When a cat gets anemia - what to do then?

My Gustavs blood work showed he is almost anemic. I then wonder what to do for cats with anemia? Can the progress be slowed down in any way, and what treatments are there to choose from?


Also, do they suffer? And does it affect other organs and vital things?

 

There are many kinds of anemia; did they indicate what kind he might be developing?

From the Merck veterinary Manual Anemia: Introduction

 

../..Bone marrow evaluation by aspiration and/or biopsy is indicated in any animal with an unexplained, nonregenerative anemia../..

The vet wanted to do that last year, when Gustav was 16 and when he suspected Gustav had plasma cell cancer, multiple myeloma. But Gustav also have a heart murmur and thickening of left heart chamber, hypertrophy, so I decided we shouldn't sedate him being so old and having problems with the heart.


But the biopsy and the aspiration from the bone marrow was really the only way to tell.


Sigh.


Thank you BJ!

 

There are two basic types of anemia, regenerative and nonregeneritive. In regenerative the body is making enough red blood cells but something is killing them off. An example is internal bleeding. Nonregenerative is when the body is not producing enough cells. An example is during the last stage of renal failure. There are drugs that can increase the production.

 

Thank you, Larry!


I will bring it up with Gustav's vet.

 

Poor Gustav, Ann. I just read your later post up above.

I don't have any good information - Scruffy didn't develop anemia until last week, after his fifth chemo treatment. I had gotten a vial of injectible B-12 to give him 25ml once a week, and last week, his oncologist had given him an injection of darbepoetin and an iron injection "to help stimulate his system to produce additional red blood cells." It was his plan to give Scruffy an injection of this stuff every week for a month. (It had been donated to the hospital by someone whose pet died.) We didn't have time to do any follow-up testing to see if any of this had helped.

There is a Yahoo feline (and canine) anemia group, Ann - http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Anemia/

I hope you can find out what's wrong quickly and that it can be fixed. Our precious older cats.....

hugs to you, and scritches to Simba and Gustav.

 

Lynda, do you think it was the chemo treatment that made Scruffy get anemia?

 

I assume that it was, Ann, although I don't know anything at all about any of this stuff. Of all the diseases Scruffy got over his lifetime, these last three - cancer, kidney failure, and anemia - were the most foreign to me. I do know that his hematocrit and hemoglobin values got lower and lower after each chemo treatment, and they checked his white count before they did anything every week. But he was also in end-stage kidney failure, so.......

Poor Gustav. Give him scritches from me, and a hug for you, Ann.

 

Chemo definitely can cause anemia and fast; they often test before doing each treament to see if it is safe to do the treatment.

 

Gustav has basically no white blood cells at all and almost anemic with 82 (80-150) in hemoglobin and with 26 (24-45) in hematocrit, so I don't really feel like we should start with the chemo treament Alkeran-melphalan again.

Does Prednisolon cortisone also give anemia?

 

Merck Veterinary Manual 9th edition Primary Bone Marrow Diseases <- this is essentially what happens when you give chemo; you suppress formation of new cells ... ANY new cells, including ones which make blood.

"Treatment varies with the underlying cause but usually consists of immunosuppressive therapy."
... like steroids ...

So it looks like steroids may help. Certainly worth discussing with the vet.

Or, discussing a blood transfusion.

 

Have to take Gustav back to the animal hospital as soon as possible. He acts as he has given up.

I want him xray'ed for internal bleeding, since it is not normal to have blood 2+ and large in the urine and such low red blood cells. He must have an internal bleeding somewhere in the body.

 

Or the chemo has knocked out production of new blood cells faster than he can regenerate them.

 

I'll take him in to the hospital tomorrow even if it is extra expensive because it's weekend.

 

Hi Ann-

Just sending you the best of luck for Gustav. (I love his name) You are an awesome bean. I hope they can help him quickly and cheaply.

 

Thank You! Even if Gustav is 17, I'm not ready for him to leave yet, and Simba would be devastated since Gustav is his best buddy that he could ever have and if Gustav leaves Simba would not have his best friend to wrestle with and snuggle with. If Simba loses Gustav he will take it much harder than if Gustav loses him.
So I really hope they can fix Gustav and bring him back to life and to us.

 

Update on Gustav

The emergency vet only did a palpation examination, then said to me she recommended PST Gustav right there and then, without even first doing xrays, ultrasounds etc. But I insisted on them to keep Gustav and put him on IV fluids and doing xrays and ultrasounds, blood tests etc. So he has been put in their Intensive Care unit.

