What Is IMHA?
I recently received an email from Mica’s mom letting me know about something called Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) which is commonly linked with Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia.
Shortly after getting the first email I received a second from another Dogster member requesting a post on this horrible disease, and letting me know about Daisy Mae who is recovering from a relapse of IMHA.
IMHA was something I had never heard of, when I read about it I knew how important it was to get the word out. This scariest part of IMHA is how suddenly it comes on, 60-75% of cases do not have apparent causes, and it has a very high mortality rate.
There are two good articles to go to for more information, both on the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center website. The articles IMMUNE MEDIATED HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA and IMMUNE-MEDIATED THROMBOCYTOPENIA discuss both diseases, which when present together are often called “Evans Syndrome.”
I thought who better to explain this devastating disease than someone who has experienced it firsthand, Mica’s mom.
Our perfectly healthy and lovely 9 year old Belgian Tervuren was lost within 6 days of onset of 2 blood immune diseases, IMHA & IMTP: Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia & Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia. When present together, it is often called “Evans Syndrome.”
IMHA occurs when the immune system attacks its own red blood cells (RBCs) prematurely & at a MUCH faster rate than new ones can be produced. It is life threatening & requires prompt, aggressive treatment. A lack of oxygen carrying RBCs may damage vital organs, while a high risk of death from blood clots occurs due to damaged RBCs.
CAUSATION: It may be caused by an exposure to toxins, from cancer, an infection or even vaccines. Bee/wasp stings & tick-borne diseases (TBD) have also been implicated, as has the ingestion of ONIONS, GARLIC or PENNIES, or owner administration of Vitamin K and acetaminophen. It may be deemed IDIOPATHIC [id E-oh path ick] (no known cause) like Mica’s, which is MOST often the case. IMTP adversely affects the blood platelets, which helps blood to clot normally accompanies IMHA in 50-70% of ALL IMHA cases. It can lead to excessive bleeding.
PLEASE NOTE that bleeding can be interior and/or exterior in nature. For Mica it was the complications of IMHA that presented the greatest challenge. Symptoms of IMHA can appear suddenly or be more gradual. Mica’s onset was sudden, in less than 24 hours. Her energy level was down a bit one day, but she otherwise seemed well. After midnight she vomited once. By morning her breathing was labored and she was very weak. Later that day in ICU she became severely jaundiced.
SIGNS TO WATCH FOR: Your pet may exhibit subtle weakness or lethargy. They may have an increase in heart & respiration rates (excessive panting) & have PALE GUMS or ears. They may vomit or stop eating altogether. With IMTP they may have unexplained bruising or bleeding.
EVERY SINGLE CASE is different with this illness, which is why treating it successfully is SO difficult. Supportive care comes 1st to try & stabilize a pet’s condition. Next, immune suppression drugs try to stop the ongoing destruction of blood cells. Finding then treating the underlying cause IS critical. MICA’S ANEMIA BECAME SO SEVERE THAT SHE NEEDED CRITICAL LIFE-SUPPORT THAT INCLUDED THE HELP OF OTHER DOGS.
Did you know that dogs give blood, just like humans? If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be enough blood to provide the tens of thousands of transfusions dogs need every year. As with humans, blood must be readily available or a patient may die. THAT’S WHY CANINE BLOOD DONATION IS SO IMPORTANT. Mica’s condition improved significantly after multiple transfusions, & she fought valiantly-like the good Terv she was for nearly a week when complications of the IMHA finally took her from us.
PLEASE consider talking with your vet about involving your dog in a blood donation program. Blood transfusions like Mica received GREATLY increase a dogs chance of recovering from IMHA, IMTP & other illnesses or injuries. IMHA & IMTP are devastating diseases. IMHA is the MOST common blood immune disorder in BOTH dogs & cats, and its mortality rate is staggering. At times it can be managed, but today there is no cure.
RESEARCH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED. Please consider Mica’s IMHA Research Fund.. .even a dollar at a time adds up! THANK YOU!
