Extremely Low Platelet Kitten

[Ladyrosee]

Hi there. My 4 month old I fostered through a shelter since 5 weeks and adopted after he was ready to be is ill... basically his platelets are only at 8,000 and had so many marks of bleeding under his skin. His eyes had conjunctivitis and the marks were in his mouth which were bleeding I assume because he was itching them. His eyes were bleeding a little and had rust color oozing out. Took him to the vet obviously because this seemed to happen so fast and they did an xray and labs. Xray showed no internal bleeding but spleen and liver were a little enlarged. His labs including liver enzymes were good, red blood cells (low a little minor anemia) everything was fine even the flea and tick test was normal. But those damn platelets. Hes been on prednisolone for a week coming Monday and all of his marks are gone no more bleeding under the skin etc. Eyes clear (they were blood red) .


Our worry is bone marrow cancer. But I am having hope since so quickly that prednisolone cleared up all his issues that when he gets his platelets retested they would go up.. what do you think? I'm a mess about this. it's not fair for my kitten or my family hes such an angel. I keep telling myself his bleeding under the skin is gone so this has to mean his platelets improved..

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I would think that, as well. I just don't have the medical background to know for sure (even if I did, I wouldn't know without seeing the kitten), but that has to be a good sign. AND you've bought him some good time, so that's a wonderful thing as well.

I hate that something so horrible brought you to TCS, but I am happy that you found us. You won't be alone on this journey anymore, no matter what the final outcome is.

When you get a moment, go here New Cats on the Block and introduce yourself and your new baby. What is his name?

 

[silkenpaw]

Hi and welcome! The fact that he’s not having new bruises is a good sign. It means his platelets are on their way up. I am sure there are a lot of causes of low platelets in cats and I doubt cancer is even at the top of the list. What did the vet tell you?

Let us know what his platelets are on Monday. I hope they are on their way back to normal. Good luck, sending you comforting hugs.

 

[Ladyrosee]

Hi and welcome! The fact that he’s not having new bruises is a good sign. It means his platelets are on their way up. I am sure there are a lot of causes of low platelets in cats and I doubt cancer is even at the top of the list. What did the vet tell you?

Let us know what his platelets are on Monday. I hope they are on their way back to normal. Good luck, sending you comforting hugs.

Thanks so much I assumed that as well because if he was getting lower I guarantee he would be bleeding even more.

The vet said he is a mystery. She got out a lot of books and spent an hour with us talking. She said sometimes vaccines can cause this but for sure isnt sure why they are so terribly low but usually has good outcomes with prednisolone.
She did say something could be wrong with his bone marrow but if it is we all know he wont have a chance.
I asked her in email what her honest opinion on him is and she said she thinks he most likely will be okay. But still.. my fiance and I are heart broken because he doesnt deserve to be sick and my fiance lost his cat within 2 months of cancer out of no where last October and we both havent even come close to healing. Too young of a cat he was to go so soon.

Our new kittens name is Morton. I will post about him when I have time with pics hopefully I'm allowed to upload those


But he got all those labs and they found nothing other than slight anemia and insanely low platelets. He acts normal too. Hes just a cuddle bug

 

[Ladyrosee]

 

[silkenpaw]

Aww, what a cutie Morton is! I love those long eyebrows. I’m glad you have a vet that actually talks to you and reads books, even better! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Morton’s platelets to be on their way back to normal on Monday.

 

[Ladyrosee]

Thanks so much. He is the sweetest thing ever. Always wants to hang out over my shoulder and I give in every time lol I will post back probably Tues or weds when his blood results from this coming Monday come back

 

[silkenpaw]

LOL, I had a kitty who liked the shoulder, always the left shoulder. We called her a leftist

Impatient to hear about Morton's CBC now. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ladyrosee]

Haha he is fine with the right shoulder. It's the most comfortable way I can carry him is the right. My resident is also getting along with him much better now finally. My resident, Lucky, is a grumpy meanie

 

[silkenpaw]

Lucky may be a grumpy meanie but he sure is a handsome cat. Beautiful eyes!

 

[MRG2018]

It could be an infection or some deficiency. If he slightly anemic it could probably be some deficiency. Blood cancer would be a very rare diagnosis, and it can be diagnosed with blood tests.

 

[Ladyrosee]

Well it could still very well be a bone marrow cancer if it involves his bone marrow attacking platelets then theres nothing they can do...but my vet said it is most likely he will be fine but bone marrow issue is still a possibility. but I'd assume since he is no longer bleeding under the skin then that should mean his platelets are going up

 

[Ladyrosee]

Lucky may be a grumpy meanie but he sure is a handsome cat. Beautiful eyes!

Thank you he is getting along much better with Morton but he has his moments lol when Morton is figured out Lucky needs to go to that vet for behavior issues and his weight just wont budge

 

[MRG2018]

Well it could still very well be a bone marrow cancer if it involves his bone marrow attacking platelets then theres nothing they can do...but my vet said it is most likely he will be fine but bone marrow issue is still a possibility. but I'd assume since he is no longer bleeding under the skin then that should mean his platelets are going up

Bone marrow cancer does not involve attacking platelets. Its more like faulty stuff produced abundantly that is useless because they are underdeveloped and/or malformed.

 

[Ladyrosee]

Bone marrow cancer does not involve attacking platelets. Its more like faulty stuff produced abundantly that is useless because they are underdeveloped and/or malformed.

Interesting. The vet said it's possible though.... see the pic the cancer part worries us really bad

 

[Ladyrosee]

Also...his spleen and liver are both enlarged not crazy though the vet said it could be because hes still growing but hmmm. His neck lymph nodes were big too I guess last week

 

[MRG2018]

This is why I hope its just an infection and not cancer.
Blood tests should definitely help with the diagnosis.

 

[Ladyrosee]

This is why I hope its just an infection and not cancer.
Blood tests should definitely help with the diagnosis.

He got all the blood work he could get and everything looked great except platelets so thats good right? Last checked a month ago he was aids negative and felv negative

 

[Ladyrosee]

I also told them he got like 4 or 5 things injected or topical flea stuff 2 days before he got this strange 105 temp and very ill for a few days but it passed and we thought nothing of it

 

[Ladyrosee]

This fever was when I was fostering him though its been a couple months. Sorry if I'm posting so much I'm not sure if I can edit a comment and add to it instead of doing this