Well I haven’t exactly got a diagnosis Art, I have just managed to rule certain things out quickly.
Part of that was because I took the samples to the laboratory myself, instead of waiting for the post. Also, the lady did the first tests same day as a favour, she doesn’t normally work Saturdays, so that speeded things up too.
I still don’t really know what’s causing her platelets to be low.
I am just working on feelings and hunches, and knowing my dogs.
They do get low platelets with Leukaemia, but that would need a bone marrow sample to test for that, and at this stage I am not prepared to do that. As Meg said before, she would be a lot iller (is that a word?) if it were that anyway.
The Lab lady asked me today who my vet was, and when I told her, she said she does a lot of large animal testing for them, knows them all and she said it was “a fabulous practice”, so that was kind of reassuring to know it wasn’t just me being blind to their faults.
I will sort my Mups out in the end, one way or antoher.
We went back to the vet this morning. I had prepared a list of questions for him to answer.
I wanted to know if her urine test was OK, her kidneys, her lymph glands, her blood clotting, and whether she was anaemic.
All these things were OK.
I said seeing as she wasn’t vomitting, had no diarrhoea, and didn’t have a cough (all the symptoms of lungworm), plus her test for that was negative also, I was reluctant to dose her for it.
She seems much brighter in herself now, and is acting normally - for her - and eating and drinking fine, so I asked how he felt about taking one final blood test to see if any problem inside her had cleared up, or was worsening. He agreed.
He will phone me with the new results sometime tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I also took Naughty Nellie with us this morning, as she keeps chewing between her pads. It is thought she is allergic to something she is walking in. She’s on Piriton for a week.
It seems to die down, then flare up again but she is well in herself, and still up to no good daily, but that’s Nellie for you.
Hi Mups I think another blood test is a good idea , there is still the question of Pika to clear up isn’t there.
With Nellie it could be a pollen thing or a particular summer mite . Chloe is the same and although there is no mud now and the danger from Alabama Rot lessened I am still rinsing her feet after walking or she nibbles them .
Thanks Meg. I am hoping it might indicate whether it could have been misleading results due to her torn toe last time.
The Pica I still don’t know yet. It seems it is a psychological eating disorder, so maybe it will be down to vigilence more than anything.
You said about the Alabama Rot. I asked him about that, and to date, he hasn’t come across any cases in this area at all - yet.
I read a very interesting article on it the other day.
One lady scientist thinks she may have found the cause, or certainly a link to the cause, but I will post about that in a separate thread when I get a minute.
I’ve had three lots of blood tersted from my furry Mups now.
The first lot was the worse results.
The second results showed improvements.
The third, which I got back this afternoon, had slipped back to about the same as the first tests.
So I am rather disappointed, and the vet is left scraching his head.
He said it bothers him because he genuinly doesn’t know what is doing this, and he doesn’t like not knowing.
It seems they are not dangerous levels of results, and Mups seems well in herself. So what we have decided to do is leave her alone for now, I will observe her, and report any changes.
According to how she seems in herself, we will probably test her once more in a month’s time.
He says if it was a type of Leukaemia, she would be showing other symptoms, and she’s not.
I am wondering whether her results are just ‘normal’ for her?
Maybe she’s always been that way, but I wouldn’t have known before.
All a bit of a mystery still - and an expensive one.
Oh Mups it is so frustrating when you have a sick pet but don’t know what is causing the problem, and it is expensive trying to find out what it is.
If they could do tests on older people, I am sure they would discover that none of us conform to having a body that works within the best parameters, so maybe it is just Mups’s age that is causing different results at each test.
She won’t get better care than she gets from you, just look at how well Gertie has improved under your care!
Thankyou Twinks & Muddy.
Yes I admit I was disappointed, I had hoped for some progress, but there you go.
She has been eating grass and compost again this morning, but can’t be feeling that poorly because she soon came flying into the kitchen for her cooked chicken breakfast and ProBiotic - hidden in a dob of cheese spread :-).
She’s always been a little monkey at taking any meds, so suspicious of anything different in her food.
If I try to give them straight into her mouth she will hide anything under her tongue indefinitely, only to spit it out as soon as I turn my back. So a dollop of yoghurt, or dob of cheese spread is invaluable for that dog. It’s only Mups that is so suspicious, the others will gobble up anything before you can blink.
It’s a shame you can’t narrow it down to what is wrong Mups. I suppose the good thing is that she appears well in herself. As you say, all you can do really is to monitor her and watch for any changes.
If anyone can sort it out, it’s you Mups so I’m sure you will get there in the end. x
Hi Mups, it can be frustrating when you can’t find a cause for something to treat it. I must admit when I read …
Her blood count was ok, so she is not anaemic - but her bone marrow is producing and ‘sending out’ young, immature red blood cells for some reason.
I had a couple of ideas but discounted them through lack of symptoms.
You have done all you can really to help little Mups , I think under the circumstances I would try not to worry and at the same time keep an eye on things like her gums to make sure they are not pale and her energy levels.
Yes, I agree Meg, I don’t see what else I can do for now.
If it wasn’t for this damned compost eating, I wouldn’t have put her through all this.
I thought perhaps she had a mineral deficiency at first, so he took the first lot of blood, did a full geriatric test (as he called it), and that’s when it all went pear-shaped.
As I said, I am wondering if her red blood cells have always been like this, and normally, we would never know would we.
My vet admitted he can’t give me any definite answers and that is what’s bugging him, he says he doesn’t like to not know things, or be unable to explain to people.
All I can do is watch and wait now I think, and monitor her closely. I know her inside out, how she thinks, and her every move, so I am sure I would notice any changes pretty quick.
Thanks for your advice and support. If in the meantime, you have any brainwaves, do let me know. Thanks.
Like I said at the start of this thread sometimes when pets get older its better not to dig too deeply as long as the animal has a good quality of life and seems happy go with that.
Tuppy my cat is almost 23 a great age for a cat. Had I taken notice of my vet she would have been through lots of tests on his say so, I decided no and the racing heart possible blindness diagnosis has not happened, She is happy and healthy for her ageand I’m glad I decided not to pursue treatments that we both would have become very anxious about.
I’m sure your vet had Mups best interests at heart but sometimes as you did in a round about way its better to get a second opinion or as in my case follow your instincts.
I just hope Nellie hasn’t developed an allergy to strawberries.
