ITP in dogs can be a scary diagnosis but it doesn’t have to keep your dog from living a great life. Take it from Dr. Laura Garlow, veterinarian and mom to Fletcher, a Goldendoodle who lived with ITP for nine years. On the invitation of integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby, Dr. Garlow takes a comprehensive look at ITP in dogs and shares her experience walking this path with Fletcher.
I think that everyone’s first dog as a “grown-up” holds an extra special place in their heart. That was the case for me and Fletcher. I like to affectionately call Fletcher the “best bad dog” in the world. No other dog will ever be able to fill the Goldendoodle-sized hole he left in my heart when he passed away a little over a year ago at the respectable age of 11. He had a long happy life, nine years of which he lived with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, but it still never feels like long enough.
My now-husband (who was my fiancée at the time) and I picked Fletcher up as a rambunctious ball of fluff the summer before I started veterinary school. I wanted to make sure I did everything right. So I spent that summer reading all the puppy training manuals I could and hiding everything chewable in our little apartment.
Fast forward a couple of years and Fletcher had turned into a pretty great dog. Maybe the puppy training manuals I poured over so carefully had worked. Or maybe he was just destined to have a wonderful temperament. Regardless, he was a good boy and he brought us so much joy.
Tiny signs of an issue with blood clotting
My husband and I got married during the summer between my second and third year of veterinary school. While on our honeymoon, we boarded Fletcher at a doggy daycare that he loved. He had a blast playing with his doggy friends but had gotten a little scruffy. So when we got home, I gave him a bath, dried him off, and brushed him out. He was his normal self at that point. But just a couple of hours later, I noticed that the insides of both of his ears were covered with tiny pin-prick red dots where I had brushed him.
While I was only halfway through my veterinary education, I knew enough to know that this was not normal. With a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, I quickly texted a picture to a close friend and mentor. He confirmed my fear that the tiny pin pricks looked like petechia, or very small bruises. Then he gently reminded me that petechia are evidence of an issue with blood clotting. This meant we needed to have some lab work performed ASAP to try to pinpoint the problem.
Since Fletcher was otherwise feeling well with no other evidence of bleeding or bruising, we decided that it was okay for me to wait to take him into the clinic until first thing the following morning. I didn’t sleep a wink that night.
A diagnosis of ITP, immune mediated thrombocytopenia
We went into the clinic the next day. A couple of blood tests later and just like that, Fletcher had been diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, or ITP.
This diagnosis had a profound impact on our family, and on my career. I developed a special interest in internal medicine and immune-mediated diseases. This interest led me to complete an intensive one-year internship at a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital after graduation. I found that I enjoyed the challenge of complicated medical cases, and I especially enjoyed helping pet parents understand and navigate the challenging situation of having a hospitalized pet.
After my internship, I spent many years at the same specialty hospital caring for sick hospitalized patients. In that time, I treated many wonderful dogs with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. Through the years, I have learned so much about this condition, both from our experience with Fletcher, and from my experience caring for my patients. I want to share some of my knowledge with you.
If your beloved dog has been diagnosed with ITP, I hope you finish this article feeling empowered with the knowledge you need to face this challenge head-on.
What is ITP in dogs?
Immune mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of several autoimmune diseases in dogs. In ITP, the dog’s own immune system attacks and destroys his or her platelets. As a result, the dog has thrombocytopenia, which is the fancy medical term for a low platelet count.
Platelets 101
Platelets are tiny cell fragments within the blood. They are made in the bone marrow and are vital to blood clotting. You may think about platelets helping stop bleeding from a large cut or wound, but platelets aren’t just there for the primetime trauma. They also prevent life-threatening bleeding from normal daily microscopic wear and tear to blood vessels. When these tiny tears occur, platelets clump together at the site of the damage to form a blood clot. This stops any bleeding before you would even be able to notice there was an issue.
Normal platelet counts vary depending on the laboratory equipment being used to measure their levels. Generally speaking, a normal platelet count is anywhere from about 180,000 to 500,000 platelets per microliter of blood. Most of the time, there are no signs of ITP until the platelet count dips below about 40,000 platelets per microliter of blood. At that point, the risk of spontaneous bleeding sets in.
Occasionally, dogs are diagnosed with ITP due to a moderately low platelet count found by accident on routine yearly bloodwork. However, it is much more common for dog parents to have no idea there is a problem until the platelet count is less than 10,000 platelets per microliter and their beloved companion starts showing obvious signs of bleeding.
What are the symptoms of ITP?
The clinical signs of ITP can be broken into three main categories:
1. Direct signs of bleeding or bruising
- Small pinpoint bruises on the skin or mucous membranes (i.e. petechia)
- Larger bruises on the skin or mucous membranes (i.e. ecchymosis)
- Blood in the urine (i.e. hematuria)
- Dark, black, or tarry stool (i.e. melena)
- Fresh red blood in the stool (i.e. hematochezia)
- Blood in vomit that can appear like coffee grounds ( i.e. hematemesis)
- Nose bleeds in dogs (i.e. epistaxis)
- Bleeding into the whites of the eyes (i.e. scleral hemorrhage)
2. Signs related to anemia in dogs (i.e. low red blood cell count) from losing too much blood
- Pale or white gums
- A lethargic dog
- Decreased appetite
- Exercise intolerance
- Rapid heart rate
- A dog who is breathing fast
- Collapse
3. Signs related to the body system where bleeding has occurred
- Blindness from bleeding into the back of the eye (retinal hemorrhage)
- Dog seizures or other neurologic signs from bleeding in the brain
- Difficulty breathing from bleeding into the lungs
If you notice any of these signs, please make an appointment with your vet immediately. In some cases, severely affected dogs may need an emergency vet visit .
How does the vet reach an ITP diagnosis in dogs?
At the appointment, your veterinarian can check your dog’s number of platelets on the in-house laboratory equipment as part of a complete blood count (CBC). Since low platelets are the primary characteristic of ITP, a platelet count is the diagnostic tool of choice.
The CBC will also allow your veterinarian to check your dog’s red cell count. This is important as anemia can be present due to bleeding from ITP. Or sometimes ITP is combined with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA in dogs). Evan’s Syndrome is the name for ITP and IMHA in dogs.
Occasionally platelets can clump together and read as falsely low with in-house machines. This means that in most cases, your veterinarian will want to confirm the low platelet count by looking at a blood smear underneath a microscope.
