Update - Our scare with Charlotte - healthy to dying in 24 hrs - long

[Jennifer Tramell]

Our goldendoodle Charlotte has always been as healthy as a dog could be.  We had her hips tested - great, annual vaccines, flea/tick/heartworm preventative, no sensitive tummy issues, perfect weight, no reason to worry about anything.  

Earlier this month I woke up to undigested vomit.  Normally I don't worry about vomit, but the day before she had no appetite.  I had fixed her some tasty food and she ate it, now her tasty dinner was on the livingroom floor.  Along with the lack of appetite and vomit, she seemed unusually lethargic, so at 9am I called the vet.  Now, I have never needed to call the vet for an appointment - other than yearly check-up/vaccinations, but I knew something was wrong.  My appointment was for 5:15 pm and as the day wore on, I was counting the minutes.  Charlotte was dehydrated, lethargic, and around 1 pm I noticed that her color was off.  I called the vet again and they told me that if she wouldn't drink on her own, to squirt fluids in her mouth.  I forced some doggy pedialyte into her and she started drinking a little on her own.

By the time we arrived at the vet, Charlotte was jaundice.  The vet took one look at her and said "if she were a poodle, I would say she has auto-immune hemolytic anemia".  Well, Charlotte is a 50/50 goldendoodle, but she is definitely more poodle than golden.  The vet ran a couple blood tests and while we were waiting Charlotte literally faded before our eyes.  By 6 pm, she barely lifted her head off of the vet's concrete floor.  The blood test came back with one of the numbers (sorry, I don't remember what one) at 9.5 - a normal dog would be 40.

The consensus was that she needed an emergency blood transfusion or she would be dead in under 6 hrs. The vet said that the problem was finding a donor dog - she didn't have one in the office and she needed one as big as possible.  Our response was that our Webster is 88lbs and my sister's Charlie is 72 lbs.  I numbly grabbed my cellphone and called my sister (who was home with my kids).  I said "Hello.  Bring Webster to the vet."  I was still processing the fact that my sweet Charlotte, not even 3 years old, was dying before my eyes.

Forty minutes later, my sister arrived with Webster and Charlie in her van.  My dad arrived with my brother's two dogs (Rhodesian Ridgebacks) and his goldendoodle - all over 60 lbs.  We had an army of blood donors in the parking lot of the vet :-).  Webster was brought in, prepped, and gave a huge bag of blood.  The vet said it was some of the best blood she'd ever seen.  The transfusion began with Charlotte laying on the concrete floor and our vet sitting next to her.  The vet sent us home and we began the waiting game.

The next couple days were spent crying and wondering if Charlotte would ever come home.  This all started on Monday and on Thursday afternoon we brought Charlotte home.  The vet's office couldn't believe how much better she was, however, her numbers were still only 11.

For the past 2 weeks, Charlotte has been slowly recovering.  Last Friday we all rejoiced because her numbers are up to 18.  Today we have another blood test and we are hoping her numbers are up even higher.  She is on twice/day prednisone, a med for auto-immune, and an iron supplement for anemia.  She has become a celebrity at the vet's office because she literally went from dying to being the office sweetheart.  Because she has responded so well to the treatment, the assumption is that Charlotte has an Auto-Immune disease, probably hemolytic anemia. (My vet's office isn't equipped for specialized diagnostic testing but I wouldn't trade them for anything.  The image of our vet (not a tech) sitting on the floor with Charlotte, and then cleaning up her pen so we could sit and visit, is burned into my memory.)

Since we've been home, Webster hovers over Charlotte.  He follows her around when they go outside and looks like he is standing guard as she goes potty.  When my sister's dog, Charlie, came to visit, Webster wouldn't let Charlie get too close.  Webster waits patiently for Charlotte to eat her food, then finishes it when she leaves (her food gets doctored up so it's yummier than Webster's).  He is our "Hero Dog" and she is our "sweet girl".

Here's the scary thing - we don't know what triggered this disease.  Apparently it can be dormant for years and triggered by a vaccine, heartworm meds, tick bites, a virus, just about anything.  It is common in poodles, and especially females.  We hope that Charlotte's numbers will come up and stabilize and we will wean her off her medications.  However, our vet said that she should NEVER receive vaccinations again and she is regarded as "fragile", but will hopefully live a regular healthy life.

I wanted to let everyone know of this potential danger.  As our vet said "she could pass for a poodle", so people with more poodle doodles should know of this poodle predisposition.  Apparently vaccines are a common trigger, and ticks seem to be really bad this year.  If you see signs of loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, jaundice - make sure your vet tests for auto-immune disease.  It can come on quickly and might be an issue of life an death.

