"AITP" Doctor's Encapsulation:

The platelet is the body's favorite way to clot blood. There are OTHER ways the blood can clot. But platelets are the front line and the favorite.

Sometimes the body 'decides' that the platelets are "The Enemy" and suddenly the body will attack and kill all those poor platelets.

(Sometimes those platelets simply "stop" being produced, and usually they don't know why.)

But either way - the dog or cat's walking around without platelets and there's three things about that:

The dogs are often depressed because the immune-response is taxing and even makes them hot and bothered.

The dogs may show up with purple blotches where there's unchecked bleeding under the skin or in the abdomen. It gets really bad if there's a bleed in the brain or eye.

The dogs are prone to bleed if cut and are relying on other pathways to clot when this happens. The problem has to be separated from anti-coagulant poisoning. (Which is rarer and rarer as they switch to bromethalin poisons for rats.)

So when the pet is a bleeder you get into the the following:

1. Diagnosis needs to be correct by showing a catastrophic lack of platelets
2. Fever may be present.
3. Corticosteroids may be needed to stop the body from killing the platelets.

1. Transfusion may be a Good Idea to assist clotting. (There are risks and considerable expense.)
2. Separating platelet destruction from platelet NONPRODUCTION is a good idea.

The line, above, sort of describes where I might stop and a $pecialist practice would be needed. Try (if possible) to avoid Franchise veterinary practices. They care less, earn more, and operate on commission.

#aitp #platelets #autommune