Sadly Mica did not make it, she passed to Rainbow Bridge. Her mom has started Mica’s IMHA Research Fund, dedicated to funding research that leads to effective diagnostic tools, treatments and a cure for immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and to raise awareness of immune-mediated (IM) disease.
Mica’s IMHA Research Fund is a non-profit foundation and it’s name represents it’s mission. IMHA gave Mica her wings, and her quest for a cure left her a legacy. It would greatly please the wonderpup that in her memory others could join her and benefit in finding a cure. If these efforts on our behalf could save even one life, or spare one you love like we did Mica- the sheer indignity, pain and uncertainty of IMHA then it would be worth it.
We appreciate any donation. We accept as little as a dollar at-a-time. Honestly what pains us most other than one never giving a second thought to IMHA research, is that most people who make a donation feel that what they have to give is not enough. Please feel good that what you contribute IS good, and goes to cause not only near & dear to our hearts, but one that Many we have come to know (and LOVE) touched by this disease watch & wait for such a miracle [that] a cure would be, and none too soon.
To join Mica in her fight go to Mica’s IMHA Research page. Our condolences to Mica’s family, and all the other pups touched by this disease. We wish Daisy Mae a speedy recovery.
Thank you to the Dogsters who brought IMHA and IMTP to my attention. Let’s hope this article helps get the word out about this horrific disease and saves more lives in the process.
Thank you Horst for opening the eyes of many to this dangerous disease. Thanks also to Mel and Mica who have been trying to alert all Dogster members to this. So many members, yet so few willing to help.
Almost 500,000 strong yet not even 1% will get involved. Just think what $1.00 from each member could do.
Come on folks, look at that furbaby beside you. If they were suffering from this life threatening, make that life taking, illness, would you want help to save them. Just one dollar, $1.00, will help find a cure. Give up that coffee or soda for one day and show just a little thanks to a woman who truly cares for us all.
Thanks Mel and Mica.
We have been …. and continue to support Mel on this. It is also as easy as going to corral all 3….. Mica / Mirra / The Purple Girls of Oregon.
That will cost you nothing…. and may get them money to their research. Go to their pages.. see…
I have been on dogster only since Oct 07 … but have known about that since almost the beginning.
A 3 way corral… just how much easier can that be? Even if you have no money.. and for most of us that is thinly spread …. you can do that. AND read about this awful disease.
I was a victim to AIHA. In more recent photos I stand right under Mica’s head. My mom has been a supportor of Mel’s cause and tries to make a donation every few months. I wish that every one on the Dogster website would contribute just a dollar to this cause so that research could be started and a cure could be found for this dreaded disease. I hope that someday no other dogs will have to deal with the pain that I had to go through.
Thanks Mel and Mica for trying to make people aware of this disease.
Thank you sooo much, Horst for bringing these terrible yet unknown diseases to the forefront in your blog. The more dog-owners that are aware of them the better. If one dog could be saved because they knew what to look for in their dog, it would be wonderful. Mel, keep up the good fight!
Please support Mel who works so hard for others. Mica is in Heaven looking down so proud of her Mom and all she does to help others so they may not have to suffer this heartbreak!
That’s a purty pic that Mr. Hoefinger put up there, too bad there’s such a sad story behind it. It’s just a lil pic here, so there’s sum stuff in it that ya can’t see too good. If ya go look at my page, there’s a bigger one, and my last diary – it’s almost a year old now – tells ya sumthin ya oughta know that pic. I hope ya take a minute to check it out… and then do sumthin to help. This is yer chance to help some dogs out, and who knows, ya might be one of em yerself.
-Ringo
P.S. In case ya din’t know it already, cats are victims of this too.
