1/23 Morris AMPS 535

[Brenda and Morris]

Yesterday: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3567

Good morning and happy Caturday, LLanders!

Another day starting in the 500's :cry: and I still haven't been able to catch a ketone test. He's drinking a lot and going a lot, I just don't seem to be there at the time.

Morris is still not eating anything but Science Diet dry food, and not very much of that....he's getting the dry EVO too mixed in so maybe gradually he will eat that alone. He actually looks like he has gained some weight back, doesn't look quite as gaunt as he did before. AND he is getting feistier by the day...more back to his old self. Also back on schedule looking for me at test times.

But the poos are still coming, not quite as liquid but still not what you'd call firm....pudding is the word....and stinky!! Smells like yeast so I'm guessing giardia, for which the metronidazole is the med.

I posted his test results in yesterday's condo...there are some out of range numbers that the vet neglected to explain to me so I will be calling them today but anyone feel free to take a look and let me know what you think. Basically high creatinine and low auto platelet with fibrin strands noted are the ones I'd like to know more about.

Keep the vines coming...they ARE working! :YMHUG:

 

[Monique & Spooky]

Arrggg Morris! What is up (other than his BG'S)?

Ok, when he is eating SD dry then that explains some of it. (Look at our SS on dry-lot's of black).

Well high creatinine means the kidneys arent doing thier job as good as they should be, but it doesn't mean that it's chronic problems.

The rest (platelets) I can certainly explain, I'm a pathologist so lab is my life! but.......I have to go out for bit so I can't answer till I get back.

 

[Pat+Raja+Shadow (GA)]

Morning Brenda...glad he is getting feistier....wondering if he has gone outside on the terrace at all lately...
looks like a nice day...maybe that would increase his hunger for you....try canned when he comes inside....
Hope you can get some answers soon...thinking of you both....sending healing prayers to Morris.....

 

[Brenda and Morris]

Morning Brenda...gald he is getting feistier....wondering if he has gone outside on the terrace at all lately...
looks like a nice day...maybe that would increase his hunger for you....try canned when he comes inside....
Hope you can get some answers soon...thinking of you both....sending healing prayers to Morris.....

Yes, he's been hanging out on the porch all morning....looks like it might warm up and become a nice day. He doesn't care...he sits out there in the rain sometimes and it blows in on him. He thinks he's a feral.

I was doing some more research this morning and came across the symptoms of giardiasis, which is a parasitical infection. The symptoms sound just like Morris' so I called the vet to see if they could test for Giardia....held for about 20 minutes and finally hung up. Called back and they said no it was a special test and they needed to order too many to make it worthwhile to order for one test. So I asked if I can have the Panacur dewormer, which is one of the things you use for Giardia, and actually the vet had suggested it to me back in Sept. when he had diarrhea and I didn't want to do it because he got better on his own and I didn't see how he could have worms.

Anyway, they are checking with someone (my vet is off today) to see if it would be OK for me to get it for Morris....I think it's OTC and I could probably find it on my own but prefer them to give it to me and recommend dose, etc. In the meantime, I have located a new vet that is basically a one-person vet/owner with a good rep and good reviews. I sent them an email to make an appointment (their preferred method) and hope to hear from them soon. Shooting to get an appointment for Monday if possible. Even if he gets better soon, I want to meet her and have her meet Morris to see how she responds to questions, etc. I don't really want to change but I keep getting more and more unhappy with my vet and the office.

 

[Pat+Raja+Shadow (GA)]

Wow...they don't want to bother ordering the test? well, I am glad you emailed that other vet....
seems that it might be a good thing to change at this point...
Good for you Brenda...you are really researching this and being pro-active....keep up the good work!!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Not ordering a test that they are not going to pay for makes absolutely no sense. How about posting on Health about Giardia? I know others have dealt with this and you may get some input as to the testing and/or treatment.

 

[Roni and Moonie]

So gald to hear Morris is being himself..I have been so worried about him
AND GETTING A NEW VET!!!!!! I'm so proud of you! I know how you felt about the last one..So inefficient!! Overlooked the obvious!!
Hope you get an Xray from this one..See what's going on in there...That should have been one of the 1st things to do for a cat in distress..Even the tests took forever to come back!--Oh well, On to the next--
Hope your Saturday is a much better day--HUGS FROM ALL OF US~!

 

[Monique & Spooky]

Ok taking your abnormal values

First the ALT (a liver enzyme) is decreased slightly which has no clinical signifigance.

Glucose is high- I think you know that one :lol:

Creatinine measures the kidneys ability to filter waste products. however a single test result is not significant more important is changes in value over a period of time. Creatinine can be elevated due to things such as dehydration.

Potassium is also filtered by the kidneys to maintain a optimal balence when the kidney aren't working optimally potassium levels can rise. Hyperkalemia is also a frequently found laboritory artifact when blood specimens aren't handled properly.

The whole WBC count is slightly elevated which can be a sign of infection or inflamation (but it is only mildly elevated)
The Lymphocyctes are type of WBC that are specialized in fighting some types of infection (mainly viral) a low Lymphocyte count is seen in some infections and some protazoal infection as well as in immune supression or with the use of corticosteriods.

The Eosinophils are slightly increased which is seen normally in parastic infection or some allergies. The absolute count (after being corrected with respect to other cell counts) is moderately elevated so a parasite infection is one possibility.