The vet will also take into consideration your dog’s age, gender, and breed when diagnosing ITP. Any dog can have immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, but like most conditions there are some dogs who might be more predisposed. Many auto-immune conditions are more common in females, and ITP follows that trend too. Middle-aged dogs are the age group most likely to have ITP. Some breeds have a higher risk as well. These include Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, and Old English Sheepdogs.
Once the vet has determined your dog has ITP, he or she will start looking for the underlying cause, if there is one.
What causes ITP in dogs?
When veterinarians think about ITP, they break it into two classifications—primary and secondary. Primary ITP (i.e. idiopathic ITP) is a diagnosis of exclusion. This means the vet will use additional diagnostic testing to rule out the presence of a trigger. If the vet doesn’t find a clear cause, he or she will categorize it as primary ITP.
Secondary ITP occurs when another medical condition triggers the immune system to run amok within the body, attacking its own cells. Common triggers of secondary ITP include:
Infections
Almost any infection can over-stimulate the immune system and trigger autoimmune disease. However, there are some infections where this is a much more common occurrence than others. Fleas and ticks spread many, but not all, of these infections.
Some of the more common infectious triggers of ITP include:
- Tick-borne disease in dogs such as Ehrlichia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or Babesia
- Bartonella
- Mycoplasma
- Leishmania
- Leptospirosis
- Heartworm disease in dogs
- Systemic fungal infections
Drugs or vaccines
- Sulfa drugs
- Cephalosporins
Note: While vaccines were once thought to be a common trigger for immune-mediated diseases like ITP, more recent studies have not supported this link. In general, vaccines are safe and do a great job of protecting your pet from preventable illness. If you are wondering which dog vaccines are absolutely necessary, I recommend having an open conversation about your concerns with your veterinarian.
Cancers
- Lymphoma in dogs
- Leukemia
- Multiple Myeloma
- Histiocytic Sarcoma
- Hemangiosarcoma in dogs
How do you find the underlying cause?
To look for these triggers, your veterinarian will study your pup’s medication and vaccine history, ask you questions about preventative medications and lifestyle, and run additional diagnostic tests.
Your vet may perform a more limited in-house test for some common tick-borne infections. Alternatively, more comprehensive tick panels are available through outside veterinary diagnostic laboratories. In some cases the vet may decide to start a course of the antibiotic doxycycline while awaiting these results because doxycycline is effective against many tick-borne diseases.
To look for any underlying evidence of cancer, your veterinarian will likely recommend full lab work. He or she may also recommend chest and abdominal radiographs or even an abdominal ultrasound.
Fletcher’s ITP trigger
In Fletcher’s case, he had not been on any recent medications and we were diligent about giving him his flea, tick, and heartworm preventative medications. His chest radiographs were normal. Since I had access to internal medicine specialists at my veterinary school, we also performed an ultrasound and a more comprehensive infectious disease panel a few days later. Thankfully, Fletcher’s ultrasound did not show any evidence of cancer.
When the infectious disease panel came back, we were surprised to discover that Fletcher was positive for Bartonella, an infection that is spread via fleas and can sometimes trigger ITP. We treated Fletcher’s Bartonella infection with a course of antibiotics and crossed our fingers.
Many times, if you treat the underlying trigger, the ITP can resolve. However, this was unfortunately not the case for Fletcher. His ITP did not go away, but with the help of daily medications, he managed to have a wonderful life.
What is the treatment for ITP?
After reaching a diagnosis of ITP, the veterinarian will propose a treatment plan. It may involve:
Immunosuppressive medications
An out-of-control immune system is the root problem with ITP. So you would be correct if you guessed that medications to suppress the immune system are the mainstay of treatment. Steroids like prednisone for dogs are almost always part of the arsenal. However, the vet may also add on other secondary immunosuppressive medications like cyclosporine, mycophenolate, or azathioprine.
Vincristine
If your furry friend ends up needing to be hospitalized for ITP, your veterinarian may talk to you about a medication called vincristine. This is an injectable chemotherapy medication. Since it is given at a lower dose for dogs with ITP, side effects are rare. Vincristine functions to push any leftover tiny platelet fragments out of the bone marrow and into circulation. Studies have shown that dogs who receive vincristine have slightly shorter hospital stays due to a more rapid increase in their platelet count.
IVIG
Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a more intensive treatment option that veterinarians usually reach for in severe cases or if a patient is not responding to more standard therapy. It is a human product and can be quite expensive, making it cost prohibitive for many pet parents.
IVIG essentially works by neutralizing the immune system cells by clogging up the site where they would bind to the platelets they were planning to inappropriately destroy. It is an injectable medication that must be given in the hospital as an infusion. IVIG can be a good option for some situations, and is generally well-tolerated. However, it is not a common day-to-day medication in the arsenal against ITP.
If you are interested in learning more about vincristine and IVIG, a study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine compared these two options in dogs with ITP.
Blood products
Some dogs with ITP experience significant blood loss since they cannot mount an effective clotting response. If dogs lose enough blood that they are experiencing clinical signs from their anemia, they may need a blood transfusion. Packed red blood cell transfusions are the most common type of blood transfusions performed in veterinary medicine. These transfusions don’t provide any platelets or stop the bleeding, but they do stabilize the patient to buy more time for the medications to stop platelet destruction.
In some cases, veterinarians may reach for a whole blood transfusion to help with anemia and ongoing life-threatening bleeding. Whole blood contains both red blood cells and platelets, but unfortunately the platelets in the transfusion last for an incredibly short time inside the body. They may very temporarily help with severe bleeding, but this effect is short-lived. Unfortunately, a whole blood transfusion will not lead to an increase in platelet count.
Since ITP destroys platelets, it would seem like giving the dog more platelets would be a good treatment option. However, while platelet transfusions are relatively common in human medicine, they aren’t that useful in dogs with ITP. Two issues are at play in this situation. The first is that canine platelet products have somewhat limited availability. The second and more significant issue is that the platelets, once transfused, will be destroyed within hours by the same abnormal immune response that is destroying the dog’s own platelets.
Other supportive care
If your beloved pup is diagnosed with ITP, your veterinarian may add in other supportive medications to help treat specific symptoms. These may include:
- Antacids or stomach coating medications if your dog is experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Antinausea medications if your dog is nauseous.
- Appetite stimulants for dogs if your dog is not eating.
Your veterinarian will work closely with you to tailor the medication and treatment plan to your furry family member’s specific situation.
What is the prognosis and survival rate for dogs with ITP?