I contracted IMHA as a puppy and have lived with it every day since. It is a roller coaster ride of anxiety. My pawrents don’t like to speak of those dark days and nights spent with me at the hospital. The IVs, the transfusions with fake bovine blood, and the hourly medication. But I see the worry in their eyes. Through Angel Mica my family has met so many caring Dogsters and their families who have become near and dear to our hearts. Mica, her sister (Mirra), and their Mom (Mel) work tirelessly to help find a cure for immune disorders. Please, help them win this fight. I have said it before and I will say it again–many voices make beautiful music and many shoulders can lighten the weight of grief and fear.
Thank you for featuring Mica’s IMHA Research Fund in your blog today. This is the horrific disease that took me away from my wonderful furever home after being rescued from the doggie pound (jail) last year. My mommy’s still hurting over my loss, but we support Mica in all her hard work to bring attention and raise funds for research.
What an amazing post. I had never thought of pets donating blood and like that, it does make sense though when you think about it. I am sorry for the loss of Mica and am glad to see this post. It was a real eye opener. Thanks for such great information.
This is fancy’s fight with AIHA & ES ….Its out there and its real and it does not discriminate.
Evans Syndrome (ES) is a combination of two conditions, one being Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) and the other being Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia ((ITP). The immune system, normally the defense against foreign invaders, becomes defective and begins to attack the bodys own cells. In AIHA, it destroys the red blood cells which normally carry the all important oxygen through the body. ITP is a blood disease in which the platelets are destroyed by the dogs immune system. Platelets control the clotting capability of the blood and when they get too low, the dog, in the worst case scenario, can bleed to death. ES is a serious autoimmune condition that needs to be dealt with promptly and aggressively. __________________________________ _________ Fancys problems began In May 2005 shortly after her Sixth birthday. She refused to eat one morning which was not like her at all, she had always been a good eater. Later that after noon we were packing up to go camping and she was not at all interested (not like her) she was lethargic, and had trouble rising from her bed. Fancy was normally an active girl and something was definitely wrong. When I let her outside I noted that her stool was a brilliant orange in color, not normal. Her gums were pale with no pink evident. Our vet was closed at the time so we called another vet who a family member recommended, they told us to bring her in right away. When we walked in I could see the concern in their faces . They wanted to keep her over night and start IVs. we were told to go on our trip ( we was only going to be 40 mins away) and they would call us in the morning with the results. He took blood and the tests came back the next morning. Red blood cells were very low at 2.28 (normal is 5.5-8.5). Platelets were down to 55 (normal is 164-510). We came in from our trip to spend some time with Fancy. she was in a kennel with blankets and had 2 IVs hooked to her. She could barely raise her head and I sat down next to her and started stroking her she was a very sick girl. They had started Fancy on Prednisonne, 80 mgs a day with Blood being drawn every 5 days but after 4 weeks her number were not improving. We were sent to a specialist who started fancy on the drug imuran 100mg a day and thats when it was discovered fancy also had Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia ((ITP). Her blood numbers showed some improvement immediately, but it was to be over eight months before they moved into the normal range. By then, the goal was to reduce the drugs, which can have harmful side effects, as much as possible while keeping the red blood cells and platelets in the normal range. It was a delicate balancing act which required constant blood work. At first, she had twice weekly blood tests and as she got better those tests stretched to weekly and then twice a month. Fancys march toward renewed health was not a smooth one. she developed side effects from the prescribed drugs. She was constantly panting and needed to frequently urinate. She had diarrhea from an overgrowth of bacteria in her intestinal tract which we treated with antibiotics. We began to home cook all of her food. After months on Prednisonne, she developed an ulcer and began vomiting. She became dehydrated and was placed on IVs this time, we were able to ease off the Pred and support her with medicines which protected her tummy. After almost 3 years she was doing very well she was cut to 5mg of Prednisonne twice week and 5mg of Imuran twice a week. In January of 2008 Fancy was getting Blood Tests (CBC) about every 6 weeks. Her counts