tdierikx Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 @yellowgirl - has your vet run full bloods? Checking for potassium, calcium, ALP, glucose, etc? Results from those can give a clearer indication of whether we are looking at Addison's. I was chatting to our farm vet yesterday during his weekly visit, and he said to look for elevated potassium, glucose, and ALP for a more definite indication of Addison's. He originally said the wobbles could have been from a TIA, and that the enlarged adrenals (depending on how enlarged of course) and heart murmur could also be age related. I told him the blood (haematocrit) results, and he said overall they weren't life-threateningly scary at this point, but still of concern. He advises full bloods and follow-up haematocrit (PCV) a week after the original bloods to see if any positive changes have occurred since being on the Gabapentin. The other possibility for the strange blood test results could be an underlying infectious agent... slim chance, but still a possibility. How is sweet Madeline doing so far? T. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 21 hours ago, teddybeans said: I hope you are able to get to the bottom of this. I hate it when your pet is not well and you feel so helpless. All the best and give Maddie a cuddle from all of us! Thanks @teddybeans and I will certainly pass on the cuddles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, tdierikx said: @yellowgirl - has your vet run full bloods? Checking for potassium, calcium, ALP, glucose, etc? Results from those can give a clearer indication of whether we are looking at Addison's. I was chatting to our farm vet yesterday during his weekly visit, and he said to look for elevated potassium, glucose, and ALP for a more definite indication of Addison's. He originally said the wobbles could have been from a TIA, and that the enlarged adrenals (depending on how enlarged of course) and heart murmur could also be age related. I told him the blood (haematocrit) results, and he said overall they weren't life-threateningly scary at this point, but still of concern. He advises full bloods and follow-up haematocrit (PCV) a week after the original bloods to see if any positive changes have occurred since being on the Gabapentin. The other possibility for the strange blood test results could be an underlying infectious agent... slim chance, but still a possibility. How is sweet Madeline doing so far? T. Yes @tdierikx, they were all done and were within the normal range. Potassium - 5.5mmol/L (3.9-5.9), Calcium - 2.5mmol/L (1.9-2.9), ALP - 94 IU/L (1-150), Glucose fl.oz - 6.0mmol/L (3.3-6.8), Glucose, serum - 4.8mmol/L (3.3-6.8). I guess it makes more sense now why my vet isn't pursuing Addison's as a diagnosis - it's highly likely that he told me but I'd probably forgotten it in the information overload. Please thank your vet for me! It's adorable that you asked him about Maddie by the way I had to look up what a TIA was (it's a transient ischemic attack for anyone else who's wondering) and I think it's a possibility. Maddie will be having her 4th PCV test in a week's time. The first one (6 July) was 28%, second (17 july) was 31% and the third (25 July) was 28%. Normal range is 35 - 55. Under 35 is anaemic. If the fourth test next week is still within that range then maybe that's just her new normal? I mean, she's doing pretty well considering these levels. She's eating and drinking well, doing good poohs, she's happy and content, in fact her appetite has increased a bit and she's put on 600g since being on the Gabapentin! I'm hesitant to put her through too many more tests, particularly ones that involve sedation. Her full blood panel doesn't show anything too obviously terrible going on... neutrophils, lymphocytes, etc are all normal, her organs seem to be functioning pretty well (except for the heart murmur of course), she's happy, alert and engaged, and she hasn't had another major episode. So ... I'm not going to stress too much now, just keep loving and spoiling her and making sure that every day is the best day ever for her and wait and see what the results are next week. Edited July 31, 2019 by yellowgirl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Fingers crossed Madeline has now stablised enough to not require any more intrusive tests. You may be looking at regular PCV tests to keep an eye on the anaemia, but maybe if she's stable enough, they can be spaced further apart now... Keep an eye on the weight gain... we don't want a chubby girl if she has a heart murmur... her heart will be working hard enough, yes? Also, as long as the anaemia is identified as a regenerative type, then outlook is much better in the long run - her body is doing all the right things to regenerate the cells, she may be healing herself, albeit slowly... the Gabapentin can have 2 aims, anti-seizure and pain relief, so hopefully it will help keep her stable while her own body does the amazing healing things bodies do when faced with situations like this. I think Madeline might need a few more cuddles from me please... T. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 7 hours ago, tdierikx said: Fingers crossed Madeline has now stablised enough to not require any more intrusive tests. You may be looking at regular PCV tests to keep an eye on the anaemia, but maybe if she's stable enough, they can be spaced further apart now... Keep an eye on the weight gain... we don't want a chubby girl if she has a heart murmur... her heart will be working hard enough, yes? Also, as long as the anaemia is identified as a regenerative type, then outlook is much better in the long run - her body is doing all the right things to regenerate the cells, she may be healing herself, albeit slowly... the Gabapentin can have 2 aims, anti-seizure and pain relief, so hopefully it will help keep her stable while her own body does the amazing healing things bodies do when faced with situations like this. I think Madeline might need a few more cuddles from me please... T. All of this! @tdierikx Kisses from Maddie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 How adorable is she in those pjs. I'd echo what @tdierikx says. All other things being equal, stability is probably good. I had a dog whose pancreatic values were out of whack, but that was her .. the vet commented as he was looking at a bright eyed bushy tailed happy dog with a fine digestion that he was glad he had her in front of him, instead of jhust the paper results. That same dog also had hypothyroidism, and to be symptom free and happy had to be operating right up at the top end of the normal range. So going by the dog in front of you makes snese to me at this stage. Stay happy and well gorgeous little Maddie. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Oh, Little Madeline in her jamies 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 1 hour ago, Tassie said: How adorable is she in those pjs. I'd echo what @tdierikx says. All other things being equal, stability is probably good. I had a dog whose pancreatic values were out of whack, but that was her .. the vet commented as he was looking at a bright eyed bushy tailed happy dog with a fine digestion that he was glad he had her in front of him, instead of jhust the paper results. That same dog also had hypothyroidism, and to be symptom free and happy had to be operating right up at the top end of the normal range. So going by the dog in front of you makes snese to me at this stage. Stay happy and well gorgeous little Maddie. @Tassie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 26 minutes ago, persephone said: Oh, Little Madeline in her jamies Can you handle double adorable @persephone? Here's Madeline and Mason 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 Now that's a sight to make me smile LOVE those PJ's ( and of course the little souls within ! ) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 3 hours ago, yellowgirl said: All of this! @tdierikx Kisses from Maddie 46 minutes ago, yellowgirl said: Can you handle double adorable @persephone? Here's Madeline and Mason OMG!!! Such precious little souls... I think kisses all around are warranted... from Aunty Tracey of course! (and from all their other DOL aunties and uncles to... just for good measure methinks... lol!) Always happy to have a good research session if Madeline needs me to @yellowgirl... she's just too precious for words! Hugs to you also for all she's put you through these past few weeks... T. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowgirl Posted August 1, 2019 Author Share Posted August 1, 2019 1 hour ago, tdierikx said: OMG!!! Such precious little souls... I think kisses all around are warranted... from Aunty Tracey of course! (and from all their other DOL aunties and uncles to... just for good measure methinks... lol!) Always happy to have a good research session if Madeline needs me to @yellowgirl... she's just too precious for words! Hugs to you also for all she's put you through these past few weeks... T. Awww, thanks so much @tdierikx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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