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?
Hi Dr Buzby
We reached out about Russell a few months ago. He seems to have responded well to Vincristine … his platelet counts have gone up dramatically and hovered between 400-500. Unfortunately throughout all this he’s developed diabetes. We’ve got the prednisone down to 15mg / a day and 100 mg of Cyclosporine. He’s been on insulin for approximately 1 month now but we haven’t seen much improvement there. His levels were originally 27 and now range from 18-25 on a daily basis. We haven’t seemed to be able to regulate the diabetes, even at 11 units every 12 hours (he’s 30 lbs). Do you have any recommendations for this? We’ve heard human insulin can be more effective than canininsulin?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Emma,
I am glad to hear that Russell showed favorable results with the Vincristine. I am sorry he is now dealing with diabetes too. I will attach links to other articles with more information about diabetes and what you can expect moving forward. I am afraid that as long as Russell is on the prednisone, it may be very difficult to get him well regulated. I hope with more time, your boy will be able to come off the prednisone (sometimes an additional immunosuppressive medication has to be added) and this will in turn help to get his blood sugar more stable. For now, I would recommend you focus on diet as this can play a major role in blood sugar levels. Thank you for the update and praying for a positive outcome for you and your sweet boy.
1. Diabetes in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
2. Can A Diabetic Dog Eat Chicken Breast? Diabetic Dog Feeding FAQs
Thank you so much for sharing all your veterinary knowledge on this wonderful blog. Our sweet golden irish girl, Ellie, was diagnosed with ITP a few weeks ago and this blog post helped tremendously in understanding exactly what ITP is as I was completely overwhelmed and felt a bit lost after the diagnoses from the ER vet.
A few weeks ago, we took Ellie for a hike, which she was acting totally normal on – her usual energetic self. Shortly after, we noticed a ton of bruising on her abdomen and petechiae on her gums. We took her to the ER where they told us she had a platelet count of 0 and was in crisis. She also tested positive for Anaplasma. At the time, her white blood cell counts and liver enzymes were normal. We couldn’t swing the hospitalization cost so opted for the in home treatment of pred, doxy and mycophenolate. Had another blood draw with our vet a few days after, but there wasn’t a change in her platelet count which they said was normal given she had only just started the drugs. Fast forward to the next blood results a weekish later. Platelet count was up to 214, WBCs normal, but liver enzymes were VERY elevated. Vet consulted with internal medicine who instructed us to drop the mycophenolate and start Denamarin for liver support. This week’s results (the latest blood work) showed a drop in platelets, 184 (in range, but right on the cusp of being low), liver enzymes a lot higher than last week and now we have elevated WBCs. Our vet consulted with internal medicine again, who suggested dropping the pred dosage ever so slightly and getting an ultrasound (scheduled for next week) to rule out possible cancer. I’ve done a lot of research, and it seems like the elevated liver enzymes and WBC can be an expected response from prednisone. Is this accurate or am I misunderstanding the side effects? Ellie’s temperament has also completely changed. She’s gone from being her energetic happy self (she had a slight limp) pre diagnosis to very lethargic and overall depressed since we introduced the drugs. She also has very rapid breathing 20-30 mins after we give her the meds (no panting) and randomly noticed her nipples appear bruised with slightly visible blood vessels. She’s eating and drinking still – have noticed she’s eating more than usual. To me, all the changes to her health and temperament seem to align with the introduction of drugs. Worried that they’re doing more damage than good at this point. Could cancer suddenly flare up and cause elevated WBCs and liver enzymes as well as cause some of these other changes to her health? I feel like I’m bothering my vet with all these questions that they don’t seem to have answers to without consulting a third party, so looking for some additional help understanding all of this!
Hi Georgia,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult situation with Ellie. I can only imagine how worried you must be and unfortunately this disease can often produce more questions than answers. You are correct that the majority of Ellie’s issues could be attributed to the medications she is taking. But the problem is they are also symptoms of liver cancer or complications of Anaplasmosis. So, I understand why the specialist is recommending an ultrasound and encouraging your vet to pursue more in-depth testing. I would hate to assume it is all drug related and find out later on that there was something else going on the entire time that was completely missed. Also, you can always ask for a referral to a specialist, but with your vet reaching out personally to internal medicine for support they are saving you a ton of money and getting great guidance and advice. Don’t feel bad for asking your questions and discussing difficult topics. That level of care and service is exactly what you are paying for and what your vet strives to provide. You are doing a wonderful job advocating for your girl’s health and well-being. Praying for healing and keep up the good work!
Hi Dr Buzby,
Here is an update on Mowgli.We are still doing fine.Mowgli is now on 0.2 mycophenolate and 0.02 Romiplostime and his platelets have been consistent around 450 to 480 in the last weeks.Last week i had a bit of a scare because the procyte one gave a count of 231 but this was caused by several agregations in the blood so it gave a false low count and his monocytes were showing a rise.So today i went for a visit to Mowgli’s internist just to be sure and everything was normalised.She was actually really satisfied with the results and the way Mowgli looks healthwise so i had a happy day🌞. Ivana and i have been in contact all the time and Luna’s platelets are also still fine.So yea this is my update for now and i will keep you posted ofcourse.Bye for now!
Hi Chomissa,
We are all still cheering for you and Mowgli! Thank you for the update and for your continued willingness to reach out in support of other readers. Bless you and keep up the good work! Tell Ivana that she and Luna are in my thoughts as well. ♥
Hi Dr Buzby,
It has been a while since i gave you an update on Mowgli so today i decided that i should do this 😃.Mowgli is still doing well.His blood charts have been consistent and platelets between 400 and 500.He is no longer on mycophenolate and has only been getting the Romiplostime every 2 weeks o.o2 ml Now,we have decided to give him Romiplostime every 21 days to see what will happen.So yes,i am very happy about his progress.In July i will go see his internist for a thorough check up.About Ivana,she has been struggling with Luna’s health.At some point her platelets did drop beck to zero and Luna had a blood transfusion.Then they decided to give her more of the Romiplostime and her platelets went way up again,platelet count was 1100! This has now normalised again and Luna had a surgery because of a cornea injurie.Ivana has turned now to a naturopath from Italy that was recommended by one of the veteriniarians and they made a special compose with plants for Luna .I have considered to do this as well but i must admit that i am a bit hesitant about doing that since Mowgli is doing well at the moment I did email the naturopath and she gave me a special compose to that i should order, vitis vinifera+prunus spinosa+tamarix gallica+carpinus betulus+juglans regia.This mix is especially for trombocytopenie.It does contain alcohol though to keep the mix potent What are your thoughts on this? Anyways,i was just reading your bloq on heartworm and i have indeed also encountered many claims mentioning natural remedies against worms so i agree with what you said Well,this is my update for now and i will again keep you posted on Mowgli.Have a lovely day out there!
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Chomissa,
It is so good to hear from you! I was just thinking about you and Mowgli today as I was responding to another comment on the ITP article. Goodness my heart just aches for Ivana and Luna. I hope the compose will be exactly what Luna needs and will help keep her stable. I was not familiar with the plant species that you listed but took a minute to look them up. They are very interesting! The alcohol has me a bit concerned but I guess it can be safe depending on the concentration. Thank you so much for the update! I keep you in my thoughts and will continue to pray for Mowgli’s health and happiness. As always, best wishes to you both. ♥
Hi Dr Buzby –
I’m so glad I came across this article. My 6 yr old maltipoo, Henny was diagnosed in February. He responds well to meds but each time he finishes he is off a few weeks at a time and then his platelets drop again. Also his vet has not been weening him off the steroids until this last time and doesn’t have us starting the weening until the end of 30 days and each reduction is only for a few days at a time for maybe 10 days total. I’m worried she doesn’t know what to do however we were told we had to take him to an internist and she wouldn’t prescribe more meds unless they said it was ok. Problem is internist can’t see us til mid July and my Henny will run out of meds in 2 weeks. Any advice you can off will be appreciated!!
Hi La Ren,
I am sorry your pup is having these recurring issues. Getting a dog well-regulated and preventing relapses can be very difficult, and unfortunately some just don’t respond to treatment. I agree it sounds like your boy would benefit from seeing a specialist. I think the issue with running out of medication before your July appointment is just a miscommunication. I am sure your vet would be willing to give you enough medication to make it to the appointment. They just need to know that the appointment has been scheduled. Make sure you keep the lines of communication open and don’t hesitate to speak up and advocate for your pup. Hoping Henny can keep fighting and praying for a full recovery. Best wishes to you both!
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Today is day 5 of my dog (9 year old cockapoo) being in the ICU. Sunday night, Maisy was totally fine, extra cuddly but herself. Monday morning, I woke up to her running downstairs and peeing seemingly pure blood on the floor. I called the emergency vet and they said it was most likely a UTI and to wait for my vet to open for an appointment. That day, Maisy requested to go outside non-stop, and when she wasn’t outside, she used the basement as her toilet. There were bloody puddles and drops everywhere. After a couple of hours at our vet, they transferred us to the hospital for more testing for suspected ITP.
The vet and doctors are absolutely amazing. They have kept me up-to-date and even sent daily pictures to help this momma. Today I get to visit her for the first time and I can’t help but be fearful that this will be my last time. Maisy hasn’t made a ton of progress in the 4 days that she has been there. She has had 2 blood transfusions and her platelet count remains below 5k. I am not totally sure on which immunosuppressants they have given her, but I do know that she received a dose of Vincristine.