were staying in the normal range and had been there for 18 weeks now. The specialist called and said to ahead and take Fancy off the pred she was only taking a ¼ of a 10mg tablet everyday. March 2008 Fancy had blood work and a following phone call saying everything looks Great !! April 2008 , unexpectedly, she relapsed with AIHA again. I had noticed she didnt eat her food that morning and was panting and lethargic. I looked at her gums and knew exactly what was going on it was 9pm I called the office to page the vet and she met us there. The gave her cortisone iv and drew blood that would be sent out the next morning and she was put back on 80mg of pred and 100mg of imuran a day. A call the next day confirmed she what we already knew. We immediately ceased all vaccinations and flea meds and administered only the drugs needed to combat her diseases. Because her stomach and intestinal tract became sensitive, We again home cooked all of her food. We observed her closely for any signs of change in eating habits, pottying, energy levels, etc. These routines continue today. Today December 2008 Fancy is doing well she is currently taking 5mgs of pred 3x week and 5mgs of imuran 2x a week. Her last 2 blood draws came back excellent and her muscles in her back legs are getting strong ( a side effect of the pred, loss of muscle mass) Fancy is no invalid these days. Despite adversity, she has returned to her former outer beauty while always retaining the courage, bravery, and determination to live. In the course of her illness, she has taught me patience, strength, and the capacity to appreciate each day as it comes. If anything, her health problems have brought us closer and our hearts continue to beat as one! There are no guarantees of good health with AIHA & IPT dogs and we may face relapse again, but I have come to believe in miracles for my Fancy is, indeed, a living, barking miracle!
Our Motto is One day at a time !!!!!
As was pointed out by Takoda, it should be so easy to help. You don’t have to be a wealthy philanthropist. There are so many of us, just a small gift would go so far if everyone chipped in. One dog or one cat, one dollar. Of course, if you can do more that would be nice! But just a buck from each of us could work miracles… if we all gave.
Please think about it.
-Webster
it has been a trying day, and from an IMHA PAWspex, there have been many better..
although we had hoped for a much more up beat response to close a day where we have been Blessed to receive such attention, it’s nearly midnight. (well, now, as i squint, i see it’s closer to 1 a.m.) after a day like many end up being, i can literally if hardly see straight enough to close it out as it deserves.
(even squinting helps little if at all either!)
yet there’s one who has had a most difficult relapse, and does deserves our prayers. please offer some on behalf of the lovely Daisy Mae, due to IMHA.
we apologize for not saying all else that needs or deserves to be said.
PAWhaps tomorrow.
we would like to thank all those who had any kind of PAWsitive PAW in this endeavor though.
with every Blessing, you have our deepest gratitude.
LOVE, m, m & angel m
This is the disease that I lost my sweet Lady to. She showed no signs of being sick until one day she couldn’t stand up without falling. I rushed her to the emergency vet, where they started running tests and came back with this awful diagnosis! Her pancreas was destroying her red blood cells and she had almost none left! We tried the medications and a blood transfusion, but Lady was gone in 3 days..This disease hit her so quickly it was pretty much too late by the time we realized she was sick. It’s been just over 3 years and I still miss her every day! I also still wonder if I missed any signs that I should have seen, and if I had seen them, would she have survived. It breaks my heart every time I think about it.
Angel Mica was one of my first pals on Dogster and we have been supporting her fight against IMHA each day since. PLEASE Corral Mica,Mirra and The Purple Girls,donate if you can( every penny helps,), Donate blood at your local Animal Hospital & pass the info along. Please go to their pages and read about this horrible often deadly disease. It affects dogs,cats and Humans too.
There are far too many of our fellow Dogster/Catster pals struggling and who will be hit by this killer in the future. We Love you Mica,Mirra and Mom Mel . We Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your tireless work on behalf of everyfur. Thanks Horst for spotlighting this in the Dog Blog Lets end IMHA and realted blood diseases together..{{{{Hugs for All}}}}
Monty was diagnosed with AIHA/IMHA in Jan. 2009. He was on pred. for 3-4 months, in that time and through Mel, Micca, MIra we learned everything we could about this devastating disease. I followed Mel’s suggestions to get copies of his health records from our Vet. in case he needed emergency care during our Vet’s off hours and have him tested for tick-borne disease; they were negative.
