Feline Anemia/Red Cell Aplasia

My kitty, Charlie was very ill 3 weeks ago, lethargic,not eating well, and off to vet we went....Monday, he recieved his 1st blood transfusion,and another on thursday, his cbc was all normal cept for hemoglobin was only 9.3. Now after his 2nd blood transfusion, he's almost back to normal...He is on daily prednisone, and liqui-tinic, and weekly Epogin injections. My vet says he might have pure red cell aplasia. Anyone here ever had an anemic cat? If so, I would love to talk to you....suggestions on this ailment, how to get him to eat "cat food" as he only eats gerber strained turkey baby food. Vet says let him eat it....he does sometime eat cat food, he's just sooooo picky. Thanks in advance. Dawn and "Charlie"

Coco had Severe Anemia in 2001 and almost died from it but she is ok now. Stripe had it also and needed blood transfusions. Then she got Crf. She had the Epogin Shots every week also and Winstrol Shots. Do they know what caused his Anemia? Lucy and Meeko had Anemia also but I lost Lucy on the way to the Er Vet. Coco and Lucy were Fia which is Feline Infectionas Anemia. Lucy died 3 weks before Coco got it. What would you like to know?

Thanks for your reply, mainly,I want to know what you did to help your cat outside of your vets medical internentions,and his meds....did you give him special foods at home to help re build his red blood cells? Did your cat turn up his nose to any and all cat foods? And how long before your cat recovered? My vet says Charlie will need Epogin shots and steroids for atleast the next 6 mos. As for his diagnosis, vet says possible "pure red cell aplasia", has to do with the bone marrow not making red blood cells...Thanks

Coco is ok now and is 16 years old. She had A/D and Pet Tinic with Iron in it. Stripe was on the shots until the day she was Pts. She did not die from the Anemia. She died from the Crf. Lucy kept needing blood transfusions every few months then I lost her on the way to Er. Meeko was better in about three months but her growth was stunted. she was 3 months when she had the Anemia and she is 8 years old now and fine. I will look for the paperwork from the Vets and see what treatments they got. They didnt want to eat anything like your Cat. Stripe was force fed. Is the Steroid Depo Medrol? Coco was getting those but we had to stop because she gets bladder infections from them. They did help her with the Anemia. The reason she was still getting them was her Asthma. The blood transfusions did help alot. Coco was fine within a few months and she has not had Anemia since then. It is very hrd to get them to eat when they are that way.

Aww, thanks so much for your info....Charlie Boy is on Prednisone, (steroid.)

That will help. Thats what the Depo Medrol Shot is. Coco has also had the Pred Pills.

Hi there. You story is quite similar to mine. My kitten was diagnosed with PRCA at 7 months old, just the end of January 2014. She went through something similar to your cat, having 3 blood transfusions. She almost died after the last transfusion, but thankfully things turned around. I am wondering if your kitty is still alive? Is your kitty on medication still? I can't seem to find a lot of information about this immune disorder on the web, and I am wondering what you came up with. I hope to hear from you. - Jen

Just bumping his thread due to a very scary week. My 2-year old Siamese, Jasmine, had to be rushed in for a blood transfusion two days ago. She had been seeming a bit low energy off and on the past few weeks, and was a bit unsteady one night for an hour, but generally her normal self so I unfortunately did not think much of it. Until I came home from work Tuesday and she was very unsteady, wouldn't eat and was clearly in distress. Trip to ER drew blood and diagnosed anemia through looking at her gums- the blood results confirmed 7% RBC- normal is 25-45. She took two transfusions and was due for a bone marrow biopsy today but the vet thought she still could not survive the anaesthesia. It was decide based on her bloodwork that cancer was fairly unlikely (though could be strictly in the marrow) and that no tests for infection turned up anything.

The thought now is autoimmune- she came home tonight and is on steroids and antibiotics. The transfusions raised her count to 16- who knows if it will stay there or if her body is destroying any red cells it finds and not replacing them. Back for a test on Wednesday- going to be another tough week for all.

A few random symptoms- she started continually licking my tile floor a few weeks ago- apparently PICA is common with anemia, She started to hide under the bed for hours- she usually never goes under there- I just thought she had changed her favourite 'spot' on a whim. Her playing had decreased significantly- I thought it was a change in the weather, boredom, or growing out of her kitten phase. She shakes her head rapidly many times a day- never did that before. Her gait is a bit off- almost dragging her rear feet and a couple of times she staggered a bit. I thought she might have been slowly losing weight, but she was so muscular before it didn't really become noticeable until recently. Hard to judge when you see them all day every day, and her appetite had been great up to three days ago. The whole point f this is if you see changes, get your cat in ASAP- it might be too late for Jasmine but yours could be saved.

After the transfusions, she is more like her old self, although still not out of the weeds by any means. there is nw way to know if she will kill off the new blood cells or not. The small ray of hope is that if we support her with medication and transfusions and give her some time, (her stem cells if there are any left- no biopsy so no diagnosis )can regenerate enough to start producing active marrow. We are treating her on the best theory.

Poor little girl- she's so sweet and playful and used to be this totally 'buff' little muscular panther. incredible how fast and drastically it can change.