From:
sindahise@yahoo.com
Date: 2005-06-16 16:02:14 UTC
Subject: Disappearing Transfusion - Teegre
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1766076.1118937735018.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Okay - here's a mystery that makes no sense to me...
In the ever weirder cycle of things happening to Teegre: Last night (Sunday) we rushed her into the emergency clinic for her 4th transfusion as she was pale as a ghost and getting very low energy. Her PCV at that time was reported as 12. They gave her 12cc of blood.
This morning we took her to a clinic in Seattle to be seen where they took another blood sample from her (post transfusion). Her PCV -- 12.
Now:
(A) She isn't BLEEDING VISIBLY - There is a theory that she has micro-ulcers and her blood loss from 22-22-15 over the last few weeks was due to the micro-ulcers (combined with the estrogen suppression not letting her make blood keeping her critically low). But she is under constant observation and you can't lose 12cc of blood in less than 12 hours from micro-ulcers in your stools without it being VISIBLE!
(B) She isn't grossly destroying the blood, according to the vet that would have left some trace in the "spin down" and it was clear - no sign of destroyed blood (no yellow band).
(C) It would APPEAR she isn't grossing bleeding into her gut. That much blood would have been obvious on exam and wasn't there.
Yet since 6/8/05 she has dropped from a PCV of 15 to 12 (gotten a transfusion of 12cc blood) in THEORY dropped to 12 again (12 hrs later)!!! and I haven't seen a WHIT of blood loss on this ferret. Nothing. Not a drop.
CAN anyone explain this?!
The vet at the clinic can't and I have a TON of faith in him. A TON! He's shaking his head. And this is a man with a lot of creditals and experience.
(She now has 11cc of oxyglobin in her system as they couldn't get another transfusion into her. We are HOPING that it will last as clearly blood didn't!)
Linda K & Teegre