I appreciate your blog post and reading everyone else’s stories so much. I can’t imagine life without her so unexpectedly and hope she comes home soon.
Dear Elizabeth,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult diagnosis with Maisy. What a blessing the veterinary staff has been so kind and working hard to keep you updated on her condition. How are things today? Hoping Maisy was able to keep fighting and is now on the road to recovery. Praying all is well. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
I spent all night reading this article along with everyone’s comments to find some peace with my pups recent diagnosis of ITP. I took my 6 year old schnauzer for a dental cleaning, like many have mentioned, and received the scariest call to pick up my dog because his platelet levels were at zero. We rushed him to the emergency room where they began all of the tests to rule out secondary ITP; you can’t help but let your mind wonder what YOU did wrong and if there was anything you could have done to prevent it. It seemed so odd that my super active, healthy, loving boy was battling this awful disease. He stayed overnight in the hospital and to say my heart felt shattered is an understatement. I’m now anxiously waiting to get more answers from his doctor and team to find the best solution moving forward. I’m not going to lie, the stories about relapse during the weaning process terrified me. I’m praying he responds well to the medication so we can get our baby back home. I find comfort knowing your dog made it to 11 with this diagnosis. I will do everything I can to give him the best possible life even with this diagnosis. So far, his labs and diagnostic work has come back negative. No bleeding other then from his tooth (which I initially thought was because he bit down on a hard toy). Thank you for bringing awareness to this topic and for finding passion in your experience to do more research to help owners like us.
Hi Adee,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult diagnosis with your Schnauzer. I understand your worry and concern but what a blessing you were able to act quickly and start treatment right away. Hoping your boy will respond favorably to the medications and be able to return home soon. Praying for healing and wishing you both many happy years ahead.
Thank you so much for this article and all the comments.
My 3 yo cockapoo girl was diagnosed with ITP in October 2023 and has been recovering since. Just like you, I went on a holiday and when I came back I started noticing bleeding from her gums. Naively thinking she chipped her tooth on a yak chew, I took her to the vet and events unfolded quite quickly from there. She was hospitalised for 2 weeks, had 2 blood transfusions, high doses of steroids, immune suppressants, and the chemotherapy meds mentioned above. At points I really thought I’ll lose her, but she made it miraculously. As a result now I’m in crippling debt and anxiety of this happening again.
We are off the steroids now – luckily she hasn’t had a relapse throughout the tapering process. Now on the immune suppressant only for another few weeks until our next big blood test and will take it from there.
Honestly, I am praying to all the gods out there for a long and happy life for my girl, but I’m so fearful that she will relapse at some point. I’m single so alone with her and my family lives in another country, so this has been a lot to take in and manage. I’m scared to go on holidays, or to even leave her for longer than 4 hours.
Bless her, she’s a bundle of joy and such a little fighter I really hope she stays with me for a long time.
I wonder if there are any signs before things get really dramatic to look out for? I know before my girl broke down she’s been getting tired from exercise more easily. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now I think it might be related.
The vet also told us not to vaccinate, and that some vaccines she got previously might have played a role in this. The timing doesn’t align – the only thing I gave her before she started feeling unwell is her flea treatment. Could that be a trigger?
Also, are there any natural remedies that could help maintaining this on the long run?
I really hope she’ll be healthy for a long time.
Thanks,
Alida
Hi Alida,
I am so sorry you endured this scary situation with your little pup. I understand your stress and worry about a possible relapse in the future. I would not think the flea prevention would have triggered ITP. It needs something to trigger the immune system and that is why your vet is suspicious about previous vaccinations. You are absolutely correct that lethargy or lack of energy could be an early warning sign. I am not sure there are good natural remedies to prevent a relapse, but some have talked about using melatonin to help increase platelet numbers. I encourage you to discuss melatonin with your vet and also make sure you have a plan for ongoing monitoring and lab work rechecks. Try to take things one day at a time and make the most of the time you are gifted. Wishing you and your sweet girl all the best for many happy years ahead. Bless you. ♥
Hi Dr Buzby,
Thank you so much for responding to my comment, it definitely gave me comfort in this difficult battle with ITP.
We’re now 9 months after the traumatic events and my girl has been fine. She’s been off all the meds for 3 months and seems to be ok. However, there are two concerning signs that I’d love your input on as I feel like my vets are not very helpful with them.
One is that she’s developed incontinence throughout all of this, but it started before the ITP diagnosis, although it was only occasional back then. Now it’s something constant that we need to live with. I requested Ada’s medical records from the vet and it seems that the incontinence got triggered every time we got a Nobivac vaccine. The last one she got was for kennel cough about 6 months before being hospitalised with ITP.
Another thing that I can see in her medical history is that even though we’re not in the danger zone, her platelets are lower each time we go back for a blood test / check up. They also mentioned that this can be because her platelets are clumping, but didn’t give me any further explanation. Just said it’s kind of okay now and will treat her if she gets into a critical condition again.
