new facebook page

Hi everyone, Jasper's mom again.

I'm sorry that I haven't had any updates lately, but things here are still not great. We went to see a specialist on Tuesday & then did a bone marrow aspiration to see why his bone marrow is not producing red blood cells like it should. We have a follow-up visit on Tuesday & hopefully the results should be in from the bone marrow test then. 

I wanted to share with you the page that our good friends Nancy & Hildy set up for us on facebook. We are updating that page more frequently so if you are interested in keeping up with Jasper's case please go check it out & "like" his page. It is called The Jasper Get Well Fund and you can find it at www.facebook.com/jasperisms. It is also set up with a donate button if you would like to donate to Jasper's mounting vet bills, which are already over $2000. I do not like to ask for help, but I will do anything I have to to help my baby. I am working full time & picking up odd jobs to help with his bills but it doesn't seem to be enough. Any help is appreciated, even $1 can help, there is even a link to buy a doxie themed key fob with proceeds going to his fund. If you would like to help but can't donate, please at least go on & "like" his page & "share" it on your news feed, the more people we reach the better.

Thank you all for your continued concern & support, we appreciate every single one of you.

XOXO

This is after he got home from his procedure, the shaved spot is where they took his bone marrow samples from.

a NEW diagnosis... sort of

Hey everyone, Jasper's mom here again. Okay, so it has been a very long week and a half here in our house. Again, please bear with me because this is gonna be another long one...

So on Friday (8/9/2013) Jasper and I went in for his first check-up since the original diagnosis of IMHA. They were checking his bloodwork again to see if his RBC count was coming up like it needed to be. Unfortunately those were not the results we got. His RBC's had dropped AGAIN , from 29% to 25%... not good. And his WBC count had skyrocketed up past normal levels, which meant that the few RBC"s that his body was making were getting attacked by his WBC. Again, not good. And you guessed it, I had a breakdown right there our little room. The Dr scheduled another appointment for the following Monday (8/12/2013) to do an ultrasound to see if anything was missed from the xray they had done the week before. (His belly was too full for them to really see anything that morning which is why another one was scheduled for Monday.) And she also put him on an additional medication meant to fight any type of parasites or infections that could have possibly come from a tick or something of the like. We went home and took it easy over the weekend and then went in on Monday morning. Another round of bloodwork was sent off to the lab this time (to save a little money) and the ultrasound came up clean, nothing that they could see to indicate why his RBC count isn't coming up. The Dr called yesterday and had his new bloodwork results. While it's not bad news, it's still not an answer. His RBC count only went down 1% and she was okay with that because his WBC count had also come back down. The WBC's are now at a normal level which could give the RBC's a fighting chance, and it also gives us a little more time to figure out what is going on. She also spoke with 2 specialists reguarding his condition and after the consult they are all leaning AWAY from the IMHA being the primary diagnosis (meaning this was NOT caused by a vaccine). They think that the anemia is now secondary to something else like an ulcer or GI bleed that they can't see on the ultrasound. So we are going in on Saturday (8/17/2013) for another full panel bloodwork (they haven't done a full panel since 7/30/2013) so they can check all of his levels again and they are also going to put him on 2 additional meds for a possible ulcer. They are also going to start weening him off of 1-2 of his other meds.

So again, this is where we are right now. He's not stable just yet, he's kind of plateaued and his Dr and I are okay with that for right now, again it gives us a little more time to figure out what is actually going on. He's been a little perkier lately and is playing with toys again. We are taking it one day at a time... :)

Thank you so much for all of the prayers, thoughts and well wishes. We have noticed that a lot of you have been sent over by Baxter and we are very grateful for the support.

Until the next update...