Using the treatment options we just discussed, the short-term prognosis for ITP Is good. The overall survival rate is roughly 80 to 85%. Unfortunately, though, this does mean that 15 to 20% of dogs pass away or are euthanized due to ITP.
There are a couple of factors that have been linked to a lower survival rate for some dogs with ITP. These include bleeding from the GI tract and an elevation in a blood marker known as BUN. If your pup falls into one of these categories, instead of losing hope, I recommend specifically talking to your veterinarian about your worries and discussing ways to tailor your dog’s treatment to his or her specific clinical situation.
The ups and downs of ITP treatment
One of the harder things to counsel clients on during treatment for ITP is the very normal, but understandably anxiety-inducing waiting game. It can take anywhere from four to seven days on average for immunosuppressive medications to kick in. During that time, we often check the platelet count and red cell count on a daily basis.
It can be very disheartening for dog parents to see that platelet count go from 8,000 to 5,000 to 5,000 again, especially if their dog is showing signs of bleeding. However, it is important to understand that just because a dog hasn’t responded over the first few days, doesn’t mean they still don’t have a good chance of responding positively to their medications.
Indications of improvement
You can breathe a sigh of relief when your dog’s platelet count increases above about 40,000 platelets per microliter. This is generally when your veterinarian will consider your dog to be out of the woods. At this level, life-threatening spontaneous bleeding is much less likely. Even so, you will want to treat your dog as if he or she is quite fragile until the platelet count increases back into the normal range.
This means no running or jumping or boisterous play. I even tend to recommend soft or canned food to decrease the risk of bleeding from the gums while waiting for the platelet count to normalize.
Happily, once the platelet count begins to rise, it normally continues to do so very quickly. Your veterinarian will likely want to monitor the platelet count every several days until it is normal. Once the platelet count has been in the normal range for three to four weeks, then the first step is to gradually reduce the dose of the steroid medication (often prednisone).
The vet typically decreases the dose by about 25% every three to four weeks while continuing to monitor to ensure the platelet count does not start to drop back down. If a secondary immunosuppressive agent was part of the treatment regimen, the vet will decide whether or not to stop or wean that medication once he or she is able to get the dog off steroids.
Medication side effects
Vets aim to taper the steroid dose first because while steroids are potent and effective medications to suppress the immune system, they do come with a number of side effects. Being able to use lower doses of steroids can be one of the advantages of adding in a secondary immunosuppressive medication.
All dogs are susceptible to experiencing steroid side effects, but large and giant breed dogs tend to be most sensitive. Some of the side effects you might see with chronic, high-dose steroid administration include:
- Increased thirst in dogs and increased urination
- Increased panting
- Lethargy or listlessness
- Weight gain, especially for small to medium-sized dogs
- Weight loss and significant loss of muscle mass, especially for medium to larger breed dogs
- Pot-bellied dog appearance
- Increased appetite
- Increased risk of other infections (skin infections, UTIs in dogs, etc.)
- Thinning of the skin
- A thin or dull haircoat
- Insulin resistance, which may increase the chances of diabetes mellitus or cause issues in an already diabetic dog
- Iatrogenic Cushing’s disease in dogs
If you think your dog’s steroid side effects are becoming problematic, speak to your veterinarian. He or she may be able to adjust your dog’s medications to reduce or eliminate some of the side effects.
What to expect long-term
Because of these side effects, vets always hope that we will be able to wean our ITP patients off all of their medications. That is possible in many cases. However, approximately one-third of dogs will have a relapse of their ITP either during their medication tapering or at a later date.
Sometimes it can be harder to get these dogs back into remission, but often they do still respond well to immunosuppressive medications. In some cases, dogs end up on life-long immunosuppressive medications to keep their ITP at bay. The vet will always try to get them on the lowest doses of medications that both control their disease and minimize their side effects.
Fletcher’s long and happy life with ITP
I can’t end this article without telling you what happened to Fletcher. He responded well to his medications and went into remission quickly. Happily, he never ended up needing a stay in the hospital or any blood transfusions.
A couple of months after weaning off his medications, a routine recheck revealed a significantly decreased platelet count. This indicated a relapse, which of course we felt disappointed about. He responded well again but his platelets dropped once more as we got him on the lowest doses of medications. This meant that he fell into the camp of dogs who need lifelong immunosuppressive medications to keep their disease at bay.
We bought a pill organizer, and we were diligent about giving his medications every day and keeping up with his routine rechecks. He experienced some side effects of the long-term steroid use including having to pee more often and losing a lot of his muscle mass. Luckily, at this point I was working at a specialty hospital. The internal medicine specialists were great about giving me lots of advice on his care.
We switched up his medication cocktail and found the right combination of medications that kept him in remission but also minimized his side effects. He lived a very happy life on those medications for more than six years.
Fletcher’s legacy lives on
Fletcher’s happy-go-lucky nature was both a blessing and a curse because by the time he started to act sick from cancer (unrelated to his ITP), it was already in his liver, spleen, and bones. We kept him as comfortable as we could and fed him lots of tasty, previously off-limits foods. Then we let him go when he told us it was time.
We still miss him very much, but we have so many wonderful memories with him. I am grateful for all the lessons he taught me, both about navigating a diagnosis of ITP and about how to empathize with dog parents when they are dealing with a complicated medical condition in their beloved companions. I hope that if you are facing a diagnosis of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia with your beloved dog, this article and Fletcher’s story give you the knowledge and the hope you need to make it through to the other side.
Has your dog been diagnosed with ITP?
What words of advice do you have for other dog parents who find themselves in a similar situation?
We lost our 9 year old male con 2/24/33.
He had no appetite, lethargic, fever, white tongue & gums, couldn’t walk. This all happened extremely fast! I was given an initial diagnosis of IMHA . My boy’s prognosis was not good! He had lost 2/3 of his blood. He made it 4 days . In that time he was given both plasma & blood transfusions. He was given Doxycycline as the cause of his IMHA is tick born Erlichea ( probably spelled wrong.)
He was given many steroids & immune suppressive drugs.
I don’t remember everything right now as his loss has been extremely painful!
I have been doing a lot of research on this disease & IMHA as well as Evan’s Disease & I feel that my boy had Evan’s disease because he had symptoms of both diseases. I called and asked my Vet, who is wonderful, but we’re in a fairly small town, and he’s now saying my boy had ITP which is the first time I heard this since his passing.
I am so confused!!!
I know it’s to late to change anything but I have 2 other dogs and would like to be more educated if this ever happens again!!
