wrote in message
...
Hi,
My dog's PCV or RBC cound is at 21%. due to Chronic Renal failure but
is doing very well for a 16 year old terrier mix.

One doctor is telling me to give it a try. But others are saying that
it should be used only if there are no other options.

My head is spinning and I don't know what to do.

Thanks,
C

A couple of thoughts - as we went through this about 7 years ago with Jadee.
Epogen is a human drug, which, will most likely, work for awhile, then be
rejected, causing the opposite of the desired effect. Jadee was only 2, so
we did what we could. At 16 - you might find it works long enough before it
fails. I would suggest contacting Cornell (perhaps your vet would have
better luck getting answers) and inquiring if they have made any progress
with the canine version of epogen that they were doing trials on 7 years
ago. I have not been in contact with them since we were involved with the
trial.

Have you been to the k9kidneys group? They were a wealth of information and
many are very knowledgable about how to support your dog and make life a bit
better. Make sure you enter armed with test results and any pertinent
information so that you don't waste time playing tag because they ARE going
to ask.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9KIDNEYS/
You do have to fill out a survey now - I didn't so many years ago. I've not
seen it, maybe it asks right up for that info.

Sue and Atty

Hi,
My dog's PCV or RBC cound is at 21%. due to Chronic Renal failure but
is doing very well for a 16 year old terrier mix.

One doctor is telling me to give it a try. But others are saying that
it should be used only if there are no other options.

My head is spinning and I don't know what to do.

Thanks,
C

On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:21:05 -0400, "Sue and Atty"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
Hi,
My dog's PCV or RBC cound is at 21%. due to Chronic Renal failure but
is doing very well for a 16 year old terrier mix.

One doctor is telling me to give it a try. But others are saying that
it should be used only if there are no other options.

My head is spinning and I don't know what to do.

Thanks,
C

A couple of thoughts - as we went through this about 7 years ago with Jadee.
Epogen is a human drug, which, will most likely, work for awhile, then be
rejected, causing the opposite of the desired effect. Jadee was only 2, so
we did what we could. At 16 - you might find it works long enough before it
fails. I would suggest contacting Cornell (perhaps your vet would have
better luck getting answers) and inquiring if they have made any progress
with the canine version of epogen that they were doing trials on 7 years
ago. I have not been in contact with them since we were involved with the
trial.

Have you been to the k9kidneys group? They were a wealth of information and
many are very knowledgable about how to support your dog and make life a bit
better. Make sure you enter armed with test results and any pertinent
information so that you don't waste time playing tag because they ARE going
to ask.

Yes. I have been going there for almost a year now.
Thanks.

wrote in message
...
snip
Have you been to the k9kidneys group? They were a wealth of information
and
many are very knowledgable about how to support your dog and make life a
bit
better. Make sure you enter armed with test results and any pertinent
information so that you don't waste time playing tag because they ARE
going
to ask.

Yes. I have been going there for almost a year now.
Thanks.


Good. I'm sure you've asked their opinion on this. I know they are not
vets, but they live wth RD on a daily basis, and might be able to offer
experiences.

I might mention that Jadee's RBC was about 11% and it bumped it up quite a
bit. When that started failing, we did a few blood transfusions while
hoping that the trial meds would kick in. I also know that with each
transfusion, they last a shorter amount of time.

Sue and Atty

These drugs have came a long way from 7 years ago. There are now several
types out on the market and they all work. Over the last 3 years I've taken
all three due. It's not that the boty rejected the drug it's a case where
the body demands a balance of iron along with the epo in order of the body
to reproduce red blood cells.

If you have a lack of iron all epo in the world won't do you any good. That
is why dialysis and cancer patients are pumped full of iron supplements
along with epo. One won't work without the other. If you go this route
it's important to work with the vet and make sure the iron levels are
sufficient for the epo to work. I know myself if I wasn't taking it on a
daily basis that I would be too sick to function and would spend my days in
bed. Once your blood count gets so low you can't hardly do anything and I
would think it would be the same for a dog.

Celeste

On Sat, 20 Oct 2007 00:19:01 GMT, "Spot"
wrote:

These drugs have came a long way from 7 years ago. There are now several
types out on the market and they all work. Over the last 3 years I've taken
all three due. It's not that the boty rejected the drug it's a case where
the body demands a balance of iron along with the epo in order of the body
to reproduce red blood cells.

If you have a lack of iron all epo in the world won't do you any good. That
is why dialysis and cancer patients are pumped full of iron supplements
along with epo. One won't work without the other. If you go this route
it's important to work with the vet and make sure the iron levels are
sufficient for the epo to work. I know myself if I wasn't taking it on a
daily basis that I would be too sick to function and would spend my days in
bed. Once your blood count gets so low you can't hardly do anything and I
would think it would be the same for a dog.

Celeste


Yes, the vet said that Iron goes along with the Epogen. Still, they
say that all doggies will develop the antibodies to it and it is just
a matter of when. Some do right away, others it takes weeks or months.
I guess you could get lucky and have your dog never develop the
antibodies. At any rate, I'm having my vet check out Aransep
(Darbopeotin) for him instead. This stuff is supposed to work without
the antibody problem. But it is very, very expensive.
Thanks
C and B