Grandson and Dog both have ITP

[lilredphoenician]

My grandson was diagnosed with ITP in Dec of 2015 he was 2 months shy of his 3rd birthday. He is an identical twin. My grandson woke up in a pool of blood from his nose and we took him to the ER. He was losing so much blood the Medi Vac' him to the children's hospital that was less than 20 miles away. He had 3 transfusions. He was in Ped's ICU for 2 days without a diagnosis. I had come home to get some rest and walked into a house where there was blood everywhere, it looked like a mass murder scene, but it wasn't from my grandson, that blood had been mostly in his room and my husband had cleaned up while I was at the hospital. All 3 of my dogs were covered in blood and it was obvious it was from one of them. There was a 'glob' of blood about a foot in diameter in our bedroom. After cleaning them all off and realizing there were no visible wounds and after stopping to take a breath I remembered that 6 or 7 years ago one of my dogs had to be taken to the animal ER because she was bleeding from the mouth with no visible wounds. The vet kept her of a couple of days trying to stop the bleeding but she was sent home without a diagnosis. When I realized this I called the doctor who was caring for my grandson and told him this. He contacted a vet and between them they diagnosed them both with ITP. My dog has separation anxiety, I am usually always home, being at the hospital for those couple of days triggered another incident. 48 hours later when Silas' count was up to 20,000 they sent him home. My daughter followed up with a pediatrician who assessed it was a one time incident and we shouldn't worry about another one. I am not comfortable with this but my daughter is and feels I am worrying for nothing, long story short his counts are being checked and he isn't being seen or treated at all. I have two questions, has anyone else ever had a dog and child diagnosed and is it common for this to be a one time incident like we were told.

[ITP_September_2014]

I know dogs definitely can get ITP. My friend's dog was just diagnosed a month ago. He as well had to be put on steroids. I don't know what happened to the dog's medication treatments after that.

I wouldn't let it go, I'd get a 2nd opinion.

[Pollyangel]

Hi

From research that I have done myself around ITP... the one element that the medical profession seem sure of is that it's not transferable.

Male children seem to contract ITP more than girls... and in children it can be triggered after a viral infection which then corrects itself with little medication needed.

I don't know any stats on dogs or animals... but I watch my neighbours dog regularly and I have a hamster (who has bitten me... drew blood and is none the worse for it)

Scary coincidence?... this is only my opinion... others here may be able to offer more insight.

Pauline x

[lilredphoenician in reply to Pollyangel]

I have no doubt it is a coincidence. I know my grandson had a viral infection, both twins had the same flu a couple of days before the one developed ITP. I am more curious as to why one twin got it and the other one did. Thanks for your response!

[Pollyangel in reply to lilredphoenician]

I've overlooked the twin element of your post... sorry...

That is curious... you would imagine that in identical twins... their reaction would have been the same.

Hopefully someone can give you some insight x

[GlendaInIowa]

Totally happenstance. I have chronic ITP, so like, forever. Many people (most I think) get it as just acute...so it happens and is over. Like someone said already...i got mine as a child after a back to back dose of antibiotics for strep.

My vet research neighbor does research on dog ITP. She said it follows much the same pattern as humans do but they don't have the Nplate, etc drugs to treat dogs like they do humans. She is hopeful that the research she is doing will get them to that next step of identifying a drug that will work.

[BeBop2018]

I am 75 an have chronic ITP. My dog has also been diagnosed with ITP.