Hi Kristy,
I am sorry for the recent loss of your pup. I can only imagine how scary it must have been to see it all unfold so quickly. The only real difference between immune mediated hemolytic anemia and immune mediated thrombocytopenia is that with IMHA you have the destruction of red blood cells and with ITP it is the platelets that are being destroyed. It is very common for dogs to have both at the same time. I imagine this could have been the case with your dog and your vet just chose to use one acronym over the other. If you still have some confusion over this tragic situation or need some answers for any lingering questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet. Be honest about your concerns and talk through everything. This is the best way to get some closure and find peace. I hope with time you will be comforted knowing you did everything you could for your sweet boy. Bless you.
my dog was just diagnosed with ITP. I’ve been trying to post but I never see it on here.
Hi Randy,
I just saw this comment left as a reply to Kristy’s comment above. I searched for your name/email address and didn’t find any other comments in my pending section. I am sorry you have been having trouble getting your comment to post. Feel free to reply directly to my response and it should come through!
thanks i tried again. it just says under moderator review and goes away.
Hi Randy,
I FOUND IT! Yes, the comments say they are under review until I have a chance to read them and respond. I am extremely backlogged and had not made it to your original comment left on April 30th. The reason I did not find it on my previous search is because it is under a different email address. I also see the copy you submitted the other day. Responding now…thank you for your patience.♥
I’m really sorry for causing so much confusion. I wasn’t able to find your response. Only the one where you mentioned you found it. I will give an update. Holly is now down to 5mg of Prednisone. every two weeks she has gone down 5mg. her platelets have been stable at around 560k. Her glucose has gone down to almost normal levels. Her alkp or it might be the other is down from unreadable to 4,800 to 3,400. Lowest she has gotten since her gallbladder removal was 900 which was in January. I do have a question. All of a sudden Holly is deaf. Or maybe I didn’t notice it that much. She’s always with me so it’s hard to think I wouldn’t notice. Can IPT itself cause hearing loss? She does currently have a ear infection. I was clapping right behind her head and on the 10th she heard it. it’s really upsetting. She enjoys listening to all the noises outside. She can hear thunder I know that. She runs outside and barks at it. It might be me not accepting that she is 13 1/2. I have two stepkids and my wife can’t have children due to complications. My two dogs are my kids. I’ve had Holly since she was a little girl. I just love her so much.
Hi Randy,
I am glad to hear that Holly’s blood work is improving and you were able to successfully decrease the prednisone! I am not aware of any mention of ITP causing deafness. Since you mentioned she is currently battling an ear infection, I would be more suspicious that the infection has caused this decrease in her hearing. Some ear medications can also cause deafness as a side effect (usually temporary). Please make sure your vet is aware of this change in Holly’s hearing ability. They may want to have it evaluated and/or make changes to her treatment regimen for the ear infection. Thank you for the update and I look forward to keeping up with Holly in the future!
Thank you so much. I let my vet know about the hearing issue yesterday. She didn’t seem concerned but I am. She goes tomorrow for her ear check up. Then Monday is the big day for getting off Prednisone. She will have follow up blood work I’m sure to make sure she didn’t relapse. Her eye is almost blood free. This was a frightening disease. probably because I never heard of it. When they told me what it was I thought it might be over and I balled for 20min in the vet’s office. I want to thank you for your expertise. I don’t want to bother you anymore as others have questions for you. There pets are equally as important to them as mine is to me.
Hi Randy,
Hoping the hearing issue will resolve once the ear infection clears completely. I can only imagine how scary all this has been for you and your girl. I feel like others will gain some insight and comfort from reading your updates and seeing how things can progress over time. Thank you for your kind words. Feel free to keep in touch. Give your girl a hug for me. ♥
just an update. Holly weened off of Prednisone two weekas ago. Two days after her last dose she stopped eating and had very bad diarrhea. She has chronic pancreatitis and no gallbladder. The specalist put her back on 2.5mg once a day. She returned to normal two days oater. We go for blood work tomorrow. I’m hoping she can get off the Prednisone. It’s not a good long term solution. I worry the longer she is on it although at a low dose the more problems she could have. Her blood work has all been good. She will have been on it 2 months in July.
Hi Randy,
I am sorry you are dealing with this setback since discontinuing the prednisone. I agree it would be ideal for Holly to not take steroids long term, but as long as her blood work continues to look good this may be the best course of action. Did her hearing ever return to normal? Hoping you received good news at the recheck last week. I will continue to keep you and Holly in my thoughts!
it’s bizzare with her hearing. Sometimes she can’t hear me and sometimes she seems to hear me. She definitely has trouble hearing but it’s not completely gone. Her blood work was ok. Her platelets were normal. Her liver enzymes slightly increased. By a few points. The specialist said they want her on it a month then to do a recheck and try to ween her off again. It does seem to keep her pancreatitis at bay. She used to have loose stool and stomach gurgling and pass a ton of gas. The only difference is the steroid. Her stool is pretty normal, she doesn’t really pass gas and no gurgling. Not sure if there is a correlation or not. The blood in her eye is completely gone. I’m still hoping she can ween off. I know she is a senior dog, but to me she is my little girl. I love that dog so much. I’ll post updates as I get them. Hopefully she can get some good news. Oh I forgot she did have some kind of pancreatitis attack or something two weeks ago. I was able to shove a cerinia down her mouth which seemed to ease her stomach. She starts crying and digging in the yard. I just walk with her. The episode didn’t last nearly as long as it normally does. It almost gives me a heart attack when it starts. She started eating boiled chicken the next day. I wish I could take on her issues.
all the best,
Randy, Holly and Joey.
Hi Randy,
It’s good to hear from you! It’s interesting Holly’s GI issues have improved since being on the prednisone. Makes me wonder if she had a touch of something like IBD and the prednisone is treating it as well. I agree, her hearing issues are bizarre, but I guess all things considered it isn’t such a big deal. I am glad to hear the blood in her eye has resolved and she is still fighting! I hope the next recheck will bring good news. Thank you for the update. Give your sweet pup a hug for me. ♥
You might be right about the Prednisone and her stomach issues. last time she had a really bad episode was on a weekend so I had to take her to the ER. Her pancreas levels were normal. the only thing they could tell was she had a lot of air in her stomach. I really don’t have an explanation and that’s all they had 2k dollars later.
Yeah….IBD could be a possibility. It might be worth discussing with your vet? Definitely food for thought!
