Editor’s Note: There are times when the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital Emergency and Critical Care must turn away patients because it has reached capacity with critical cases. Frankie is an example of case that required long-term stays.
Frankie isn’t your most common dog but what brought him to the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital is all too common in dogs.
Frankie is a five-year-old Briard, a French breed of large shepherd dog. The breed’s popularity is modest, ranking around 150th out of all American Kennel Club breeds.
Unfortunately Frankie suffers from Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA), an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system destroys its own red blood cells. It is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in dogs.
“Many dogs require blood transfusions to replace the destroyed red blood cells,” said Dr. Sarena Krojanker, resident in the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital’s Internal Medicine service. “In fact, Frankie has required eight blood transfusions so far.”
Many dogs will respond to immunosuppressive medication but some, like Frankie, require additional treatment.
That has come in the form of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE). This treatment removes the “bad” plasma that contains the autoantibodies and replaces it with “good” plasma. This results in giving the immunosuppressive therapies a better chance at working.
The procedure involves taking out a portion of the patient’s blood, running it through a centrifuge where the plasma is removed that contains the antibodies, leaving just red blood cells. The patient is then given back the red blood cells and donor plasma. The procedure is repeated, sometimes repeated multiple times.
But it works. With TPE Frankie has a greater than 90 percent chance of leaving the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital.
If you and your animal need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at 515.294.4900.
November 2025
