From:
Leslie Cucino
Date: 2004-11-12 03:40:32 UTC
Subject: Could someone decipher these lab results please??
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Message-ID: <BDB94A72.96C%harley1369@cox.net>
Hello all,
I'v posted to the board but thought I might reach a larger audience this
way.
Whitey (2 yr. old altered male) became ill about a month ago with what was
originally diagnosed as ECE. Greenish diarrhea (dark green-no noticeable
odor) dehydrated and lethargic. He was hospitalized for four days. Initial
CBC was normal, however showed increased ALT. Whole body xrays showed an
enlarged liver. Parasites were ruled out with a fecal exam. He was put on IV
fluids and monitored. On discharge he had lost I would guess at least 50% of
his body weight, he had no muscle mass. He was discharged with a presumptive
diagnosis of ECE, and prescriptions for a five day course of Amoxicillan
(0.3 mL twice a day) and Flagyl (0.2 mL twice a day). His liver had returned
to normal size and his ALT had decreased to normal range.
For two weeks I had to syringe feed him liquified boiled chicken and some
pulverized MF kibble. He ate and drank fine for almost the complete two
weeks, then began running a low grade fever. One night I checked his temp
and it was 106.8. I took him to a specialist the following day and his
temperature was 108 and climbing. He was also dehydrated again even though
he had been drinking alot of water and hadn't had diarrhea in at least 4
days.
He was again admitted to the hospital on Monday. CBC showed a WBC of 80,000,
RBC was low but I don't have exact number, spleen was enlarged, his heart
was racing and had a murmur and he was anemic. They began trying to
stabilize him so biopsies and a bone marrow test could be performed. His
albumen was also tested and was low at 1.65. His rear feet show edema (sp?)
and his blood pressure was extremely low. An abdominal ultrasound was done
and his spleen and left adrenal gland were both enlarged as well as the left
section of his bowl.
I was contacted by several people about this DIM, or Mystery Disease and I
printed out the alert and took it to the hospital. The vet on duty said his
lymph nodes were not enlarged so she didn't feel it was DIM. Since that time
his anemia has improved slightly, count was 19, but his albumen has dropped
to 1.5, his heart rate was 210 and lymph nodes were still normal. They have
him on three antibiotics, something to elevate his blood pressure and
something to make him comfortable.
The vet on duty today (same vet that was there for admission) said his
anemia is the same, BP is low normal, lymph nodes are still normal and she
is doing another CBC. She believes that if his RBC is still low that we
should put him down because he's got non-regenerative anemia???? She said
there is no treatment for this and that because the lymph nodes are normal
it doesn't mean it's not DIM/mystery disease and that he's not getting any
better and is suffering.
I would NEVER allow my beautiful fert to suffer and had they told me this, I
wouldn't have made him live with being poked and prodded the last three
days! Now she wants to wait for the CBC results, which might come back
tomorrow, or even Saturday.
Does this sound like DIM/mystery disease? Should we wait? I want to do what
is right for him, and I don't want him suffering, but how do you know when
the time is right? HELP
Leslie
To: Ferts Health Group <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>,
Ferret-L <ferret-list@cunyvm.cuny.edu>
From: Leslie Cucino <harley1369@cox.net>
Message-ID: <BDB99AE0.973%harley1369@cox.net>
Hello,
I met with the vet tonight and requested copies of all lab results. I've
copied them below. Could someone translate this into plain English for me s=
o
I can understand it and what's happening?
Whitey snuggled, he knew who I was :-) But he's so weak & thin. The doctor
is doing a transfusion with oxyglobin (??) tonight to hopefully make him
feel better. New CBC hopefully will be in tomorrow.
Leslie
Blood Values 11/8
Hematology
WBC: 79.75 m/mm3
Lym.:M 16.0%
Mon.:M+ 7.2%
Gra.:M 76.8%
Lym#:M 12.76 m/mm3
Mon#:M+ 5.74 m/mm3
Gra#:M 61.25 m/mm3
RBC: R 4.75 M/mm3
MCV:-R 43.9 fl
Hct:-R 20.8%
MCH: 16.6 pg
MCHC: + 37.9 g/dl
RDW: + 11.9
Hb: -R 7.9 g/dl
PLT: 258 m/mm3
MPV: + 10.0 fl
Pct: 0.26%
PDW: + 8.0
Additional Comprehensive Diagnostics
ALB 2.1 G/DL
ALP 61 U/L
ALT 146 U/L
AMY 6 U/L
TBIL 0.3 MG/DL
BUN 24 MG/DL
CA++ 7.8 MG/DL
PHOS 7.7 MG/DL
CRE <0.2* MG/DL
GLU 128 MG/DL
NA+ 132 MMO/L (my computer can=B9t replicate the symbol)
K+ 5.5 =B3 =B3 =B3 =B3 =B3 =B3
TP 5.2 G/DL
GLOB 3.1 G/DL
QC OK
HEM 1+, LIP 3+, ICT 0
Handwritten:
PCV 22 (clear)
TS 7
4% eso
90% seg 10% bands
2% lymph
4% mono----? (can=B9t decipher)
Radiology Report:
Findings: the gas pattern in the small bowel is atypical, with a few small
gas bubbles which may represent foreign material. No other abnormalities ar=
e
seen. Ultrasound may be of benefit.
Opinion: abnormal GI gas pattern as described.
*******************************************************
Blood Values 11/9
Hematology
WBC: + 43.71 m/mm3
Lym.: - 19.3%
Mon.: - 0.8%
Gra.: + 79.9%
Lym#: - 8.43 m/mm3
Mon#: - 0.34 m/mm3
Gra#: + 34.94 m/mm3
RBC: -R 3.13 M/mm3
MCV: -R 48.9 fl
Hct: -R 15.3%
MCH: + 24.9 pg
MCHC: + 50.9 g/dl
RDW: - 6.9
Hb: -R 7.8 g/dl
PLT: - 138 m/mm3
MPV: + 7.7 fl
Pct: 0.11%
PDW: 8.3
Handwritten notes:
PCV 24
TS 6.0
Serum clear
R=3Dresult rejected due to error value
MCHC reran-still got R=B9s
70% segs (some toxic A=B9s (could be a triangle rather than =8CA=B9)
17% bands
1% eas
12% lymphs
platelets clumped
Additional Test:
ALB 1.65 g/dl Doctors notes started on Letastarch
Radiologyy Report
Abdominal ultrasound
Findings: The spleen was enlarged, hypoechoic and slightly irregular in
contour. The left adrenal gland was mildly enlarged. The small bowel in the=
right caudal abdomen were mildly hypermotile, but no evidence of obstructio=
n
was seen.
Opinion: Spleenic changes as described, infiltrative disease such as LSA
cannot be excluded. Left adenomegaly
**************************************************
11/10
No CBC
ALB 1.50 g/dl
Handwritten notes:
PCV 19%
TS 6.0
1% buffy coat
Serum clear
**********************************************
11/11
No CBC
ALB 1.48 g/dl
Handwritten notes:
PCV 19
TS 5.8
Serum clear
>From a partial report on a fecal culture:
Source: fecal
Status: preliminary
Organism #1
Heavy growth
Gram negative rods; ID to follow
Culture, Anaerobic Pending
End of ferrethealth Digest
***********************************