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08-11-2009, 11:10 AM | #1 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ
Posts: 7
| Low Albumin Levels in CBC Hello Everyone. My name is Sue and my fiancee and I are the proud owners of Peanut and Scruffy. Scruffy, our 3 year old Yorkie is an amazing little guy. After 4 days of diarrhea, I took him to our vet. He was eating somewhat normally, and his temperament was the same, I just knew that he was approaching dehydration and wanted to get him checked out. The first red flag was that Scruffy had gone from about 8.9lbs. to 7.8. The vet had recently switched scales, and assured me that it couldn't be that much. After a full physical examination, Scruffy was given a clean bill of health. He was not dehydrated, his stomach was not bloated, his eyes were clear, his heart and lungs sounded good, and he showed no signs of abdominal pain. The doctor recommended a CBC. Today, the doctor called me to check on Scruffy and discuss the blood tests. He informed me that Scruffy has low levels of albumin. He then went on to explain to me what could be causing this. The culprits included liver problems [though he said the other liver "levels" were normal], kidney issues, or issues with the bowels themselves. Scruffy has not had persistent diarrhea, and has only had a few bouts of it here and there. He also rarely if ever vomits, and is always a ball of energy. He eats his food, and was often fed table food by our families [even after being told not to]. Even after Thanksgiving scraps and potato chips he never vomited or had diarrhea. After spending the past few hours researching possibilities, I cannot say that I am encouraged. If anything, I am devastated. Is this PLN, or PLE? Does he have some kind of cancerous growth in his bowels that is prventing the absorption of necessary proteins? Could his liver be failing? If it is any of the aforementioned problems, I guess what it boils down to is: will Scruffy lead a long and happy life with us, even if he has a medical issue that we must keep in check? I will be bringing a stool and urine sample to the vet tomorrow evening and will know whether or not he is passing protein in his urine by Thursday afternoon. If anyone has any experience, advice, insight, opinions, etc I would greatly appreciate them. |
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08-11-2009, 11:24 AM | #2 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Billings, MT, USA
Posts: 6
| Get a Good Vet for Scruffy Sue (Scruffy's Mom) - I'm sorry to hear that Scruffy is suffering and you are scared. When my Jock first got sick, I heard many of the same potential diagnoses from my family vet. However, he knew that he didn't have the expertise to treat something so specialized, so he referred me to an internal medicine specialist who really focuses on intestinal problems, often in small dogs. She was able to diagnose in minutes what our family vet could only speculate about. I think the key to my Yorkie's successful management of his disease (lymphangectasia) has been high-quality specialized vet care and a good partnership between the specialist, our family vet and us. Scruffy's case sound similar to Jock's. Jock never seemed sick until all of a sudden. After months of treating his disease successfully however, I realize that he was likely sick for a very long time (a year or more) with such subtle symptoms that I thought they were just a part of small dog's picky stomach or getting a bit older (he's 4). He was diagnosed with lymphangectasia, which I understand to be the most common cause of low albumin. He's on a vegetarian diet with prescription dog food. He gets no treats except carrots, peas and green beans. He takes prednisone and azathioprine (both steroids) and is slowly being weaned off the pred. He gets his albumin level checked once a month. It was amazing to see how quickly he rebounded after the treatment started and he became like a puppy again. But we have to be vigilant. He ate 3 pieces of our other dog's kibble and it set him back for about a month, with low albumin, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Good luck. Let me know if you have any specific questions. Karen |
08-12-2009, 05:31 AM | #3 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ
Posts: 7
| Thank You Karen. I will be bringing Scruffy's samples to the doctor later on tonight for analysis. Hopefully I will know more tomorrow. It's the not knowing part that is making this so difficult. Scruffy has never had any issues. . . he's always had a "strong stomach" and ate plenty of things that should have upset him, but didn't. This is definitely out of left field, and I am just hoping for the best. I will keep you updated. I do have one question. . . after your dog was diagnosed, did the doctor say that with your regiment and monthly tests your dog would live a "normal" life? Are there any concerns that he won't live as long as a god without this problem? Are there any physical limitations? Thanks! Sue |
08-12-2009, 05:43 AM | #4 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ
Posts: 7
| as a "dog" without this problem. Not a "god". Sorry for the typo |
08-12-2009, 06:14 AM | #5 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Billings, MT, USA
Posts: 6
| Scruffy Sue - The vet said that as long as Jock's lymphagectasia is in remission with treatment, he will live a "normal" life. Except of course no regular dog food or treats..... But otherwise he is better than ever. She did say that it's possible that he may not live as long as other Yorkies. Basically because one serious medical problem like he has may lead to more health problems later on. But it's impossible to know if that will really happen or not or how much the disease may contribute to his lifespan. She fully expects him to live to 10+ years but maybe not 15-20 years like other Yorkies can. He has no physical limitations. Since he's been under treatment, he has more energy than ever and more than our other 2 (younger) dogs (including a lab!). Good luck with the tests, Karen |
08-13-2009, 05:44 AM | #6 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ
Posts: 7
| Update When I dropped off Scruffy's samples at the vet yesterday, I asked for a copy of the bloodwork. Scruffy's albumin level was 1.9g/DL [normal 2.7-4.4]. His globulin level was 1.5g/dL [normal 1.6-3.6]. His calcium was a bit low at 7.5 mg/dL and his triglycerides were a bit low as well at 28 [normal 29-291]. Scruffy is back to being himself after having the diarrhea over the weekend. He is ravenous when it is time for his food. I have been giving him white rice and chicken breast and he licks his plate clean. He is super energetic and wants to play [as usual]. Let's see what the doctor says when he calls around 11. Also, all of his kidney function levels were normal [BUN, Urea Nitrogen, and Creatinine] as were his liver levels [AST, ALT, GGTP, and bilirubin]. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. -Sue |
08-13-2009, 09:29 AM | #7 |
YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Caldwell, NJ
Posts: 7
| Update part ii After impatience got the best of me, I called the vet. Though he was tied up in surgery, the tech was able to tell me that both the fecal analysis and urinalysis came back perfectly normal. The vet will call me later with more details and I'm guessing he'll be suggesting more tests. I'm very confused. His WBC count is normal, which rules out an infection or a possible leukemia. RBC count is normal. CBC showed liver levels are normal. If anyone has any advice or insight, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you SO very much! Keeping my fingers crossed, Sue |
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