Holly goes for her blood work tomorrow. last time her ALKP was 2800. ALT was 180, GLU 129, TBIL 0.2, GGT 12, ALB 3.4.. Her ALKP will always be high but it’s usually in 1300 range. Wish us luck tomorrow. I doubt I’ll sleep.
Hi Randy,
I am so hoping you will see improvement in Holly’s bloodwork! Come on sweet girl you’ve got this!
Sorry, last question. Do you think the Prednisone is keeping something in check and taking her off is causing her ALT to go up?
Hi Randy,
Of course, I can’t be sure, and anything is possible, but I would assume the opposite. Prednisone is usually a medication that can cause a rise in ALT. Most patients that have an increase in ALT while taking steroids will see a decrease in ALT once the medication has been discontinued. If the ALT is rising without the effects of prednisone playing a role, then I feel like there could be an actual dysfunction issue with the liver or some other diagnosis needs to be investigated. Still praying for your girl. ♥
Holly was on her second day of no Prednisone and she had an episode. Whining, licking her lips, pacing. I don’t know if it’s related to the Prednisone or not. Her last episode was when we tried to get her off and on day 2 she had an episode. She’s calmed down now. I’m extremely upset. She did eat cat feces this morning. I just don’t know anymore. Is the Prednisone keeping inflammation in her gasteo tract down. Her last ultrasound when she was sick only showed air in her stomach. Just really at a loss. Her GI tract will always be an issue with no gallbladder and some bile duct damage..
Hi Randy,
Sorry I didn’t see this comment when I responded to your other one yesterday! I am still very suspicious about Holly having some sort of IBD and thinking the prednisone is keeping it suppressed. Forgive me if we have talked about this before, but is she taking any other immune suppressive medications or just the prednisone? If it is just prednisone, I wonder if trying a different class of drug (non-steroid) for immune suppression would allow her liver some freedom but at the same time help to keep her GI issues under control and treat the ITP. Of course, these are just my random thoughts, but it might be worth discussing with your vet. Poor Holly (and you) just can’t catch a break. Sending hopeful thoughts and wishing you both happier days to come.
Yes, I’m pretty confident she has IBD or some type of stomach disorder. She actually does not need to take Prednisone anymore. Her platelet counts have been fine the past several months. They have been holding in the 480k range. What medication could I speak with my Dr about?
Holly is on:
Denemarian 1x a day
ursidol 1x a day
cernia 1x a day
half a priolsec at night.
Prednisone 1.25mg every 3 days
Hi Randy,
There are too many immunosuppressive medications to list them all, but the most common is cyclosporine. I am not sure if this would be a good fit for Holly or not. But it never hurts to ask questions and see what your vet thinks. Also, here is a link to another article on our site about IBD just in case you haven’t seen it: IBD in Dogs: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
You can delete my previous post about her not vomiting. She doesn’t vomit or have diarrhea but what I did notice is when she started the steroid her gas problem completely stopped. 100% everyday to 0%
thank you for all the support. I’ll stop posting as this is for ITP patients. Youvreally helped me get through that part with her. I just hope I have some more time with her.
Holly was doing great on 1.25mg of Prednisone every third day finally. Yesterday she took a turn for the worse. She has become very lethargic, slow, licking her lips and sometimes off balance. She is still eating and using the restroom. I gave her a cerenia which helped a little. She is still following me around like normal.. She wanted to bark and run after a dog but just couldn’t. She seemed very nauseous. I’m taking her to vet at 8am. She was just running and playing a day ago. Very upsetting. Since going to every three days on pred she has had issues. I’m worried about cushings now
Hi Randy,
Goodness…I am so sorry. How is Holly feeling today? Did her platelet numbers take a significant drop again? As always, praying for you both. ♥
Her platelets did go down but are still in range. She either has cancer abscess on her liver or just an abscess. it is not benign. They sent it off and also sent it off to see if it’s an infection. I’m at a loss and can’t even move. How many things can my poor girl go though. They didn’t sound confident that she would make it to end of year
They didn’t say that, but seemed pretty guarded. They did not see cancer cells. I guess at worse it’s an abscess which hopefully can be managed for a month or so
Dear Randy,
My heart aches for you. I am so sorry for all you have endured and all you are still facing with sweet Holly. Let us know what you find out from the lab about the liver abscess. No matter what, we will all fight together to make sure Holly is comfortable and happy. Sometimes we end up having to allow our own hearts to break to give a beloved pup freedom from suffering. I hope it does not come to that….but you know I’ll be here for support along the way.
This is from the specialist:
Holly appears well on exam with normal vitals. Recheck liver ultrasound shows an irregular mass within the right liver
lobe measuring 3.6cm x 2.3cm. This was aspirated and sent out for cytology. In house cytology indicated abundant
neutrophilic inflammation. Bacterial culture was sent out as well. We should have preliminary results Thursday and you
will be contacted once they are available. In the meantime, I would like Holly to start an antibiotic called enrofloxacin.
I don’t fully understand it. I guess she won’t survive. I started to go to a therapist to cope with this. She’s eating and drinking and even ran around today. She wants to live so bad.
Dear Randy,
I am glad the specialist is being thorough and sent the sample to the lab for evaluation. This may not be as bad as you are expecting. Try to stay positive and let’s see what you find out from the preliminary results tomorrow. I think therapy is a good idea, especially when dealing with very emotional situations. Talking with someone else has always been a great outlet for me. I’ll be looking for your update. ♥
thank you for the kind words. I know I’m a little insane when it comes to the dogs. I just love them so much. My specialist was guarded but my vet saw the results and talked to her. They are leaning towards an abscess and not cancer. I don’t really understand it. She said it wasn’t Benign. I took that as either cancer or an abscess that will spread. She’s very guarded with her words so I get confused.
Hi Randy,
That is a bit confusing to me as well. I am sure they just don’t want to jump to conclusions without having all the information. Hopefully the picture will become clear once the pathology report is finalized. Praying for favorable results and a clear path forward!
Holly’s results came back. She was negative for cancer. Her results for bacteria culture came back and she has strain resistant E.Coli. They found only a few antibiotics will cure it. Those antibiotics are very very hard on the liver and or kidney. My specialist needs to think about next steps. She was upset at the finding. She figured E. Coli but not this strain resistant one. The good news is that the Enrofloxacin which showed resistant has shrunk her abcess which has lowered her liver enzymes in a week. The plan is to stay on it and get an ultrasound and blood work done in two weeks to see the results. She said depending on those results will determine if she puts her on one of those antibiotics. She said those cultures are done in controlled lab settings which aren’t always accurate in how it will respond in a dogs body. That’s clearly true as the abcess has shrunk. She still says it’s a high possibility this medication won’t cure it but will keep it at bay. One thing after another for my poor girl. Feel so bad. I’m trying every I can as long as she is happy. She is 100% back to her normal self.