Update ----  Yesterday afternoon (5/24) we had another vet visit to test Charlotte's blood.  When we first took her in, it was 9.5, spent over 2 weeks at under 12, last Friday she was up to 18 (we did a happy dance), and yesterday it was 28!!!!  I think normal is around 40 so we are more that halfway there - woohoo!  We are slightly decreasing her meds, encouraging more activity (of course, not pushing her), and get to go 2 weeks before the next check-up.

 

I don't know if anyone on DK remembers, but almost 3 years ago we actually lost Charlotte.  She was 9 weeks old and ran off with Webster - who came back.  We found the next day because a friend had received an email from a HOA president who had received an email from an outlying homeowner with a picture of a found puppy.  It was truly a miracle and now we feel as though God has twice saved our Charlotte. 

Thank you for all the kind words.  I'm not as active on DK as I used to be, but I still consider DK part of our doodle family :-)

[DJ & Chance]

How scary.  Hugs to both Charlotte and Webster.  I am so glad she seems to be doing better.  And thanks for the warning--my pup could also pass for a poodle.

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Horrifying to read this ordeal, I am so glad to hear she is improving.  Thank you for sharing so we all know what to look for.  Hope things get much better and soon.

[Itims]

Heres wishing Charlotte a continued good recovery and good health! 

Your post made me think of talking to my friends who have dogs about setting up a buddy system to help out in situations like this. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

So sorry to hear about Charlotte's ordeal.  Sending positive thoughts for her continued and complete recovery.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am so very sorry to hear about Charlotte but glad she is better. You are so fortunate to have so many potential donors in the family. Looks however poorly, have nothing to do with this. All our doodles have some poodle and could possibly suffer from this and I'd guess just about any dog could. Wishing Charlotte a complete recovery and a long, happy life.

[Christine & Camus]

I am so sorry to hear about Charlotte being so sick.  Best wishes for continued recovery. 

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Glad to hear she is feeling better.  Wishing for a speedy and complete recovery!!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am so so sorry for all that you and Charlotte have gone through. Jacquie's Moms doodle puppy went through this after a vaccine of Lepto. I did some research to educate myself and then decided that none of the 4 doodles that live with me will be vaccinated again - titres only - because a dog can have these vaccines all their lives but just once can get gravely ill. You just never know. Prayers sent that Charlotte never goes through this again. 

 I also found a FB group that you might be interested in joining. 

This is the link to their page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6228146980/

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, Adrianne, I have only reluctantly vaccinated my dogs also after their puppy shots.  The vet told me that we definitely over vaccinate our pets.  Titers work well to see if they already have some immunity.  I just got Groucho another rabies vaccination, but that is the only one I give them as it is required by law (once every three years).  And what do you do about tick mediation?  I know that is an insecticide and I hate using it, but I do.  We have lots of ticks in this area.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I hate to say this, but it sounds all too familiar.  Hondo had the same reaction and lost his appetite and was becoming jaundiced right in front of my eyes.  By the time I got him to the vet he was totally jaundiced (eyes, inside of ear flaps as well as his stomach and parts that show).  She immediately started treatment and he was in the hospital for about a week, not eating, IVs, etc.  She ran every test imaginable on him.  Finally said surgery was needed so she could check out the gall bladder.  The surgery went well but she said it was his liver and he was placed on liver meds (human quality) and I was also instructed to have no vaccinations.  He had had no shots in the recent past so I was not to concerned about that.  He was also "fragile" and was excused by the vet from any medical treatments (vaccinations especially).  He went on for several years on liver meds and no processed foods.  I cooked for him and his favorite thing ever was routisserie chicken.  He had several other occasions with jaundice and I would rush him to the vet and she would "work her magic" with him.  On the final occasion of jaundice, I took him in and she wanted to keep him for the weekend.  I said no, that I wanted him home.  She filled him with two liters of fluids (looked like backpacks) and we took him home for the weekend.  On Monday, I took him back to the vet.  He was not eating or drinking and was jaundiced again.  She said she wanted to do another surgery and I reluctantly agreed.  After the surgery, she said his liver was "gone" and was grey and shriveled.  He would need to be on meds and special diet the rest of his life.  I said that was fine because I was used to that.  However, he passed away the next night in the hospital.  He was my best dog ever and I think I was especially attached to him because of his medical condition.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I thought you might want to know this experience with Hondo.

[F, Calla & Luca]

However, Hondo had primary liver disease and it was not at all related to Charlotte's condition AFAIK. So I hope Jennifer that you will not be alarmed by this. Jaundice can be caused by many things including hemolytic anemia and the treatments and prognosis can be very different.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I'm so sorry you went through this but happy she is feeling better!  Webster sounds like he's been Charlotte's guadian through all of this.

I am hoping Charlotte has a speedy recovery and is back to living a happy, healthy life soon.