Monty is doing ok now, is no longer on pred., but not a day goes by that I don’t watch him for any little sign that is not “normal” for him.
I would like everyone to know about the fierce support Monty received from so many here at Dogster; it was extraordinary! Thank you all.
Our love,
Michael, Maria, Monty and the pack
I am very sorry about your Belgian Tervuren. What a horrible disease that I knew nothing about. Thank you for sharing your story and educating me!
This was a great article. It’s always good to learn about new diseases and things that can affect our furry friends!
I tried to click the link to get to Mica’s research page, but it says it can only be accessed by plus members. I would be interested to check it out. Is there a way to make it available to all?
Thanks!
greetings, J. Parris. i wasn’t aware that our page(s) on Dogster were only accessible to PLUS members. should you need or wish more information, PAWlease start by writing us by PAWmail or email by:
micabelgianred@yahoo.com
and put mica in the subject field,
or contact someone at HQ for help.
we appreciate your interest & would like to help if PAWsible.
respectfully,
m, m & angel m
In June of 2006 my babygirl Mopsy was diagnosed with IMHA, it all started so suddenly. One day we were out at the beach, and the next day she kept tipping over, like a cow. It progressed, many seizures, many nights rushing her to the emergency, it got as low as 8. She ended up having a blood transfusion, which saved her. It was at 22, then went up to 28, then 30 +. We have been okay ever since, but I watch her color closely.
Mopsy is 10 years old now, at the time of the onset of her IMHA, she was 7. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t check her gums, and watch her color, closely.
It has reared its ugly head. A few nights ago, I came home from dinner, heard her bark at the noise of my VW bus, and came in to find my baby laying on her side on the floor of the living room. She was unresponsive and I scooped her up and rushed her to the emergency clinic. They took her blood and kept her overnight. I took her home the next morning and she hadn’t had any other seizures that day. That evening, she had 2 seizures, and then one in the early hours of the morning, I took her into her vet as soon as she opened and she did a complete bloodwork on her. She sent me home with anti-seizure medication, and since she has allergies and the IMHA in the past we had prednisone here at the house already. She was taking it semi-regularly, we just fought a horrible fight with flea infestation. I suspect that is the culprit, the fleas, and perhaps, anemia which triggered the IMHA. Nobody ever knows for sure, but her itching and allergies were horrible. I got a call today from the vet, her IMHA is back. She’s 10. The vet has upped her pred. dosage to twice a day, 2 pills, and the anti convulsing medication. I go in tomorrow to check her blood again and we will see if it drops or stays the same, or hopefully increases. It’s 28 today. If it gets lower, we will start the Cyclosporine, which in the past, Mopsy had Imuran and Pred., I can’t remember if we tried Cyclosporine, I have a copy of her medical records and I need to check. The vet also wants to give her antibiotics, which wasn’t done before, she said something about some elevated panel and inflammation and aspirin, which I cannot see, as it is the worst thing you can give a dog. I am going to confirm this at her appointment tomorrow.
I hate this disease more than anyone can even imagine. I am on disability and have already spent equiv. to one months rent. I don’t care, I’d sell everything I own and do whatever I need to do to make sure my girl pulls through this. I love her so much and all I can do now is pray, watch and wait. I hope this gives others hope, and some insight. IMHA is non-discriminating, it affects everyone. There is no cure, but by the power of love, prayer and pure determination to get our babies well, we can conquer it.
Please check out http://www.optimumchoices.com. Biosuperfood, an algae product, has helped dogs with IMHA to produce platelets, and reduce or eliminate the need for prednisone. VERY IMPORTANT!
The product which helps the body’s own ability to heal itself has proven effective with mast cell tumors, seizures, Lyme Disease and Erlichia as well as renal failure.
It’s not a gimmick, and there are no guarantees, but I feel strongly about spreading the word everywhere I can. There’s a version for people, too.