Hi Randy,
I am so glad Holly doesn’t have cancer!!! I saw your other comment about the injectable antibiotic and think this is a good idea. I hope the abscess will resolve over the next few weeks just as the specialist expects. What a blessing your girl is feeling good again! This is the positive outcome we were praying for. Keeping you both in my thoughts and I look forward to the next update.
I’m just really worried about her kidneys on Amikacin injections for two weeks. Since starting the original antibiotic her liver values have gone from:
ALKP: 2891 to 934
ALT: 380 to 203
This was over one week.
I know this antibiotic wont kill the ecoli and will come back after stopping this antibiotic. The Amikacin will kill it but has kidney and hearing side effects. Is it not possible to get the abcess as small as possible so she does not have to be on Amikacin as long? Or is that not how it works? What are your personal thoughts on that antibiotic? Have you seen it cause kidney failure in two weeks? She will be getting two blood tests a week and a urine test. I’m just afraid of her kidneys getting damaged where it can’t be reversed. She is so happy right now. I hope the antibiotic doesn’t make her miserable.
Hi Randy,
That is such a great improvement in those liver enzymes! I know using amikacin is scary, but the alternative is really not great either. I have not personally had a patient go into renal failure after just a couple weeks of using this medication, but I have only utilized this type of antibiotic a handful of times. This is where we have to lean on the expertise of your vet and make the best choices we can with the information provided. We know if Holly doesn’t take the amikacin, then the bacteria will stop responding to her current treatment and the abscess with begin to get out of control. I would rather go ahead and destroy the bacteria before it has time to cause other life-threatening issues. Holly is headed down an unknown path, but I am so hopeful she will make it through to better days ahead. Stay strong. You’ve got this. Holly is lucky to have you advocating for her every step of the way. Continuing to pray for you both!
Thank you. She starts today. Her kidney values were normal. She will be getting two blood tests a week and a urine test once a week for a total of two weeks. They really don’t think she will have kidney issues. If she does they will know quick and get her off before any permanent damage is done. I feel so bad for her. She is so happy now. I emailed you a picture of her
Holly had her first blood test today. Her BUN and Creatine levels were fine. Her ALT also went down even more.
Holly got her first blood test Friday. Her BUN and Creatine levels were normal. Her urine was a little diluted but it was around 4pm when they took it. Her ALT is back to normal!! It was 380 three weeks ago. Friday it was 90.
Hi Randy,
This is amazing news! This is exactly the results we were hoping for! I am so glad things are improving quickly and Holly is headed in the right direction. The team made sure to get Holly’s pictures to me. She is ADORABLE. ♥ I am glad you sent them because now I can picture her cute little face when reading your updates. Take care and give your sweet girl a hug for me.
Holly has her ultrasound tomorrow to see if the mass is still present. Her kidneys have not had any issues thus far with the antibiotic. Her ALT has gone further down to 71. The only abnormal number is her Lipase. I believe it was around 2400 then went down to 2200. They will keep an eye on it.
Hi Randy,
Praying for positive results from Holly’s ultrasound today! Your sweet girl deserves some good news!
Sorry, Lipase was 1400 then 1200.
Hello!
My 14 year old puppy girl was diagnosed with ITP May of last year. And since has weaned completely off prednisone as of this week (still on mycophenolate). She had one relapse at the beginning but fingers crossed she keeps doing good!
She’s had this small cyst on her shoulder that over time has gotten worse and eventually ruptured a couple months ago. And continues to scab then open back up. An aspiration showed no signs of cancer. I was wondering if we decided to have it removed since it’s an ongoing issue I assume she’d need antibiotics to fight infection. Is this dangerous? I’ve read that antibiotics can be a big no no when treating ITP.. Thanks for all your incite!
Hi Eliot,
I understand your concern for your senior girl and the need to prevent a possible ITP relapse. You are correct that some antibiotics can play a role in causing ITP. There are also many choices of medications that should be just fine for your pup. I highly recommend you discuss your concerns with your vet. They can let you know if surgery is needed and what treatments are safe for your dog’s specific situation. I am hopeful you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for your girl. Wishing you both the best of luck and feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Our Maltese was diagnosed with this yesterday. She had been breathing heavy all day and not doing anything. We took her in and the did an X-ray. She has a heart murmur and blood in her lungs. She is in the hospital in an oxygen kennel and they are giving her
Vincristine, doxycycline and prednisone. Her platelets are still 0. We are so confused by this and how she got it. Your article was ver helpful and gives us hope. Unfortunately we can’t pay for much more and that’s what worries me. We may have to put her down because of costs. This is just so heartbreaking.
Dear Kim,
My heart aches for you and this difficult situation you are in with your little pup. How are things today? I am hoping your sweet girl was able to keep fighting. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance. Praying for a miracle. ♥
Hello Buzby,
My dog was diagnosed with ITP last September with only 11 months. She was so bad that she needed blood transfusion and some medicine after. She survived. I have 2 questions. One is, why are the chances of dying after getting the rabies vaccine if she does not get exempted? And the other question is, do all dogs diagnosed with ITP need medicine for the rest of their life? My dog is currently taking no medicine or treatment at all. I wasn’t told to do it.