A Diagnosis

Hi there!! Jasper's mom here again. Bear with me, cause this is gonna be a long one. Well, after the last 2 months of worrying and wondering and KNOWING that there was something wrong with my baby (and trying to convince people that he wasn't just getting older), I finally have an answer. Jasper's official diagnosis is Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. The official description is: IMHA occurs when the red blood cell counts are destroyed by the body's own immune system.  In Jasper's case, this was brought about by the vaccines he received in June 2013 (which was when his symptoms started). He had a full diagnostic blood test done on Tuesday 7/30/2013 and it showed that both his red and white blood cell counts were both low. His doctor wasn't sure why this was and suggested we wait another week or two and then do another round of tests. I was not comfortable with waiting that long. On Friday 8/2/2013 I took him to a new doctor (someone recommended by a friend). They did another round of blood work and a digital abdominal xray, and that's when they discovered a few things. One: he was severely backed up and constipated (poor thing), which resulted in an enema (fun times). Two: his heart is a little enlarged, very possibly due to it working overtime because of the anemia. Three: there is nothing around his spleen like originally though, no growths, nothing logged or stuck. And four: that his CBC's had dropped significantly just since Tuesday. She then made the diagnosis of IMHA, but pointed out that at this point it was not life threatening. But it doesn't mean he is out of the woods yet. He was put on two medications: a steroid and an immune suppressant. The side effects for these two medications are: excessive thirst and urination, panting, increased appetite, and possible food aggression. The first week is crucial, if he responds well to the medications and his counts come up on his next blood test (Friday 8/9/2013) then the prognosis is good. But there are still a lot of things up in the air. We won't know for months whether or not he'll have to be on meds for the rest of his life. And he will probably never be able to be vaccinated again (not sure I would do it again even if it is possible). And for me one of the most heartbreaking things, is that he can never be the social dog he once was. No more trips to the pet store, the dog bakery, social/fundraising dog events (like walks and races), and no more dog parks. No more contact with dogs whose medical history I don't know.  And as of right now, he is kind of a "dog in a bubble" until he gets better, like a doggy quarantine.

As of today, things are good. His demeanor and attitude are 200% better than the last couple of weeks. He has been playful and lively again, which warms my heart. His appetite is back and not aggressive, and he is drinking lots of water. His "bathroom schedule" is good, poops are back to normal. I am anxious to get his test results on Friday.

This is Jasper's case, and how we are dealing with it. I am not condemning or pushing the use of vaccines. As Jasper's mom, I did what I thought was best for my boy. Do I wish I had pushed for the blood work sooner? Yes, but I can't change that now. Do I blame his original doctor for the vaccination? No, but I do hold her accountable for blowing off his symptoms as a stomach bug or virus and not suggesting blood work sooner than 2 months later, but it's also my fault for not asking for it. I will be continuing his treatments with the new vet, I feel like he is in good hands. I will also be contacting the drug manufacturer of the vaccines to report this. I am continuing to do research about IMHA and what I can do to help my boy. Some of the info is scary, and I realise that we are very lucky. Mortality rates are as high as 80%, and the thought of losing Jasper is too awful to even think about, but could still be a very real possibility. All I can say is, talk to your vet. Ask questions and voice any concerns you may have. No one knows your pet the way you do, if you feel that something is wrong with your dog or cat, tell the doctor. Follow up. And if you don't feel as if you are getting the care your pet deserves, seek a second opinion. I did, and it very possibly saved Jasper's life.

Thank you so much to everyone for all the support, prayers, well wishes, and local & long distance hugs and kisses. We feel all of your love here in Louisville, KY. 

tired but getting better :)

Jasper Update

Hi there everybody, Jasper's mom here. I am sorry that we have not been very active lately, but Jasper has been under the weather. For the last month and a half, his appetite has been off and he's not drinking as much water as he should be. He also gets worn out quicker than normal. I took him in this past Tuesday and had some bloodwork done, and the results and treatments recomended by the doctor have left me feeling uneasy. His red and white blood cell counts were both low, and the xrays show that there might be something stuck in his intestines but they are not sure and want to wait another week or two and then check again... oh and put him on a multivitamin. Oh, and I paid $400 for that...

So today I have made another appointment with a different vet's office that 2 people in my office use. They do all of the digital xrays and ultrasounds in house with a specialist that is on staff. I know my dog and I know that he's not "just getting older". He's 4 years old, not 8. If there is something stuck in his intestines it needs to come out before it gets toxic. He has never walked away from his food before, and there are times now when he will only eat if I hand feed him. I am so worried about my baby, he is my world. I will try to keep everyone up to date on how things are going and would appreciate any good thoughts and/or prayers for Jasper.