SAM’S CORNER
Juneau is an 8-year-old, sweet, exuberant Siberian husky who is a regular patient at Petersen Pet Hospital. One weekend last December, his owners saw he was bleeding from his mouth and into his eyes. He was taken to Blue Pearl for an exam, hospitalization, and diagnostic testing. Blue Pearl did a great job stabilizing Juneau and working up his case with bloodwork, X-rays, and an abdominal ultrasound. Juneau was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) and immune mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). ITP is a serious disorder where the immune system attacks the platelets that help blood clot. Juneau’s platelet count was extremely low and was the reason he was spontaneously bleeding. This disease can be triggered by infectious disease, recent vaccinations, cancer, etc. IMHA is when the immune system attacks the red blood cells (RBC) in the body, which made Juneau very anemic and lethargic. Juneau was started on immunosuppressive medications as well as an herbal supplement called yunnan baiyao that helps blood clot. INTENSIVE CARE CURES HUSKY OF IMMUNE DISORDERS A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY
Why Walking Your Dog Outside Is Powerful!
Oh, boy, am I excited! I just got back from a long walk with my owners, and I had the BEST time. I smelled new smells, stretched my legs,
and burned a lot of energy. I love going on hikes and walks with my owners; it’s one of my favorite activities to do with them! And it got me thinking: I’m told the weather in Iowa isn’t perfect this time of the year. (I wouldn’t know because I’m always wearing my best fur coat.) But that doesn’t mean you or your pet should stay indoors! Even a small walk down the street can provide great health benefits for your pet. Walking outside can boost your dog’s mood, help them burn off energy for better sleep, and help them soak up this thing called vitamin D. Apparently, it’s very good for our brain
health! Outdoor walks and hikes at any time of the year can also help your pet burn calories and stimulate their cardiovascular system (I’m told that means their hearts!), which can be great for longevity!
Once discharged from Blue Pearl, Juneau came back to Petersen Pet Hospital and saw Dr. Knutson and her team for follow-up
Plus, we dogs love getting outside! Our brains are energized and exercised when we sniff outside, especially when we get to leave our
bloodwork. He was still lethargic, not eating well, had bruising on his belly and blood in his eyes from his autoimmune diseases. Over the next couple weeks, Juneau’s red blood cells and platelets rebounded beautifully on the immunosuppressive medications, prednisone and mycophenolate. His eyes and bruising resolved. Once he was eating regularly and tolerating more oral medications, he was also started on an antibiotic to cover any infectious diseases.
Throughout his treatment, Juneau unfortunately suffered some of the negative side effects of prednisone since he needed to be on
high doses for an extended period of time. He was more lethargic than usual, his rear legs weakened, and his skin and coat quality declined. Dr. Knutson worked diligently with Juneau’s family to taper him off the prednisone in a quick but safe manner. This involved bloodwork every 2–3 weeks while slowly tapering the prednisone to ensure his RBC and platelets didn’t start to regress. Once off the prednisone, Juneau greatly improved. He was acting like a puppy again and his coat filled back out. Over the next several months, Juneau was slowly tapered off the mycophenolate. He’s currently doing great on no medications! While Dr. Knutson and her team loved seeing Juneau and his family on a regular basis, they are glad he’s doing well at home and look forward to seeing him back for his annual exam later this year!
HOMEMADE TURKEY DOG FOOD Inspired by DamnDelicious.net
Contact us! 319-743-0554
2
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator