What I wish I'd Known: Melow's Story and a Warning to Pet Parents

💔 What I Wish I’d Known: Melow’s Story and a Warning for Pet Parents
This post is dedicated to Melow, our treasured feline companion who brought joy and comfort to our lives. Losing him was heartbreaking—and in hindsight, I believe his passing may have been preventable.

🐱 Melow’s Decline
It started with subtle changes. Melow stopped eating and drinking. Concerned, I went to a local pet store and spent nearly $50 trying every brand and flavor of cat food I could find. He turned away from all of it.
We took him to the vet. They ran multiple tests—X-rays, an ultrasound, a CT scan, and possibly others I don’t recall. They offered a prescription food they were confident would spark his appetite. It didn’t. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t determine the cause of Melow’s rapid decline.
As he grew weaker, I carried him outside in my arms so he could feel the breeze, smell the air, and reconnect with the world he once loved. On a quiet Sunday, with his strength nearly gone, we made the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye. A compassionate vet came to our home, and with my wife and I gently petting him, Melow passed peacefully.

🧠 What I Learned Too Late
If your dog or cat ever shows symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue, or weakness—and especially if a blood test reveals low red blood cell counts—please consider asking your vet about Autoimmune disease, specifically:
🩸 Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anaemia (IMHA)
This condition occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy red blood cells, tissues, or organs, treating them as foreign invaders. It’s serious, but in some cases, a blood transfusion can help stabilize your pet while the underlying condition is treated.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
     For dogs, any healthy donor dog can typically provide blood.
     For cats, the donor must be another cat with a matching blood type—just like humans.
I only discovered this information years after Melow passed, while watching Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet, filmed at Planned Pethood International in Colorado. In one episode, a dog with similar symptoms was diagnosed with IMHA, received a transfusion, and recovered within days.
If I’d known then what I know now, Melow might still be here.

❤️ Sharing Knowledge, Honoring Love
I’m not a veterinarian, but I share this story in hopes that it might help another pet parent recognize the signs early and ask the right questions. Our animals depend on us to advocate for them—and sometimes, one question can make all the difference.
If you’ve experienced something similar or have questions about IMHA, feel free to reach out or share your story in the comments below. Melow’s memory lives on through the love we give and the lessons we pass forward.