I really hope that we don’t have a relapse, I just started relaxing that my dog has miraculously recovered from this with only a minor inconvenience of having incontinence.
Do you know if the platelets decreasing / clumping could be a warning sign? Is there anything we can do to prevent another dramatic and expensive round of hospitalisation?
Thanks so so much.
Hi Alida,
Thank you for the update! I am glad your pup is still doing well and has been able to maintain without medications. The urinary incontinence has me puzzled. Have you mentioned this issue to your vet? If she has not been tested for a UTI or other urinary problems (stones, crystals, etc.), it may be time to do some investigating. As far as the platelets go, clumping is not something to worry about except that it can make getting an accurate count very difficult. If the true platelet numbers are steadily decreasing, I would be concerned. Don’t forget you can always ask for a consultation with an internal medicine specialist if needed. Hoping for continued success and wishing you both nothing but the best.
Thank you again!
Yes, I mentioned the incontinence and we tested for UTI, but it’s not that. The vet was puzzled too but they’re part of Medivet and I feel like most of the time they are more about treating symptoms rather than root causes.
They don’t know if it’s incontinence for sure – they said the only way is to give her the medication and see if it works. Yet another medication with a list of adverse side effects – one of them being ITP I think.
I’m getting a second, third, fourth opinion now to see if we have other options.
With the clamping – how is it possible to tell if there’s a downward trend?
Thanks again for your kindness and dedication to this awful condition. Hope it gets more researched and also cross checked with some vaccinations and meds, because now that I started checking it’s mentioned on way too many leaflets.
Sending you blessings.
Hi Alida,
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to still have more questions than answers when it comes to this urinary issue with your girl. I think a second opinion is a great idea. Not necessarily because I think your vet is doing anything wrong, but it never hurts to get more than one brain working to find a solution. Your girl is so lucky to have you taking such an active role in advocating for her health and well-being. If the platelet clumping is making obtaining accurate results a challenge, there is a way for your vet to ask for a manual count when submitting the lab work. With a manual count, the lab technician will count the platelets themselves instead of relying on the machine for results. The technician’s result will usually say something like “platelet clumping present but overall count seems adequate”. Please keep me updated on how things are going. I hope you will be very happy with one of the new veterinarians you will be visiting. You deserve to feel confident in the medical care your pup receives and should be able to partner together to ensure she is on the right track. Continuing to pray for answers and healing. Keep up the good work!
Thanks again for your care and dedication to all of us struggling with ITP out here.
This is just an update that I was right about feeling off about the downward trend of Ada’s platelet numbers. She just had a relapse and in the hospital now. Thankfully I caught it early and her vitals are all good, no signs of internal bleeding but we don’t know yet if she will respond to steroids.
I’m worried about the journey ahead, the vet said possibly life long medication. Is this something that’s ok for them, or am I just lengthening her pain and suffering?
Can dogs who have a relapse after a year still recover and have a good quality life?
Thank you again,
Alida & Ada
Hi Alida,
Oh no! I am so sorry your girl has had a relapse and is in the hospital. This just breaks my heart for you and her. Don’t lose hope yet. There are MANY dogs that have a relapse and then go on to live full and happy lives. Lifelong medication may be needed, but I think it is too early to make that conclusion. If your girl does have to stay on something long term, we usually strive to wean off the prednisone and replace it with a different immunosuppressive medication. If you have not read through all the other reader comments, I encourage you to do so and specifically look for the ones written by Chomissa. She is not in the U.S., but her vet was able to try an experimental drug with great success! Praying for healing and a full recovery for your sweet girl. Wishing you strength and comfort as you face this difficult situation.
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you for this article. About this time last year my dog was diagnosed with primary ITP. It was a very tough time. My friend shared this article with me and it was a lifeline. I am so grateful for this information.
If I could provide insight, I’d say take everything one step at a time. My dog is one of the ITP survivors that has to be on meds for life. Her platelet rechecks can be anxiety inducing and a sad reminder of her chronic illness. I ask my friends and family for prayer each time we have a vet appt so that I can be covered in peace and trust. I love my dog one day at a time because that’s what we have. 💙 ITP is a good reminder of how precious life and love is. I’ve gotten used to giving her the daily meds and found a vet I trust for my dog’s treatment. Build your support system and take it one day at a time. I pray the best for everyone on here walking through this!
Hi Meagan,
I love your words of encouragement and think this is great advice. What a blessing your girl was able to stabilize and continues to respond favorably to the medications. Thank you for sharing your experience and insight with us. Keeping you and your sweet girl in my thoughts and praying for many happy days ahead.