Hi Ivette,
I am happy to hear your dog was able to make a full recovery from her ITP episode and is doing well without medications! Not all dogs have to stay on immunosuppressants for life after an ITP diagnosis. Many dogs go into remission and do very well without taking medications. There is a good chance a relapse will happen at some point, but I would try not to stress about this too much. There is no way to know if your pup will have a relapse after vaccination. I am not sure there is enough data out there to give specific percentages. Your vet may choose to give your dog some medications to try and prevent a reaction should she not receive an exemption and need to have her Rabies vaccine repeated. Hoping all is well and your sweet girl has a long and happy life ahead.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
thank you for responding. I must read your blog once a day. A lot of times the same article. My best friend and little girl Holly who is a Westie was diagnosed with ITP. I pretty munch had a mental breakdown again. My Holly is 13 and has had some health issues. She had her gallbladder removed a year and a half ago. She got pneumonia while recovering in the hospital. I would sleep in my car outside the hospital where she was staying hoping she knew I was there. Her liver enzymes alkp was unreadable. About two months ago it was down to 900. All of a sudden 4 weeks ago I saw blood in her eye. I took her to the vet and her platelets were just about at 0. They started her on 20mg of Prednisone. I decided to take her the next day to her internist. They ended up hospitalizing her. I completely lost it. They gave her Vincristine. The next day her platelets were at 17,000. The next day she was at 125,000. They let my girl come home. She went in two weeks ago for a blood test and her count was 600,000. They decreased her dosage from 20mg to 15mg. Then two weeks later they were 675,000. She was lowered to 10mg. When she was first diagnosed her ALKP was unreadable and she was close to diabetic. Her Bun levels were fine and x rays and ultra sounds showed no cancer or bleeding. Her glucose on our last visit was about 10 points lower and her liver enzymes were readable but at 4,000. I’m really concerned about her enzymes levels but the interest is not currently. I don’t know if I have a question at this point. I just feel better telling someone. My anxiety goes sky high with her. I love her so much. She’s my shadow. The blood in her eye has gone down from covering half her eye to a speck in the center and best way to describe it is blood flowing down from that speck. How long does it typically take for the eye to go back to normal? Also, I’m really nervous about having her on Prednisone. The possible side effects with her liver and glucose. She does seem almost fully back to herself. She still gets tired and drinks a lot. The one odd thing I have noticed is her fecal has been solid “normal” ever since she started Prednisone. Normally it’s soft as she has digestive issues with no gallbladder and chronic pancreatitis. She’s such a wonder girl. Reading your article about your boy Fletcher gave me hope. I just hope we can keep tapering down and she doesn’t relapse even those it’s fairly common too.
Hi Randy,
First let me say I am sorry for all the trouble you had trying to post your comment. I am glad this finally made it and we can get your story published for others to see. I understand your concern for Holly and these issues she has been dealing with over the last few weeks. She is a lucky pup to have you advocating for her health and well-being. Without examining your girl, myself, I can’t say for sure how things will progress. I know you are worried about the side effects of prednisone, but the benefits definitely outweigh the risks at this point. I wish I had more advice to offer, but if nothing else I hope you know you are not alone. Wishing you and Holly the best for happier days ahead and praying for a full recovery.
Holly has seemed to fully recover and blood work was good. My little boy was playing and enjoying life yesterday. He woke up from his sleep crying and couldn’t get up. He was rolling like a crocodile. His head was tilted upwards and his eyes were all over the place. I immediately thought he had vestibular syndrome. I’m not a Dr. so I rushed him to the ER. I won’t be going back to that ER. They agreed with my assessment and do not think he suffered a stroke. his vitals were good. I asked if they could check for ear infection. They said if I hospitalized him. I told them why does he need to be hospitalized to have his ears checked. They checked his ears and didn’t see anything. There was a lot of fur in one which they took out. They didn’t see his ear drum. But I believe they said that was with all the hair in his ear. I decided I didn’t like how it seemed like a money grab. I’ll pay whatever and anything for my dogs. I just didn’t like how the assistants acted. They seemed annoyed. I’m always very nice and no different this time. I took him home and gave him a Cernia and Bonine for his weight. He was really hungry so I put chicken bone broth for dogs which has low sodium in a syringe and slowly put it in his mouth. He went nuts. I gave him 3 full syringes. I gave him some boiled chicken and he ate it and licked a ice cube. He hasn’t gone the bathroom since yesterday at the ER when he whined and then went. This is so terrifying seeing him like this. I thought at first he had a stroke and was paralyzed. He can move his legs. He moves the front more then the back. He does move the back. I put so many blankets down and made a sqaure with body pillows so he couldn’t hurt himself. I hope he pulls through. It almost seems fatal with the symptoms but I know they can recover and show improvement after 48 to 72 hours. I sleep on the floor with him. I have a torn disk in my back from 26 years of working out. It’s flared up and I can’t move really. But he needs me a d calms down when he can see me. He is 14 1/2. So scary
Dear Randy,
I am glad to hear Holly is doing well and her blood work has stabilized. Goodness I just don’t know what to think about what is happening with your boy! I agree it sounds like vestibular disease but of course there are other more serious possibilities as well. I am sorry your experience at the ER was not favorable. While I can’t say they were acting the way I would hope, I wonder what all the staff had been through since the beginning of their shift to alter their attitudes toward their clients in such a negative way. Did the Cerenia and Bonine seem to make any difference in your boy’s symptoms? Hoping you can reach out to your regular vet tomorrow and get their advice on how to proceed. I know you are familiar with a lot of the articles on the site, but just in case you missed them here are a few about vestibular disease:
1. Vestibular Disease in Dogs: Doggy Vertigo
2. How to Feed A Dog With Vestibular Disease: A Comprehensive Guide
3. 10 Tips and Exercises for Dogs with Vestibular Disease
Hoping you can get some definitive answers about what is causing these worrisome symptoms. As always, I will continue to pray for healing. Keep me updated!
Hi there, my dog is in a similar situation as Fletcher. We have checked for tick borne diseases but that wasn’t it. Idiopathic for our dog and the pred worked at first but is no longer working. We have tried adding in Azathiprine but that hasn’t had any impact either unfortunately. Since we’ve tried upping and tapering prednisone a couple times now our vet recommended an internist. Are you able to share what drug combo worked for your Fletcher? I have been so hopeful but am feeling quite discouraged now and hoping we find a solution for our sweet Pearl.
Hi Meredith,
I am sorry your dog is struggling with ITP. Dr.Garlow did not specifically mention which medications Fletcher was taking other than that he ended up having to stay on prednisone long term. I can try to reach out to her for more information but may not be able to get these details. I definitely think pursuing a referral to a specialist is the best idea. They will have the most experience with cases like your pup and Fletcher and should have some good ideas of how to optimize the treatment plan. Praying Pearl is staying strong and still fighting. Hoping for a positive outcome for your sweet girl!
