Quote:
Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom  Yes, they sure can have normal CBCs.
I don't understand the urine test either? What is it for?
Did the vet talk about doing a liver biopsy? Bc usually, that would be the next step to diagnose MVD more definitively. |
Just thinking out loud, but *possibly* the urine test is to give the vet something to go on other than the bile acid test. Apparently 2 BATs have been done already with conflicting results. Add to that the medications she's on that could skew the numbers. Though not as definitive as a BAT, the urine test could offer more info in light of these other factors.
Here's a piece from an article......
"Recurrent urinary calculi [crystals] is another presenting complaint" (1500). "Normal hepatic function is essential for converting ammonia to urea" and 'a decrease in detoxification and uric acid metabolism result[s] in increased excretion of ammonia and uric acid, with eventual discharge of ammonium biurate crystalluria." Tobias reports, that ammonium crystals are seen in as much as 74 percent of reported cases. A routine urine sediment examination will reveal the crystals and the presence of the crystals is specifically distinctive or characteristic of the disease. These crystals are different form normal urinary crystals which are square or rectangular in shape (Tobias 1994). According to Tobias (1993), "Ammonium biurate crystals have a thornapple shape and golden color" and "Any breed except in Dalmatians ammonium biurate crystalluria is suggestive of PSS'' (300). "In one study 50 percent of affected males were cryptorchid'' (298) indicating that other deformities coexist along with the liver-shunt (298)"
From this link....
Canine Portal Caval Liver Shunt Disease