ITP

Started by JulesVic, April 19, 2022, 11:56:06 PM

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JulesVic

Hi I have a Bichon Frise he is 8 years old . He was diagnosed with ITP one week ago . He responded well to IV dexamethasone and after 3 days in vet hospital we got him home.

Since being discharged he has not eaten, he is supposed to take 20mgs of prednisolone with food. He refuses to eat .

He has vomited black blood and is passing black stools . Obviously he is bleeding in his gut .

He has received another dose of IV dexamethasone today and home with us . Going back to vet for another IV dose tomorrow.

He is bright at times but other times so flat . I pray he gets through this .

Catherine

Is he having a gastroprotectant? He really needs that to stop him getting stomach problems.  Has he had a recent blood test to check his platelets etc.?

It would probably be better to divide the dose of Prednisolone into two, twelve hours apart if possible.

Jo CIMDA

Hi and welcome

I am sorry that your Bichon has IMTP. There are several reasons why a dog may have low platelets.  Does your vet think that this is a primary IMTP or is destruction of the platelets occurring elsewhere eg. the spleen? 

Do you know what his platelet number is now?  Has it increased from when he first went in?    If the numbers aren't increasing there is a drug called Vincristine that can increase platelets rapidly and this might be worth your vet considering, or a blood transfusion can buy time for the drugs to work.

IMTP responds well to immunosuppressive treatment but it will take a few days before new platelets emerge from the bone marrow.  I hope that you will start to see an increase very soon.

As Catherine said, perhaps a gastroprotectant could be considered.

Jo