autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)

Recently a dog owner wrote and asked what I knew about Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia or AIHA. I admitted I really knew little about AIHA, and was only familiar with it in regards to Sulfonamide drugs, because of Great Dane's sensitivity to Sulfonamides. As I set out to search for more information I ran into a wonderful website full of information and a story about Joanne and her dog Meisha. I would like to share this story with you as well as the numerous links Joanne has at her website. ~ Linda

Meisha’s Hope

Until my Meisha developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in January 1992, I was just your average dog owner/caregiver. I did foster care for our local humane society and loved anything associated with dogs. However, after the development of Meisha’s illness I came to understand that it she were to survive this disease, I would need to understand the disease and be an equal partner, along with my veterinarian in her treatment. I bought veterinary textbooks and started to research the disease and talk with other vets.

In 1998, with the help of my veterinarian, I wrote the Meisha’s Hope Website. Four years later in May 2002, six months after Meisha’s death, we started the Meisha’s Hope AIHA/IMHA Fund #338 at Morris Animal Foundation to raise money to sponsor studies on AIHA/IMHA. So far this Fund has raised over $100,000 and sponsored or co sponsored 5 studies on the disease. It is my goal to raise at least one million dollars to sponsor AIHA/IMHA studies that would enable better treatments to be found for the disease as well as possible causes for the illness. I currently have one mixed breed dog, Madison Joy, Maddie for short who was adopted from our local humane society 7 weeks after Meisha’s death. Thank you so much for sharing info on AIHA/IMHA with the visitors to your great Web site.
Joanne

email: jdickson@cloudnet.com

To learn more about Meisha's Hope and numerous links about AIHA go to her website below.

Meisha's Hope URL: http://www.cloudnet.com/~jdickson