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10-15-2009, 09:25 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| Blood Test Reveals High Cholesterol Lana is just over 5yrs old and currently weighs around 13 to 13.5lbs. Over the years she would have unusual weight gain and then plateau for another year and then gain another pound or two. Her frame is somewhat small/medium but she is solid. You pick her up and you wouldn't think she could weigh that much. Her stomach is usually very solid and tight. Concerned, I brought it up to the vet at her last check-up. He did a blood test right then and there and called later with the news of high cholesterol and instructed us to come back and purchase the prescription dog food that we buy from them. After some research online, I see that the blood test should have been performed on an empty (fasted) stomach which was not the case with Lana as she had already eaten breakfast that morning. It concerns me greatly about her weight because she has luxating patellas, not to the point of pain (that I know of) but I don't want to add weight onto her knees. We feed her 1/3cup in the morning and 1/3 cup in the evening, so it's not that she is over eating. I am concerned that the economy has gotten to my vet and that as much as I have trusted him, I wonder if I should get a second opinion. Any advice would help! |
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10-16-2009, 05:23 AM | #2 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | High Chol. can be secondary to other diseases as well. Does she have any symptoms of Cushing's Disease? Did the vet do a full blood work up on her?
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
10-16-2009, 05:25 AM | #3 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Are you in Chandler, AZ btw?
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
10-16-2009, 08:21 AM | #4 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| We were not given any information about Cushing's Disease in her blood panel, although I had never heard about this disease before so I didn't ask. I just went to a few sites through google and all I would say is the unusual weight gain matches. Should she have been fasting before that panel? At the time, she was on what we thought was a "healthy" food come to find out was terribly unhealthy, so I feel that could have altered her results. What I didn't mention earlier also is that we rescued a Bichon in May thinking that she could have a friend to play with to keep her more active. And Abby (Bichon) sure does, but there has not been a decrease in her weight. Also Lana was terrified of walks. We would get out of our driveway and down one house and Lana would flip around and plant her feet and full force pull us back. Of course we gave in for so long because the recovery after was so terrible. She would shake and shake, tail between her legs, pant...etc. Now with Abby, we insist to walk and she is getting much better. So: less food, much more exercise, no change in weight. Yes we are in Chandler!! |
10-16-2009, 08:54 AM | #5 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Yes, she should have been fasted....so I'd want the test repeated, if it were me. So, the vet didn't do any other bloodwork? Glucose etc? I'd want a full blood panel. Great info on Cushing's: Cushings
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
10-16-2009, 08:55 AM | #6 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Are you close to Tempe? If yes, I can make a vet recommendation...
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
10-16-2009, 09:05 AM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| Yes right on Chandler Tempe border! I would love a recommendation! |
10-16-2009, 09:09 AM | #8 | |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote:
Meet Our Doctors | University Vet: Veterinarian, Boarding and Grooming in Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and the East Valley Do any of the other Cushing's symptoms fit? I sure hope not. My Wylie has Atypical Cushing's ... and it's such a complicated disease. I hope your kiddo doesn't fit the profile.
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | |
10-16-2009, 09:37 AM | #9 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| I went to the website (LBAH) and what a great resource! Only about 1 of the items fit: *Over-eating With that said though, they say that the symptoms may not be present early on. She does not have any problem urinating, she does not drink enough, she's not weak, no skin problems that we have ever seen. I feel like I have tried my best to keep her on a diet. It is terribly sad when she lays by her bowl because she knows I will give in. The food says to give 1cup to a 10lb dog, so we undercut it a little because we are not using low-fat food. I really thought having her exercise would help. I think he must have done a full panel because I though it would be a thyroid problem and we ruled that one out. A few months back I went through this dog food frenzy reading all I could about the horrible things that they put in dog food and what to look for that is NOT in the food. After many recommendations and doing our own research we put them both on Costco's brand of dog food. It was missing all the meals and dyes and included the right %'s, so that's what we went with. I wonder if it's bad. Ugh. I guess I have to appreciate that she is living a happy life with no worries. I am the worry wart. She is carefree! |
10-16-2009, 09:47 AM | #10 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Chandler
Posts: 26
| Thank you for the referral. Their facility is huge with lots of options! I will take that into consideration for sure. It's so hard. Our vet saved Lana's life when she was a puppy. I am forever grateful for that. I just wonder if he has lost his way. One time for a dental cleaning he was to also pull a tooth and he totally forgot! When we went to pick her up and asked if the tooth removal was ok, he hummed and haaahed and said that he had forgotten and after second look, it was probably ok. I just want the best care. It is expensive and to waste over $300 on a blood panel that was done on a full (bad dog food) stomach bothers me. Thank you again! |
10-16-2009, 09:56 AM | #11 | ||
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Quote:
Quote:
I would've been upset about that tooth too!
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° | ||
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high cholesterol, luxating patella, overweight, tight belly |
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