My little dog Rosie, a chihuahua, was recently diagnosed with ITP—three days ago. I noticed two dots when rubbing her stomach and thought at first it was a rash. The next day her ribs and abdomen were covered in bruises. We rushed her to the vet who sent us to the emergency medical clinic. She had tested positive for lyme, but I had only ever noticed one tick on her back in May from a hike, and she had been on Simpatica. They didn’t see any of the common tickborne diseases that would trigger her platelets to be at zero. All of her other counts, including her red blood cell count were normal. She showed no signs of illness. She was active and playful and her sassy, sweet little self. They gave her vincristine, antibiotics to be safe, and steroids. She’s only 4.
We came home two days ago and we go back to the vet again in two days for a blood work-up. She is showing signs of improvement, but I am still terrified. I want to keep her improving and from relapse.
Thank you for your post. It’s the only post that I have found details that a dog’s positive personal story like yours.
Hi Sonya,
I am so sorry Rosie is dealing with this terrible disease. What a blessing you were able to get a diagnosis quickly and start treatment right away. I am glad to hear that your girl seems to be improving. Praying for continued healing and hoping things go smoothly when the medications are eventually discontinued. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Best wishes and bless you and your little pup.
Hi Sonya,
I read your story and i urge you to read as far as you can in my comments below about my experience with my Shi Tzu so far.For him the rescue came in giving him Romiplostime,a humane medication that blocks the antibodies destroying the platelets.If you want to know more you can reach out to me at [email protected].I can then send you information that you can show to your vet.I hope that you read this.
Greets,chomissa
Hi Dr Buzby. (We tried to send this from my partners phone/email but doesnt seem that it was received) Thank you for making this information accessible for everyone. Our 9 year old Labradoodle, Russell, who has many similarities to Fletcher, was recently diagnosed with ITP in November of 2023. It came after he was playing with his ball and started limping. The following day his entire right leg was swollen and purple. After a negative X-ray and no improvement, we started noticing bruising in his ears, gums and belly which is when we found ourselves at the ER. We did a tick test, chest x ray and abdominal ultrasound which were clear and thus we believe it may be primary ITP. Russ has been on 25mg of Prednisone and 150mg of Cyclosporine a day. Throughout this process Russ’ platelets have been a rollercoaster of a response … essentially they’ve gone something like this —> 0-35-55-75-26-15-0-25-36-36 and as of last week we’re at 16. It doesn’t seem like he’s responding to the medication like he should. Of significance, the bruising seems to be going leg to leg … a few weeks after our first ER visits, his other front leg became completely black and blue, and then one of his rear legs after that. Have you ever seen the disease present like this in the legs specifically? We’re 8 weeks in and he still shows sign of pain in that front leg, so I think he may have bleed into the joint? Are their any other diagnostic tests you would recommend at this time? As of yesterday we increased the dose to 30mg of prednisone and 200mg of cyclosporine a day. He is still happy to eat and wants to play with his ball most days, so his spirits do seem to be okay, much different from the first week of the diagnosis. Any guidance is appreciated.
Hi Emma,
I am sorry you didn’t see my reply from the other day! I saw the comment posted under Autumn’s name and wrote back on the 16th. I will paste my reply here just in case you cannot find the original thread:
Hi Autumn,
I am sorry Russell is having so many issues with his platelets and is still experiencing these strange symptoms. Without playing a personal role in his medical care, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. If you are not already working with an internal medicine specialist, then this could be a good next step to take. Dogs respond to medications differently, and what works for some may not work for others. It is possible Russell would respond better to a different immunosuppressive medication other than cyclosporine. I am hopeful you can keep searching and will find the best treatment for your sweet boy. Feel free to leave an update as things progress. Praying for a positive outcome.
Hi Dr Buzby. Thank you for making this information accessible for everyone. Our 9 year old Labradoodle, Russell, who has many similarities to Fletcher, was recently diagnosed with ITP in November of 2023. It came after he was playing with his ball and started limping. The following day his entire right leg was swollen and purple. After a negative X-ray and no improvement, we started noticing bruising in his ears, gums and belly which is when we found ourselves at the ER. We did a tick test, chest x ray and abdominal ultrasound which were clear and thus we believe it may be primary ITP. Russ has been on 25mg of Prednisone and 150mg of Cyclosporine a day. Throughout this process Russ’ platelets have been a rollercoaster of a response … essentially they’ve gone something like this —> 0-35-55-75-26-15-0-25-36-36 and as of last week we’re at 16. It doesn’t seem like he’s responding to the medication like he should. Of significance, the bruising seems to be going leg to leg … a few weeks after our first ER visits, his other front leg became completely black and blue, and then one of his rear legs after that. Have you ever seen the disease present like this in the legs specifically? We’re 8 weeks in and he still shows sign of pain in that front leg, so I think he may have bleed into the joint? Are their any other diagnostic tests you would recommend at this time? As of yesterday we increased the dose to 30mg of prednisone and 200mg of cyclosporine a day. He is still happy to eat and wants to play with his ball most days, so his spirits do seem to be okay, much different from the first week of the diagnosis. Any guidance is appreciated.
