Bloodwork - High Lipase- - Question

[enchilila]

I took Betty Boop to the vet this morning for her yearly checkup. Everything was perfect except 2 areas:

WBC - 5.42 (Norm 5.50 - 16.90) -- He said he wouldn't worry about this. He gave some explanation but I don't remember what he said.

LIPASE - 5149 U/L (Norm 200 - 1800) He mentioned Pancreatitis. I told him she is not exhibiting any signs of illness whatsoever. He was wondering if she might be a ticking time bomb for pancreatitis. He said if the Lipase test (from a new machine strictly for testing Lipase) comes back high, too, then he wanted to change her food.

The clinic bought a new machine that tests Lipase only. He ran some blood through it and it came back normal. He said this machine is a very accurate machine for testing Lipase and he trusts it.

What are your thoughts on this? I trust this vet clinic so much, but I have always been a researcher.

Her teeth are perfect and he said no cleaning was necessary, and wanted me to keep up the good work! I brush a few times a week and it has paid off!!

Any help is appreciated.

[Marlee12107]

So glad you got such good news. Sounds like she is a very well pampered girl. As we all know is the way we like them...........

[107barney]

I've had lipase reading off the charts done in house only to come back normal when done by Antech. This is one of the reasons I do not like in house blood work.

[Ellie May]

All you've ever wanted to know about lipase:
Lipase

If it's now reading normal, then I doubt there is an issue.
As Cathy said, in-house bloodwork is not the best option unless it's urgent. My dogs' blood and urine as well as my vet's dogs' blood and urine go out-house. More accurate and sometimes cheaper.

If you want to see how the pancreas is doing, then it wouldn't hurt to do a Spec cPL. TLIs can also be useful. But if doesn't sound like either is indicated right now.

For my girl, the lipase reading was of no value to me (came back elevated for no reason - maybe over a GI issue, but we already know she has those issues). So now I don't make a point to test it.

[enchilila]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

All you've ever wanted to know about lipase:
Lipase

If it's now reading normal, then I doubt there is an issue.
As Cathy said, in-house bloodwork is not the best option unless it's urgent. My dogs' blood and urine as well as my vet's dogs' blood and urine go out-house. More accurate and sometimes cheaper.

If you want to see how the pancreas is doing, then it wouldn't hurt to do a Spec cPL. TLIs can also be useful. But if doesn't sound like either is indicated right now.

For my girl, the lipase reading was of no value to me (came back elevated for no reason - maybe over a GI issue, but we already know she has those issues). So now I don't make a point to test it.

I guess I won't be a worry wart then. Thanks for relaying information about the Lipase website.

[enchilila]

Originally Posted by 107barney

I've had lipase reading off the charts done in house only to come back normal when done by Antech. This is one of the reasons I do not like in house blood work.

There's one more thing I learned by asking for YT's help. I didn't know I could request bloodwork be sent to an outside lab. Thanks.

[enchilila]

Originally Posted by Marlee12107

So glad you got such good news. Sounds like she is a very well pampered girl. As we all know is the way we like them...........

I am so glad she has a clean bill of health. I hope it continues for many, many years. And, yes, she is a very pampered little girl......just the way I like her.

[BabyGirl Rosie]

The last time Rosie had blood work done her WBC came back low too. She had an infection at the time and they said she was "stressed". But they felt the stress was from the illness. I don't think anything else came back abnormal.

If you trust your vet than I would go with what he tells you. I completely trust mine and feel that if he was questioning anything he would send me to a specialist. As I am sure yours would. They did make me repeat the bloodwork I think two weeks or so later. You might ask about that.

Oh, and it is ok for us to be worry warts! That is what we Yorkie momma's do!