IMMHA -immune mediated haemolytic anaemia and IMT
IMMHA -immune mediated haemolytic anaemia and IMT –immune mediated thrombocytopaenia are the more common immune mediated disease in dogs.
Steroids or Glucocorticoids like Prednisilone are commonly used as part of the therapy.
Steroids induce their own metabolism and so the body starts breaking them out faster higher doses may be needed.
The drugs suppress the immune response and also have a significant metabolic side effect!
Also panting and hair loss – cane become Pichwickian!
(Fluticasone for feline Asthma – bronco constriction, not useful indogs)
1 Induction phase of canine immune mediated disease –“ once daily –about 3 mg/kg with the analogy of a boxer in a ring
"beat it up- knock it out on to the floor” – high doses 1 times daily.
Use metabolic scaling for larger dogs needing relatively lower doses or (100mg/squared meter body area for larger dogs).
Veterinarains often add another immune suppressant drug in DOGS called Azothioprine (50mg/metre squared) on alternate day tablets from day 1 (Chlorambucil 2 mg per cat every second day) is often also used in feline immune mediated disase)
(cat are steroid resistance and we may use higher doses upto 4.5 mg/kg)
2 Maintaince phase after 10 days the dose of the therapy may be decreased - day 10 to 20 – using the boxer analogy “keep on the floor’ after 10 days to 2 mg/kg/day for 10 days
3 Maintenance of Remission phase – alternate day 2 mg/kg therapy – with second drug.
If there is a problem we need to induce remission again! .
s/e
- PD/PU – drinks a lot as they want to is a behavioural cause possibly. Psychogenic – remove water.
- Eating more nad weight gain
- parnting