Hi Autumn,
I am sorry Russell is having so many issues with his platelets and is still experiencing these strange symptoms. Without playing a personal role in his medical care, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. If you are not already working with an internal medicine specialist, then this could be a good next step to take. Dogs respond to medications differently, and what works for some may not work for others. It is possible Russell would respond better to a different immunosuppressive medication other than cyclosporine. I am hopeful you can keep searching and will find the best treatment for your sweet boy. Feel free to leave an update as things progress. Praying for a positive outcome.
only Romiplastim injections, my dog is alive and the blood is great 😁
Hi Ivana,
This is so interesting to me! You are the second person who has reported great success with this treatment. I truly believe this will start to gain more attention and become a big thing in veterinary medicine.
Hi Dr Buzby,
Here a little update on mowgli,his platelets will be checked again tomorrow.Two weeks ago they were 600 and a month ago the same.He has been on 0.03 ml for the last month.If the platelets are still good tomorrow he will be getting 0.02 ml.I will keep you posted!
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Chomissa,
Thank you for the update! Glad to hear things are continuing to remain stable as hoped. Also, I appreciate you reaching out to other readers and offering to share your experience. I wish there was a way to keep your story toward the top of the comments, so it was more visible. Take care and I look forward to hearing from you again!
Hi dr Buzby,
So nice to hear from you again!I
This is Mowgli’s pro cyte one from yesterday and he is doing really well..
RBC
6,62 x10^12/L
5.65 – 8.87
6,88 x10^12/L
HCT
46,0 %
37.3 – 61.7
46,4 %
HGB
15,9 g/dL
13.1 – 20.5
16,8 g/dL
MCV
69,6 fL
61.6 – 73.5
67,4 fL
MCH
24,0 pg
21.2 – 25.9
24,4 pg
MCHC
34,5 g/dL
32.0 – 37.9
36,2 g/dL
RDW
18,4 %
13.6 – 21.7
19,2 %
%RETIC
0,8 %
0,9 %
RETIC
54,3 K/μL
10.0 – 110.0
61,8 K/μL
WBC
10,53 x10^9/L
5.05 – 16.76
9,05 x10^9/L
%NEU
68,9 %
68,5 %
%LYM
16,7 %
19,2 %
%MONO
9,7 %
8,1 %
%EOS
4,7 %
4,3 %
%BASO
0,0 %
0,0 %
NEU
7,26 x10^9/L
2.95 – 11.64
6,20 x10^9/L
LYM
1,76 x10^9/L
1.05 – 5.10
1,73 x10^9/L
MONO
1,02 x10^9/L
0.16 – 1.12
0,73 x10^9/L
EOS
0,49 x10^9/L
0.06 – 1.23
0,39 x10^9/L
BASO
0,00 x10^9/L
0.00 – 0.10
0,00 x10^9/L
PLT
594 K/μL
148 – 484
598 K/μL
HOOG
MPV
11,1 fL
8.7 – 13.2
11,1 fL
PDW
10,6 fL
9.1 – 19.4
12,3 fL
PCT
0,66 %
0.14 – 0.4
I thought it would be nice for you to see his current chart.Next month we will be discussing tapering down with the mycophenolate.i did change Mowgli’s diet to Royal Canin hypoallergenic,the wet food version and nibbles.He had an inflames ear and we treated that with osurnia antibiotic potion and it is healed now.I am glad that he likes the Royal Canin food.I will keep you posted!
Hi Chomissa,
So glad Mowgli is doing well. Keep up the good work!
Hi Dr Buzby,
Mowgli’s last bloodcheck was last week and his platelet count was 466.Lower then the last times but still above average.We have tapered down the mycophenolate from 0.4 to 0.3 ml.I came across an article from a Dutch hematologist who was discussing the options in treating itp in humans and he thinks that a combination therapy works best.He mentioned that romiplostime fights the symptoms of the itp but doesnt cure the disease by itself but if used long enough it might cause immuno modulation and at first they assumed it could cause bone marrow reticulin but they found out that this is not a permanent situation and in humans it can be used for 10 years of necessary and in 30 to 40% of the patients it could cause a permanent remission so i discussed this with my vet.We agreed on continuing with the romiplostime in a lower dose, 0.02 ml in hopes it could cause a similar effect in Mowgli.February 23 he will have another check but if his platelet s will drop significant we adjust the dosage of his medication.I will keep you posted!
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Chomissa,
This is all such interesting information. I hope Mowgli’s recheck will show favorable results and allow you to continue to decrease his dosage. Thank you for the update! Keep up the good work!
My English is a little bad, but I hope you can understand me.. 3 years ago my Maltese Luna (11 years old) came for a teeth cleaning and the platelet count was 0.