My 23 month old male black lab was diagnosed with IMTP from Anaplasmosis, however, he is not responding to the Doxycyline or the Prednisone as expected. He has had Xrays of his belly and his chest, both show nothing he has also had an ultrasound on his belly which also showed nothing and now we have been told to add Cyclosporine to the Medications. His red blood count was 32, 22, now it’s at 18, we are heartbroken and we are looking for any advice we can to help get our baby healthy again. Please help…
Hi Lynn,
I am so sorry you are facing such a difficult situation with your young dog. It sounds like your pup’s case is complicated and, in these instances, I like to defer to the experts. You may want to talk to your vet about a referral to an internal medicine specialist. How are things today? Is your sweet boy still hanging in there and fighting? Praying the cyclosporine was able to get things to stabilize. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi, we are in the throes of this ITP nightmare with my grandpup, he is a rottweiler (145 pounds) is and only 1 year, 11 months old. We noticed red blotches on his belly on Wednesday, but he has so many food allergies we didn’t think anything of it. He was eating and playing with no issue. Thursday his gums started to bleed but again he was having his way with a hoof.. so we thought it was that. My son made an appointment for Monday with his vet but that night he was restless, so my son took him to the Emergency Vet, the bloodwork turned out with zero platelets and suspected ITP. They sent us to a hospital more equipped to handle him. We are in day 2 and his platelets are still zero and now his red blood cells are dropping. He has had steroids and vincristine so far. They tested for tick borne diseases but nothing has come back positive yet. A transfusion is on the table and so it Flebogamma which has a cost of over $6,000. His appetite has wanned and he is having a hard time in the cage and this is causing more bruising which is very unsettling. They are considering treating him outpatient for this reason. They called my son in and he got him to eat a hot dog (his favorite) and take his meds. He was playful and happy but the IV came out and it bled an awful lot. For the next 24 hours my son will go there as needed to help them administer meds. I am wondering what to expect from here? Is this the waiting part? Are there any experiences with Flebogamma? I am hearing mixed messages on transfusions as well. Any help and or prayers are appreciated. Will his age help him? He is in “guarded” condition in the ICU right now. Thank you.
Dear Concetta,
I am so sorry your grandpup is fighting for his life with this severe disease. I am not sure his age will play a role in helping his chances of recovery. I understand your concern and wish I had more advice or information to share. Transfusions are a vital part of the treatment for ITP. It may have to be done many times before your vet decides if it is working as hoped. I have heard of Flebogamma but have not had any personal experience with it. I am worried they are considering the Flebogamma as a possible last resort. How are things today? Is your sweet boy still hanging on and fighting? I am praying for a miracle and hoping he is on the road to recovery. Please give us an update if you are able.
hi – my dog has been diagnosed with ITP. Her ITP was likely induced by anaplasmosis, which she tested positive for and has been treated. Her vet said no more vaccinations for the rest of her life! she’s only 7. We live in a rural area with lots of wildlife. She can’t live in a bubble. research on this seems mixed. Help!
Hi Andrea,
I am glad you found the cause for your dog’s ITP! You are right that the opinions on vaccination after an immune mediated disease has been diagnosed are conflicting. There really is no right or wrong answer for this difficult situation. In some states you can get an exemption from the required rabies vaccination if your veterinarian supplies the necessary paperwork/proof. This is not available in all states. Some specialists will go ahead and vaccinate while the dog is taking immunosuppressive medications with the understanding that this does not prevent a relapse, nor does it guarantee the full efficacy of the vaccine. Each case is different. This tricky road will have to be carefully navigated by you and your veterinarian working together as a team. Wishing you all the best of luck! I would love to hear an update with what you decided for your pup.
Hi,
My 2 y/o pup was diagnosed w/ITP this week. He presented w/a 106 fever, vomiting, lethargy, confused, blank stare, clumsy, and unsteady on his feet, are a few of his predominant symptoms. Vet ran labs, X-ray’s, and urinalysis. My little guy was initially treated for an infection w/an unknown origin overnight w/a round of IV fluids, antibiotics, and anti nausea medication. The next day his fever was 103. The next day the vet did another lab work up and his platelets went from 100k-40k. Consequently, ITP Dx. Upon d/c he received an injection of steroids and is now taking them orally. Just over 72 hours in, no improvement. He weighed a healthy 94 lbs when this fiasco started and he has lost 4 lbs. I of course have been doing my own online research and all of the literature that I come across mentions a bleeding/blood issue. My pup has not presented ANY bleeding/blood issues (checked gums, eyes, ears, evidence of bruising, etc). Have you ever encountered/heard of anyone w/a similar experience? My concern is that we may be missing something while trying to treat the ITP. Any recommendations, resources, or direction is sincerely appreciated.
Hi Mel,
I am so sorry your young pup is in this tragic situation. While most dogs with ITP have other signs of bleeding/bruising, this does not have to be the case. It is still very possible ITP is the cause for your dog’s symptoms. With that being said, it is a good idea to still be running tests and investigating this issue. Your vet may try to rule out tick borne diseases or pursue higher imaging like ultrasound. You may want to ask about a referral to an internal medicine specialist. I am hopeful your veterinary team can find the answers needed to keep your sweet boy headed in the right direction. Praying for a full recovery. ♥
I’d love to know more about how you handled vaccination concerns like rabies with your dog while on immune suppressants. My dog is now 10 1/2 yrs old and was diagnosed with ITP in 2020. He responded well to mycophenylate and prednisone and continues on both as well as Prilosec and probiotics. His veterinarian never tried to taper off the meds. I am at the point where I think we should try, carefully. I don’t want to harm him but the medications aren’t benign and the immunization issue is a concern.
Hi Heather,
I apologize for the delay in response. I reached out to Dr.Garlow with your questions. Here was her response: “Personally I still gave rabies vaccines to Fletcher even when he remained on immunosuppressives, knowing that there was a possibility those medications would affect how well the vaccine worked, and vice versa also knowing that there was a chance the rabies vaccine could upset the delicate balance of the control of his ITP.” She also mentioned that for your specific case it would be reasonable to discuss tapering the medications with your vet. She said it would need to be a “very cautious taper” to at least discontinue the steroids. I hope this helps a bit! Best wishes and good luck!
Our 2 year old mixed breed (mostly American Pit Bull and German Shepherd, with a super mutt mix) was diagnosed with ITP on Sunday 1/1/2023. We’ve been a mess. She is a rescue that spent the first year of her life physically abused and starved in a hoarding situation in SC. We were able to adopt her at 11 months and spent the last year building her confidence and gaining her trust. Now to have her hospitalized with strangers and on going tests. It’s so hard to stay positive. They tell me her platelets have been 0 for the last three days, and her skin shows more signs of small bruising. I hope to have a better update, but I’m so broken.
Dear Kaitlin,
I am so sorry you are dealing with such a difficult situation with your young dog. How are things today? It sounds like you and the veterinary team are doing everything possible to give your sweet girl the best chance to make a recovery. I hope your pup was able to keep fighting and respond to the treatment. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.