blood work mystery

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DG511 - 21 Apr 2004 01:49 GMT

My little male cat, Eddie, is 9 years old. In preparation for dental work, I
had his blood work done, as my vet requires. The vet called me this afternoon
and said that his white cell count was slightly depressed (3,100), his red cell
count slightly elevated (didn't catch the number, as I was too stunned), and
his calcium count a bit high. We're delaying the dental and retesting him in 3
weeks.

He has no other symptoms of anything. He's eating like a little pig, otherwise
behaving normally, and from what I can tell on my old scale, he is at or
slightly over his last weight at the vet's office.

The vet said that in her experience, about half the time these numbers improve
on their own. The other half of the time, they come to indicate something,
with the worst-case scenario being cancer, a bone marrow disorder, or an
autoimmune disease. She said she'd be more concerned if Eddie weren't eating.

But I'm concerned. I fret, it's part of my personality. I'm trying to be
optimistic, and I get the impression my vet told me what she could, but if
anyone else has any information or experience with this kind of thing, I'd be
grateful if you'd pass it along.

Thanks.

Daria
Timing is everything.

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Cheryl - 21 Apr 2004 02:18 GMT

> The vet said that in her experience, about half the time these numbers
> improve on their own. The other half of the time, they come to
> indicate something, with the worst-case scenario being cancer, a bone
> marrow disorder, or an autoimmune disease.

I usually don't reply to these types of messages because I have no clue
unless my cat(s) have been through it, but I believe an autoimmune disease
would show elevated white blood counts. A friend of mine (of the hoomin
variety) has an elevated WBC and they mentioned some of the things you
mentioned, including cancer and taking some bone marrow to test. I think
I'd do some googling if I were you. Good luck!

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Cheryl

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Brandy??Alexandre - 21 Apr 2004 03:13 GMT

DG511 <dg511@aol.comcomic> wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav:

> My little male cat, Eddie, is 9 years old. In preparation for
> dental work, I had his blood work done, as my vet requires. The
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> Daria
> Timing is everything.

White cells increase during infections. Perhaps he was just fighting a
bug. See what the doc says in three weeks.

My cat was denied dental because she had a really good blood report.
For a CRF kitty, he didn't want to mess with a good thing.

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Brandy??Alexandre
http://www.swydm.com/?refer=BrandyAlx
Well, would you?
---
Why are people with closed minds first to open their mouths?

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Laura R. - 22 Apr 2004 01:36 GMT

circa Wed, 21 Apr 2004 02:13:37 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Brandy??Alexandre (brandy@kamikaze.orgy) said,

> White cells increase during infections. Perhaps he was just fighting a
> bug. See what the doc says in three weeks.

The OP said the white count was *down*, not up. The red count was up.

To the OP:

The things your vet said were the first things that popped into my
head as I was reading it. During Alex's battle (my cat who I lost to
intestinal lymphosarcoma last August- he did *very* well on chemo for
quite some time), I did a lot of reading, and understanding his
bloodwork became crucial.

It sounds to me as though the vet is on track. I'd see what the next
round of bloodwork shows, and try not to worry too much until then.
Easier said than done, I know. Believe me, I know. But try not to
worry too much just yet. And please keep us updated.

Laura

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I am Dyslexia of Borg,
Your a.s will be laminated.

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DG511 - 22 Apr 2004 19:34 GMT

>Laura R. UseFirstInitialPlusRobinson@technologist.com

writes:

>The things your vet said were the first things that popped into my
>head as I was reading it. During Alex's battle (my cat who I lost to
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>Easier said than done, I know. Believe me, I know. But try not to
>worry too much just yet. And please keep us updated.

Thanks, Laura.

I'm a bit calmer now. I looked at my cat books and did some searching online,
and I can't find *lower* white blood counts associated with much. Do you have
any suggested sources on bloodwork -- books, links, etc.?

Eddie is an indoor cat, and over the past 9 years has had contact with only one
other cat -- my other indoor cat. So I doubt he's picked up a virus. One of
the things my vet has said in the past is that I'm one of her "best" owners --
I'm observant, and I call her or bring my cats in when there's a change in
behavior. I think I probably am pretty observant, and I've seen no change in
Eddie's behavior. He's eating well, pooping well, running around at the usual
times, and sleeping at the usual times. So I'm hoping this is just some weird
little anomaly that goes away on its own.

Daria
Timing is everything

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Laura R. - 23 Apr 2004 01:50 GMT

circa 22 Apr 2004 18:34:27 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, DG511
(dg511@aol.comcomic) said,

> >Laura R. UseFirstInitialPlusRobinson@technologist.com
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> I'm a bit calmer now. I looked at my cat books and did some searching online,
> and I can't find *lower* white blood counts associated with much.

FIP, FIV and panleukopenia (feline distemper) can cause lower white
cell counts ( which is termed 'leukopenia'), but they usually also
have other accompanying symptoms. Lymphosarcoma affects white counts,
as well- on a couple of occasions, Alex's white count was
insufficient for him to have chemo. Elevated calcium is sometimes a
hallmark of cancer, as well, although Alex's calcium was never
abnormal, as I recall.

> Do you have
> any suggested sources on bloodwork -- books, links, etc.?

This is a good place to start:

http://www.afn.org/~afn47757/room1/felinebloodserum.shtml

http://www.felinecrf.org also has some good information, although
it's geared towards cats with CRF (I have a CRF kitty who was
diagnosed around the time that Alex started chemo for his lymphoma).

This is a lab that a lot of vets (mine included) use, so the figures
here may map perfectly to your cat's bloodwork if your vet uses
Antech:

http://www.antechdiagnostics.com/petOwners/wellnessExams/testGuide.htm

Another couple:

http://www.holisticat.com/blood_arch1.html

http://www.thepetcenter.com/pha/cp.html

Mostly, though, I found that I gathered information in bits and
pieces as I researched Alex's lymphoma.

> Eddie is an indoor cat, and over the past 9 years has had contact with only one
> other cat -- my other indoor cat. So I doubt he's picked up a virus. One of
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> times, and sleeping at the usual times. So I'm hoping this is just some weird
> little anomaly that goes away on its own.

The fact that he's showing no other symptoms is encouraging, IMO.
With any of the diseases I mentioned above, you would normally expect
to see something in addition to the skewed blood values. I'm really
curious to hear what the next round of bloodwork shows. I hope you'll
post the results, and I hope it turns out just to be a fluke thing.

Laura

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I am Dyslexia of Borg,
Your a.s will be laminated.

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Liz - 23 Apr 2004 23:29 GMT

> >Laura R. UseFirstInitialPlusRobinson@technologist.com
>
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> Daria
> Timing is everything

I guess Cheryl and L misread that white cell count. Was he tested for
feline AIDS (FIV)? The calcium could be related to low kidney
function. Were all other numbers such as creatinine alright? This is
something for Phil to look at. He´s good with blood biochemistry.

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Cheryl - 24 Apr 2004 00:42 GMT

> I guess Cheryl and L misread that white cell count.

Actually, I did read lowered WBC. I was only relaying something a friend of
mine is going through with elevated WBC, and some of the possible reasons
for it were what the OP said they were told for lowered WBC and I was just
wondering.

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Cheryl

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-L. : - 21 Apr 2004 07:05 GMT

> My little male cat, Eddie, is 9 years old. In preparation for dental work, I
> had his blood work done, as my vet requires. The vet called me this afternoon
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> Daria
> Timing is everything.

Is he FeLV/FIV negative?

-L.

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