I just want to take a moment to say what a fighter this handsome guy right here is. For those of you who don't know him, this is Nimbus. I adopted him from Maricopa County in October 2024.Recently, he started to go downhill out of nowhere. He went from running and playing with his siblings and friends at the dog park every night to having severe diarrhea and barely being able to walk. His bloodwork showed that his counts were extremely abnormal, with his lipase level over 1,000. At just 5 years young, he developed pancreatitis with no known cause. His diet was determined to be appropriate, and while pancreatitis is often associated with eating fatty foods, sometimes even a small trigger can cause a significant chain reaction.
He tested negative on his parasite panel, and it was determined that he had an autoimmune disorder. However, the veterinarian I initially saw was unable to determine which specific autoimmune disease he had. They recommended that I see an internal medicine specialist, but the earliest appointment available wasn't until July 23. Based on his condition, I knew he wouldn't make it that long.Cuts began appearing on his face and legs, and bright red blood would ooze from them like lava. We went to the emergency veterinarian, who was able to move the specialist appointment up to July 2, but even that wasn't soon enough.
Tuesday, he took another turn for the worse. He had stopped eating on Monday and still refused to eat yesterday. I made the decision to seek a second opinion, and I'm so glad I did.The veterinarian was able to diagnose him with Evans syndrome based on his lab work. Evans syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own red blood cells and platelets. This can lead to severe anemia and dangerously low platelet counts. Common symptoms include weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, pale gums, bruising, bleeding from the skin or gums, small red or purple spots on the skin (petechiae), and wounds that bleed more than they normally should.
She immediately started him on the medications he needed, and while he's not 100% yet, the improvement has been incredible. He ate half a can of wet food, is now walking without so much as a limp, his cuts have clotted, and he is much more alert.This experience reminded me that veterinary medicine is a lot like human medicine. Sometimes you have to seek a second opinion, trust your instincts, and advocate for the ones who can't speak for themselves. I'm incredibly grateful I did because it may have saved Nimbus's life.