She was given vincristine and prednisone. All findings of infectious diseases were excluded and autoimmune thrombocytopenia was diagnosed. They suggested removing my spleen, I went for a second opinion, they said the same and we operated.
She continued to take the medication, the platelets started to rise and everything was fine. We cleaned her teeth and the disease went away, we gradually took her off prednisone and she was in remission for 2 years.
In September 2023, we came to draw blood and also wanted to clean the teeth again PLT 0.. the same treatment procedure plus they introduced Cellcept and Vincristine in parallel. The drugs prednisone and Cellcept did not help, except Vincristine, but only in the short term. I found this blog and started researching, after Chomiss Said and Mowgli’s treatment journey I showed my vet if I could try Romiplastim and they said yes. N Plate Romiplastim started receiving in January 2024.
The medicine was bought in the city pharmacy, 250 mcg, 580 euros, and they said that my 5 kg Maltese has about 10 applications, and he keeps them in the refrigerator at the clinic.
(1st week) 1st dose of Romiplastim, platelets from 0 came to 38 after 7 days.
Cellcept 80mg in the morning and 80mg in the evening, prednisone (5mg) 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the evening.
(2nd week) 2nd dose of Romiplastim, platelet count 38 to 718 after 7 days.
Cellcept 80mg in the morning and 80mg in the evening, prednisone (5mg) 1/2 in the morning and 1/4 in the evening.
(3rd week) no Romiplastim, waiting for platelets to go down and now up to 280.
Cellcept 80mg in the morning and 80mg in the evening, prednisone (5mg) 1/4 in the morning and 1/4 in the evening.
(4th week) platelets dropped to 59, and she received Romiplastim, so today 05.02.2024.
Cellcept 80mg in the morning and 80mg in the evening, prednisone (5mg) only 1/4 in the morning.
I hope for a positive outcome. In 3 days we take blood again to see if the platelets have increased. With that medicine, he was in an elevated state of platelets for the longest time, and I hope that everything will return to normal soon. We hoped we had arrived, but we haven’t yet.
I am from Croatia.
If you could contact Chomissa Said for information about the dosage of the medicine, and I’m wondering when Mowgli went into remission after how many applications and time? that is wonderful news, I would like mine to get better as well. I was happy too soon, when we saw high platelets after the second week, we were all happy that they had increased.
Hi Ivana,
This makes me so happy!!! This is exactly what this forum is about… sharing information and advice with others and offering encouragement and support. I am thrilled to know that you were able to use the information Chomissa shared, and it has been a blessing to your pup. Feel free to reply directly to one of her posts. She is very good about checking her replies and responds quickly. Wishing you and Luna all the best and praying for a positive outcome. ♥
Hi Dr Buzby,
Here’s an update on Mowgli’s last blood check.His platelets went up to 571 so we gave him a Romiplostime dose of 0.02 ml and the mycophenolate on 0.3 ml twice a day.On March 6 his next check will be and that will determine if we can taper down any further with the mycophenolate.I am curious to see what the small dose of the romiplostime will do with his platelet count and of course i will inform you about it! Meanwhile,have a great week ahead of you and bye for now:)
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Chomissa,
Thank you for the latest update on Mowgli. As always, I keep you in my thoughts and pray for continued success and happiness!
Hi Dr Buzby,
Such nice things have happened,Me and Ivana have reached out to one another and i was able to connect Luna’s vet with Mowgli’s internist and she gave him valuable advise regarding Luna’s health. Mowgli went in for another platelet count check today and they were 447,lower then the last time but like i told you we have been tapering down the dose of mycophenolate ,0.3 ml and Romiplostime 0.02 also and 447 is still above average and his overall procyte one chart looks positive.Our plan is to taper down with the mycophenolate in small steps just to see how Mowgl will respond to it and ofcourse i will keep you posted on this.
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Chomissa,
I LOVE THIS!!! It just makes me so incredibly happy to know that this community is actively helping each other and working together for the benefit of our senior dogs. Thank you for the update and, as always, I continue to pray for Mowgli. ♥
So are the dogs getting transfusions also? And then starting the medication…I believe this is the diagnosis my dog has just received and after reading comments I have found the red marks on her stomach..the vet was talking to me like there are limited options almost as if wanted me to say put her down. She was doing fine just last week and now she is laid up and also got a hematoma at her neck from them getting blood yesterday.
