Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Harley's platelate count a few weeks after he had his surgery to debulk the tumor was down to 30,000. Even with platelets this low, he was happier, healthier than he has been in months. The thought was that since his platelets dropped so low so fast that this is an autoimmune related problem so his vet put him on 80mg Prednisone daily for two weeks. I brought him in thursday for bloodworks and his platelets are up to 56,000 but his red blood cell count has dropped into the 30s and while platelets were low before, the "estimate"? was always reading as normal -- that is now reading as abnormal. He also went from 86 lb to 80 lb in two weeks which scared me. He's a little more quiet but we're still taking walks, his appetite is very good (I just went back to adding cooked turkey or ground round to his kibble and yesterday cooked him a liver steak) and he did chase a chipmunk yesterday so he is mobile. I'm not sure if this is just related to the prednisone or if the lung tumors are really growing and there is more metastasis. The next thing to do would be to add azathioprine to the prednisone. I did see a post where Dr. Pam noted this is a strong drug and online I see the study where azathioprine added to the prednisone really had no notable effects. I just thought I would throw it out there in case anyone heard positive or negatives on this.
Harley is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. Amp surgery for an infiltrative lipoma canceled due to two masses in chest. A rescue, he found his forever home on 3/18/07 and left for his eternal home on 1/09/13. His story and medical history are at http://myharley.....pawds.com/
If prednisone alone does not control autoimmune disease then either azathioprine or cyclosporine can be added to further decrease the immune response. Azathioprine is more likely to cause decreased white cell counts and cyclosporine is more likely to cause GI side effects such as vomiting. I have used both drugs in dogs and have had very few problems with either. Our local internal medicine specialists seem to prefer the cyclosporine.
Pam
tazziedog said
If prednisone alone does not control autoimmune disease then either azathioprine or cyclosporine can be added to further decrease the immune response. Azathioprine is more likely to cause decreased white cell counts and cyclosporine is more likely to cause GI side effects such as vomiting. I have used both drugs in dogs and have had very few problems with either. Our local internal medicine specialists seem to prefer the cyclosporine.Pam
Thanks Pam, I feel better knowing that you used the drug. I did see something on the cyclosporine and wondered about that. I also saw something that prednislone (?) had fewer side effects than the prednisone. On the azathioprine, I rather deal with a little GI than fix one thing and then have low white cell count. I think I might take Harley in tomorrow just to get him on the scale and maybe get another bloodwork. I really should have an ultrasound but to be honest I almost rather not know.
Harley is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. Amp surgery for an infiltrative lipoma canceled due to two masses in chest. A rescue, he found his forever home on 3/18/07 and left for his eternal home on 1/09/13. His story and medical history are at http://myharley.....pawds.com/
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