, Vestibular, Strokes