Dear Hazel,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult diagnosis in your pup. Yes, some dogs do get transfusions. It all depends on how low the platelet numbers are and what the bleeding risk is for each dog. Don’t hesitate to ask for a referral to a specialist is needed. They have tons of experience dealing with complicated cases and may have ideas about treatments that are not readily available in general practice. Praying your girl can keep fighting and make a full recovery. Wishing you both strength and comfort as you navigate this tricky road ahead. ♥
Hi Ivana,i would like to get in direct contact with you.You can reach me on Instagram Chmicha37 in direct message and i will give you my email address in there.Mowgli started off with 0.4 ml mycophenolate every 12 hours and with 0.07 ml of Romiplostime one time a week.His platelets went up after one and a half week and for a while we gave him 0.07 ml and then tapered down the dose to 0.06 and 0.05 every 2 weeks.His platelets are still above average as normal count is 300 to 400.I could give you the contact info of my veterinarian clinique so that your vet can contact them.I am so happy that my information was of help to you!!!Feel free to contact me.
Greets,Chomissa
I sent a request to Instagram. thank you. My is ivy_luna1406 (Ivana Luna)
Ivana – where are you getting these Romiplastim injections? What state / country are you located?
Hi Autumn my dog Mowgli has been getting Romiplostim injections since last year and his platelets went up also.He is in remission since last year September. I am situated in The Netherlands.If you scroll back in the comments you can find my journey with my dog so far.
Hi Autumn,
The name for the medicine Romiplostime is N Plate,i don’t know where you are located but you can google on that.Here is an article on it used in dogs.My veterinarian was willing to give it a try after all conventional medication such as prednison and cellcept didn’t give the needed result.My dog inmediatly responded well to N plate and his platelets went up in one week.At the time he was 9 kilo and we started of with 0.07 ml and while his platelets were stable and above normal we tapered the dose down as he is now on 0.02 ml every 2 weeks.His platelet count now is 594 K/μL.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27283401/
Greets,Chomissa
Hi Autumni did write you a reply but can’t find it back.Romiplostim also named N plate is a humane medication for ITP patients and it worked wonders on my 6.5 year old shi tzu.If you scroll down you can find my messages where i tell about how it works for my dog and i am sure that Ivana took the same road for her dog.if your dog has immune mediated ITP Romiplostime works the best and fast.
Croatia/ Europe
Hi Ivana my dog Mowgli has been getting Romiplostim injections since last year and his platelets went up also.He is in remission since last year September.
Greetings,
First and foremost, Charlie and all of us say THANK YOU for all the prayers and love; the power of prayer is like no other!
When I woke up on Thursday, January 4, 2024, I found blood all over one side of my bed from no known obvious location; it was like a murder scene. Shortly after waking I was sitting with Zeke who then had a seizure randomly in my lap and I was absolute it was him, but he was cleared after a hospital and doctor visit. It was only in the late afternoon after taking Charlie to work with me that I found random dry blood on my hand from his mouth and on a blanket from his chin, at this point he stomach started having blisters of blood/bruising that kept growing quickly.
The local hospital in Saint Petersburg immediate got him back and discovered he was deadly low on his platelets. Here was a dog/my son that was perfectly healthy the night before and then expressed this immune disorder in a deadly way the following day with no prior signs. This is called immune mediated thrombocytopenia, or ITP.
Beacon Hospital saved my dogs life by their fast acts and allowed me to grieve and spend as much time with him while I cried every tear I had left in me and hyperventilated for days until I couldn’t expand my diaphragm much anymore. This was me starting to mourn the kid I picked up 4-years ago that immediately became the BEST part of my life and saved me from day 1 back in 2019; a love I never knew existed fully until this moment.
ITP I have learned is such a very long journey and an expensive one. Over $11k so far and counting in less than a week, but this is what we do for our children – right?! On Monday, January 8, 2024, Charlie was transferred to the ICU unit at Blue Pearl Hospital in Clearwater. Here it was now time to decide how long he may live and how to make him comfortable in the meantime, it was the worst news any parent could level with.
This round I said my goodbyes and kissed my son for what I had feared would be my last time as I saw him deteriorate before me. However I did put a lot of pressure on him by telling him he had a LOT of work to do if he wanted to make this turn to come back home and start the journey of healing. ❤️🩹 So many of you kept praying and clients were so very understanding, to all of you I again say – THANK YOU! 🙏
Today I know even more the power of prayers as I have my son next to me snoring in deep sleep without having to be poke and prodded for a week as long as his body can continue to keep up along with all his medicine. 💊 Charlie is resilient but I know none of this would be possible without your prayers & support.
This moment, hug your little ones and bigger ones and remember these moments are to be captured and treasured and know that tomorrow may not come.
Your site and the comments of so very many with their own stories helped keep me hopeful through this ordeal thus far.
Massive love and blessings from Charlie and all of us as we continue this very long journey ahead and he gets to be in my arms…
God bless,
Jon & Charlie
Hi Jon,
Thank you for sharing Charlie’s story with us! What a blessing he is still fighting, and you have gained this extra time with him. We will continue to pray for you both. Charlie is lucky to have you taking such good care of him and advocating for his health and well-being. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your next update. ♥