The platelets are responsible for blood clotting. Normally these the smallest of all cells are counted in an automated flow cytometer, when the platelets become activated they clump together making them look to the flow cytometer like a larger cell (the meter counts cells based on thier size) so the count is skewed for the platelets as well as other cells. An examination under the microscope can idetify these clumped platelets and other by-products of coagulation such as Fibrin. And the platelets can be counted manually in which case here they were found to be normal.

On the blood smear it was noted no parasites were found. I would suggest having a stool sample analysed anyway.

 

[Brenda and Morris]

Not ordering a test that they are not going to pay for makes absolutely no sense. How about posting on Health about Giardia? I know others have dealt with this and you may get some input as to the testing and/or treatment.

I think they probably could send it out...I was asking if they had it on hand so I could get it done today. Good idea to post on Health...that's actually where I found the initial information that sent me searching for giardia on the web....I forgot we often have the best information right here on FDMB.

The Eosinophils are slightly increased which is seen normally in parastic infection or some allergies. The absolute count (after being corrected with respect to other cell counts) is moderately elevated so a parasite infection is one possibility.

On every blood test he has had in the past year the eosinophils were the only abnormal numbers.

On the blood smear it was noted no parasites were found. I would suggest having a stool sample analysed anyway.

I had a straight fecal done before the blood test. Found no parasites, just elevated bacterial levels, not sure which bacteria, the only one I recall was e.coli. They did not test for giardia, which is why I asked for it today as the description of giardiasis as well as the description of the related stools is exactly as Morris'.

I don't know what they need to test for giardia as the description I read was that you add water to the possibly infected poop and view it under the microscope....they are quite easy to see....but that it should be done three days in a row as it may not show up in every poop. If I had a d**n microscope, I'd do it myself!!! :shock: :shock:

In any case, I have requested they give me Panacur....from what I've read it won't do any harm and may help if, in fact, he has giardia. That was almost 2 hours ago and they haven't called back yet....standard procecure these days with that group.

 

[Monique & Spooky]

I had a straight fecal done before the blood test. Found no parasites, just elevated bacterial levels, not sure which bacteria, the only one I recall was e.coli. They did not test for giardia, which is why I asked for it today as the description of giardiasis as well as the description of the related stools is exactly as Morris'.

I don't know what they need to test for giardia as the description I read was that you add water to the possibly infected poop and view it under the microscope....they are quite easy to see....but that it should be done three days in a row as it may not show up in every poop. If I had a d**n microscope, I'd do it myself!!! :shock: :shock:

e.coli is a normal intestinal bacteria found in almost all warm blooded animals. I have a microscope however here's the thing Giardia is often found in water, so you have to be careful what water you use. A more reliable test which is probably what they are saying needs to be sent out, is a stool-antigen test which is preformed using IFT or ELISA and is much more accurate. I have no idea how much it costs, the disadvantage is it is only one test looking specifically for antigens to Giardia it cannot detect other possible organisms, which a gross microscopic exam potentially can.

 

[Nina and KB]

Ugh, come down from there, Morris. SOOOO glad he's feeling better, hope you get a better working relationship with the new vet then it sounds like you have with your current office!

 

[Brenda and Morris]

He had three unsuccessful BM attempts within a 2 hour period and I grew afraid that something was getting worse so decided to go to the old vet as a standby apt. for whoever was in today (knew it wasn't my regular vet).

The one who saw him today was an older male vet, very knowledgeable about giardia as he has it himself, since he was 14 he says. He gave Morris a very thorough exam and pronounced his heart, lungs and abdomen to be in great shape...didn't feel an xray was necessary even though that was what I requested.

He prescribed the Panacur I wanted and also a different appy stimulant, Cyproheptadine. He said that since Morris isn't eating very much that may be why he's not able to move his bowels. He sure was able to produce diarrhea without eating though....that's what I was thinking anyway!

Came home and he went in the LB again with only gas being produced....I feel so sorry for him, he tries and tries to go. Gave him the Panacur and the Cypro...hope he eats something besides SDL soon. Those BGs are killer!

 

[Pat+Raja+Shadow (GA)]

guess you feel a little better after his exam. That was a good thing that you went there
today....at least you were able to get the Panacur and the Cypro ~ hope Morris will begin to feel
a little better now. Good job Brenda! Keep us posted when you can.... :YMHUG:

 

[Jill & Alex (GA)]

glad you were able to bring him in. hope the new meds kick in quickly.
have the numbers come down at all?

 

[Brenda and Morris]

Re: 1/23 Morris PMPS 227

glad you were able to bring him in. hope the new meds kick in quickly.
have the numbers come down at all?

So busy with the other stuff, the BG has taken a back seat...sorry! His AM+5 was 376 and his PMPS was 227. I had upped his dose to .75 this morning to try and put some extra in the shed but cut back to the same .50 dose this evening as I am trying to transition him back to some decent food. I syringe fed him some liquified Fancy Feast and mixed EVO dry with his old Science Diet and he ate some of it...probably picked out the SD. What do they see in that stuff????

And.....drumroll please....he had a kinda thick pudding poo this evening! Yay!!!! party_cat party_cat party_cat And it wasn't as smelly as it has been and it wasn't bloody. I'm not reading anything into this....anti-jinx....I'm just sayin'....