? Normal Acting with Elevated WBC

Hi, Sadi will be 15 in a few weeks. She is drinking a lot of water and so I made an appointment with our Vet to get a full exam and blood work done. I was nervously anticipating Hyperthyroidism or Kidney Disease (I knew she was not Diabetic because I tested her at home a few times over the past month or so).

Exam: Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Heart, Lungs, Teeth, from Ear to Paws PURRfect

Blood Work: Not Diabetic, No Hyperthyroidism or Kidney Disease unfortunately her WBC was elevated & had doubled since 2 years and 4 months ago. It was normal (about 10,000 in November 2013, and not normal 19,000 in February 2016.

There was a spot found by her lung a few years ago but I made the decision (one I don't regret) to not have it biopsied because I had a healthy, happy cat in front of me & knew if I found out it was something I was not going to put her through chemo, etc.

So with all this being said, the Vet said of course it could be an infection even though she is asymptomatic, or it may be that this growth has grown and Cancer.

He recommended 2 things:

1. Put her on an antibiotic for 2 weeks, bring her back in and have her blood work done again - if WBC is not elevated anymore than we know it was an infection.

OR

2. Bring her back in/in 60 days redo her blood work and take another Thoracic Radiograph

I chose option #2 because I did not want to put an asymptomatic cat on antibiotics and risk her losing her appetite, etc. and all associated with how they are on antibiotics.

She is eating with gusto, still drinking a lot & doing some lip-smacking too (just started that).

I am realistic and devastated that is could be Cancer BUT I cannot ignore the fact that she appears to be 100% normal and had gained weight at Vet appointment. Input/Output normal, play level, purring, cleaning, coat, all normal.

Any input? I am going to be researching too .. but wanted to gather input from experts here too!

Thank you in advance, she has always been healthy as a horse (I have had her since a kitten) and she still appears to be healthy as a horse to me (with exception of water intake increasing)

**I do want to note that I do not come home or wake up to empty water bowls .. it is just when I am home she wants me to turn on faucet (new behavior that started in the last few months) so some may be behavioral.

She is on an all canned, with water added diet. And again, its all the time it seems.

 

Hi Nicole!

First I agree with the way you have treated Sadi. I would have made the same decision about biopsy.

Now the decision is to treat with antibiotics or not (based on an elevated WBC). I personally, would not, because she is not showing any signs of an infection - no fever, no lethargy, good appy, playful, purry.

Off the top of my head, I don't remember what a normal WBC is for a cat, so I'm not sure how elevated that is.... but it is definitely increased from 2013. If Sadi were mine, I'd wait, take her back in 30-60 days, do a repeat CBC, if still elevated or higher, than do the chest X-ray and get a look at that spot.

As for the water drinking out of the faucet, I think that is behavioral.... she tried it and she likes it

I hate to put a happy, apparently healthy cat through unnecessary tests or on meds if they don't really need it....So, in my opinion you are doing everything purrfectly!

 

Thank you Sherry .. you said so much in what you said.. you are 100% correct ... putting a happy, apparently healthy cat through unnecessary tests or on meds ..
She is laying here fat cat & purring ..

 

@BJM do you have any ideas?

 

Can yo post the results of the bloodwork?

 

Thank you @Larry and Kitties

 

The WBC count it not that much above normal. Since acting normally I would do #1 (antibiotic) and reduce some BW in a month or so. WBCs include eosinophils. The eosinophils are a little high and that is frequently caused by an allergic reaction.

 

Thank you @Larry and Kitties, I really appreciate you taking time to look at the labs - means a lot to me.

 

I'd be inclined to just repeat the bloodwork and x-rays in a couple months to see if the spot was changing and if so, how fast.
You might use the chart I link in the Secondary Monitoring Tools in my signature to track some of the non-specific observations you can make.

 

thank you @BJM I appreciate your eyes on this too! I am definitely going to repeat the blood work and if still elevated then do the x-ray.