 

Update on Gustav

He is still at the Intensive Care at the animal hospital. He is not doing great, his blood pressure fell to 80, his temperature fell to 37.6 C, his creatinine had gone up in one month since February 21st from 150 then to 321 now (normal is 70-160). And I am glad I insisted on scan exams, they did that today Monday, his kidneys looked okay but they found a mass change of some sort between the liver and kidney, and just called to tell me that and asked if I wanted it further examed by needle cell biopsy, to see whether it is a cancer mass or a bleeding. They would have to sedate him for that, and I know it can go all wrong while Gustav is sedated in that poor condition he is in, but I thought we would take that risk for Gustav. There has been no limit on the care I've spent on Simba those times he has been very sick, so there shall be no limit on the care for Gustav. While they are doing the needle cell biopsy, they will also put a feeding tube in, since he hasn't eaten in several days.

 

{{hugs}} May all go as well as it can.

If he has something inflammatory going on, he could be at an increased risk for blood clots and those can happen several days after surgery ... as happened with Spitzer which resulted in his euthanasia.

Talk to the vet about this risk and ways to manage it. Options may include an anti-inflammatory, or something to reduce clotting (but mildly, due to the wound healing), or to adjust his blood pressure.

 

Now that really scared me about possibilities of getting blood clots.

They didn't specify what they were giving for his very low blood pressure, they just said he was being treated for that.

 

It doesn't look good for Gustav. He now has severe anemia and losing a lot of large molecyle proteins and from not eaten, so he can't keep up the blood pressure on his own.

 

Gustav passed away by himself early Wednesday March 21st, in the Intensive Care at the animal hospital.

 

Ann,

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your beautiful angel Gustav. I know he will forever be in your heart. So sorry. Fly Free sweet baby.

Terri

 

So sad to have another GA. Sending purrs and prayers.

 

Thank you. I've been to the hospital already, between 12noon and 1pm, and arranged with the bill and his separate cremation, and then I spent some time with him, his body, in a room, kissing on him and petting him. The needle cell biopsy test will come in tomorrow, and then I perhaps will find out the cause of this aggressive sickness that hit him.

 

Ann, I am so sorry to hear this news of the loss of your Gustav. I hope you can get some answers. My thoughts are with you today.

 

Oh Ann I'm so so sorry...Rest in peace brave Gustav. Land ever so softly sweet one.
My sincere condolences Ann,
jeanne

 

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((ANN))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I am so very sorry. Gustav was lucky to have you and you him. Many tears are falling here for you. Wrapping you in cyber hugs.

Gustav is flying free now, whole and healthy over the Rainbow Bridge. rb_icon
wings_cat

 

((Ann)) I am so sorry for your loss of your sweet Gustav. You were his champion fighting along beside him. Hugs to you during this time of sadness.

 

Ann i am so very sorry about Gustav.
So sad.

 

I'm so sorry for you loss, there are no words to take the pain away. Sending strength and peace to you.

Fly free Gustav wings_cat

 

I'm so sorry Ann. It's never easy to lose one of our babies, even when they've lived a long, happy life. You were a champion for him and I know he felt your love wrapped around him. Hugs to you and Simba in this sad and difficult time.

God Bless you all!

Lu-Ann

 

Words can't express how sorry I am that you lost your Gustav today, Ann. I hope you and Simba can comfort each other in his memory.

Hugs,

Melanie & Racci

 

Ann & Simba,
I am so sorry about the loss of Gustav. I know it's not easy saying goodbye to a longtime friend. I hope you find comfort in the memories you shared. I hope your heart will smile again very soon.
Fly high Gustav! wings_cat

Jenn & Baxter :YMHUG:

 

So the night have come and it is definite. It has been a very shocking day but all the empathy shown by all have really ment a lot, so thank you from the bottom of Simba's and mine's hearts.

 

Ann, I'm so sorry. Sometimes these things happen so quickly that it's hard for our hearts and minds to comprehend. I hope the test results give you some answers.

My thoughts are with you and Simba.

Fly free, Gustav.

 

I am very sorry for your loss, Ann. Fly free, Gustav.

 

So sorry you lost your Gustav. Fly Free sweet one wings_cat

 

Oh Ann I am so very sorry. ((((((Hugs))))))

 

Sweet dreams, Gustav. I am so sorry

Laura

 

Oh, Ann...

my heart aches for you and Simba.

Land softly, Gustav.

Celi, Binks, Smudge and Annie

 

I know all have said it but soooo sorry for your loss! Sharing a tear with you as I type!
You have helped soo many here and have been here for all of us, sure wish I could erase this terrible day for you!
Extra hugs for you and Simba rb_icon

 

The vets at the animal hospital called me today Thursday around 5pm with Gustav's cell test results: The mass they found on ultrasound scan between Gustav's liver and kidney was malign lymphoma, white blood cell lymphocytes cancer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphoma. Gustav has always had a suppressed immune system with hardly any white blood cells and lymphocytes ever since he was little, they always marked it down as Leukopenia in his diagnoses conclusions after each and every blood test we've done over all the years. Due to this, I read about Leukopenia, and it is often associated with Leukemia, and I've always had the feeling this Leukopenia was because Gustav actually had leukemia.

The vet will call me back next week and tell me how bad Gustav's anemia was those two days he was in Intensive care hospital before he died.