[cwillie]

I am writing to find out if there is anyone else out there that knows anything about had experience with IMP (Immune-Mediated Thrombocypenia) with there boxer.  My 1 1/2 year old female boxer has been recently diagnosed with this disease.  She is on lots of medication and her WBC isn't going down and I am concerned!  Please help!!!

 

[samsonsaunt]

I sent a pm to a member who is a vet. Hopefully she'll have some good info for you. Good luck.

 

[HannaBanana]

From my understanding of little medical - A high WBC is a results of the immune system being stimulated in some way - or infection/inflmation.    

Thrombocytopenia I have read responds to treatment rather quickly.    However this is caused by many of vairable such as drug reaction, cancer, infectious illness etc.

Can you tell us what meds she is on, and what they did to determine the diagnosis, also what symptom made you take her in??? Just asking some general questions so Sharon can help.

 

[sharonL]

IMP is a blood disease where the body depletes the red blood cells and then cant catch up with making more of them.....It is important because this is what helps carry oxygen to the body's organs....I know I have seen this one other time, but I want to say it was in a Springer Spaniel.  I know it was not in a Boxer.  Unfortunantly, the ability to correct this disease is only about 20% IF THERE IS a underlined health issue such as cancer (similiar to our Leukemia), but it can be done so dont give up hope. Without any other issues going on in the body then with medicine it can be corrected.  

I know that we referred to a oncologist specialist and the dog I am speaking of was treated with prednisone and also had to have blood transfusions to help correct the number of red blood cells within the body.  This made the biggest impact.  Maybe ask your vet about blood transfusion......

What med's is your baby on now?  Has it had blood and fluid enter the lungs?  or Been coughing blood?  Pooping Blood?

 

[Barbs2Ks]

I sure hope that you can get it corrected with meds, sending healing vibes your way.

 

[nano]

I have had two female boxers over the years who have had immune-mediated thrombocytopenia.

 

[cwillie]

Thank you so much for the responses!

 

[Zhanna]

Oh my, that sounds scary!  Hope everything works out!

 

[nano]

Both of the females I had had very low platelet counts.  I'm thinking my Zoe's was about 7000, she is the one that had a total recovery.  My female that was on the pred life long due to the chronic IMT had more thirst and frequent urination but not all that bad.

 

[cwillie]

Thanks for the reply.  My little girl is taking 1 and 1/2 tablets twice a day...did your boxer that didn't recover end up having a normal WBC or did that always stay high?  Or do you remember it fluctuating?   Thank you so much for remembering back for me....I am so worried about her.  I would die if I had to put her down.....I am pregnant so that would make my reaction worse I am afraid   :?

 

[nano]

I'm sorry I can't remember on the WBC we were always just concerned about the platelets.

 

[cwillie]

Thank you and I will!

 

[owenowlsnest]

Hugs from WI.  This same combination of meds has been used for inflammatory bowel disease in dogs with much success.  They seem to tolerate it well over long periods of time, with much peeing unfortunately.  Sometimes Sulcrafate is added to the mix, and there's been success with Neoral so there are backupd.  I think it's a slow process though.

This tick borne disease is crazy stuff.  My experience with titers was a little strange, but not atypical I found out later.  First E.Canis, and then a low titer for Lymes and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.   A resource I found helpful was ProtaTek Labs.  If there's still a question you might get into their site with questions.  I'm having a good feeling here that things will become clearer, congrats on the new baby on the way.  One day, or 1/2 day at a time.

Ann WI

 

[KevTheIrish]

Hey all,
I turned here to look for some help as well. We took Snot into the vet last month, he wasnt his normal energetic self, and was wimpering b/c he couldnt bend his neck to get at his food/water dish. The vet ran a bunch of blood work on him, and it cam back as extremly low platelet cout. She immed put him on NovoPred (steroid) and NovoDoxylin (antibiotic) . Two weeks later he's getting his energy back, and his platelet count is up (but still very low). I just took him in yesterday for another follow up, more bloodwork was done, the vet said we could go home and she would call with the results. She ended up calling late in the day b/c she had to contact a specialist to see what was going on. His energy is a little below where it was before all this happend, but no less than what it was when we took him in 2 weeks ago (heck, he prob has a little more than 2wks ago), but now shes saying that his platelet count is back to where it was when we brought him in. She believes this is immune mediated, but is unsure of the underlying cause and wants to put him on a med that is ~$120/wk + continue him on the other 2 meds, and she still isnt sure that this will work, from the way she explained it over the phone yest, he would be on a big dose of it for 3weeks before we found out if it was even working, and then would grad. be weened off of it over the next 4+ months. Im on the way to the vet now to pick up the scripts (they dont carry, it i have to get it filled @ a normal drug store) and will try to post more info when i get back.