Hi all,
I have a very sick kitty who we've taken to the vet twice over the past week. They've done a number of bloodwork tests, but seem hesitant to make a diagnosis. Tomorrow we're taking him to a teaching vet hospital (Auburn University) for more extensive testing, but I'd like to get feedback from anyone who might have recommendations about what I should mention to the vet, or specific diseases I should followup and ask about.
I have some specific info about his bloodwork.. unfortunately only the numbers that were abnormal, but I've included them below with his overall list of symptoms.
He's tested negative for FelV (feline leukemia) and FIV.
His symptoms are:
-weightloss (skin and bones on his back)
-anemia (low red blood cell count)
-high white blood cell count
6 days ago bloodwork:
-PCV was 22% with T.P. of 7.0
-post hydrate PCV = 16% / TP = 5.9
-BW (or BUW? can't read the writing) is low
-Bilirubin is high
-WBC = 18,800 with neutrophilia, left shift
Bloodwork today:
-PCV = 20
-TP = 6.0
Treatment to date:
6 days ago he received
- Stanazdol
- Kenalog
- fluids and antibiotics
For the past few days we've been giving him:
- Panacure (for worms)
- Doxycycline (in case he has blood parasites)
- Lixotinic (vitamins)
He doesn't seem to be any worse, but also not much better. He is eating and drinking by himself, and going to the litterbox, but is lethargic and doesn't groom himself. His anemia has improved somewhat as indicated by the numbers above, but this may be related to us putting Frontline on him, which killed off some fleas (we've been using Advantage, but the vet told us to switch since the fleas may have built up an immunity). So I'm hesitant to say his overall condition is improved just because the anemia is less severe. He may be suffering from flea-related anemia and some other completely different disease.
Blood parasites sound like a likely candidate, but I don't know how quickly he would improve once on the doxycycline (it's been 5 days). Should he be noticeably better now? He has lost a ton of weight, so he may be feeling weak from that.
He is a 3 yr old, male, neutered cat, who is indoors 99% of the time. He did escape a couple times over a year ago, so it's not impossible he picked up something outside, but it would have to have been dormant for a while since then.
If anyone has past experience with something that sounds similar, or has veterinary experience and can make any recommendations about what I could talk to the vet about tomorrow I would -really- appreciate it.
So far I've been considering:
FIP - not ruled out, especially since he has a somewhat pouchy tummy.. but it hasn't gotten any bigger in the past 5 days, and it seems to be a family trait (several of his siblings have it and are not sick). May be less likely since I read this causes a low WBC, and his is high, but I heard in the late stages of the disease it could cause the WBC to become high.
Pancreatitis - not ruled out. It's not clear he is in any pain in his stomach area. The vet palpated it and he didn't resist or seem to be upset, so I'm not sure this is likely.
Feline heartworm - he doesn't have any upper respiratory symptoms which I've read go hand in hand with this diagnosis.
Toxoplasmosis - Again, no upper respiratory symptoms.
Cancer - I'm not sure what to make of this - there are so many different kinds of cancer and each of their effects are different. Not ruled out. What should I look for?
Apathetic hyperthyroidism - possible, but seems hugely unlikely considering his relatively young age.
I have a very sick kitty who we've taken to the vet twice over the past week. They've done a number of bloodwork tests, but seem hesitant to make a diagnosis. Tomorrow we're taking him to a teaching vet hospital (Auburn University) for more extensive testing, but I'd like to get feedback from anyone who might have recommendations about what I should mention to the vet, or specific diseases I should followup and ask about.
I have some specific info about his bloodwork.. unfortunately only the numbers that were abnormal, but I've included them below with his overall list of symptoms.
He's tested negative for FelV (feline leukemia) and FIV.
His symptoms are:
-weightloss (skin and bones on his back)
-anemia (low red blood cell count)
-high white blood cell count
6 days ago bloodwork:
-PCV was 22% with T.P. of 7.0
-post hydrate PCV = 16% / TP = 5.9
-BW (or BUW? can't read the writing) is low
-Bilirubin is high
-WBC = 18,800 with neutrophilia, left shift
Bloodwork today:
-PCV = 20
-TP = 6.0
Treatment to date:
6 days ago he received
- Stanazdol
- Kenalog
- fluids and antibiotics
For the past few days we've been giving him:
- Panacure (for worms)
- Doxycycline (in case he has blood parasites)
- Lixotinic (vitamins)
He doesn't seem to be any worse, but also not much better. He is eating and drinking by himself, and going to the litterbox, but is lethargic and doesn't groom himself. His anemia has improved somewhat as indicated by the numbers above, but this may be related to us putting Frontline on him, which killed off some fleas (we've been using Advantage, but the vet told us to switch since the fleas may have built up an immunity). So I'm hesitant to say his overall condition is improved just because the anemia is less severe. He may be suffering from flea-related anemia and some other completely different disease.
Blood parasites sound like a likely candidate, but I don't know how quickly he would improve once on the doxycycline (it's been 5 days). Should he be noticeably better now? He has lost a ton of weight, so he may be feeling weak from that.
He is a 3 yr old, male, neutered cat, who is indoors 99% of the time. He did escape a couple times over a year ago, so it's not impossible he picked up something outside, but it would have to have been dormant for a while since then.
If anyone has past experience with something that sounds similar, or has veterinary experience and can make any recommendations about what I could talk to the vet about tomorrow I would -really- appreciate it.
So far I've been considering:
FIP - not ruled out, especially since he has a somewhat pouchy tummy.. but it hasn't gotten any bigger in the past 5 days, and it seems to be a family trait (several of his siblings have it and are not sick). May be less likely since I read this causes a low WBC, and his is high, but I heard in the late stages of the disease it could cause the WBC to become high.
Pancreatitis - not ruled out. It's not clear he is in any pain in his stomach area. The vet palpated it and he didn't resist or seem to be upset, so I'm not sure this is likely.
Feline heartworm - he doesn't have any upper respiratory symptoms which I've read go hand in hand with this diagnosis.
Toxoplasmosis - Again, no upper respiratory symptoms.
Cancer - I'm not sure what to make of this - there are so many different kinds of cancer and each of their effects are different. Not ruled out. What should I look for?
Apathetic hyperthyroidism - possible, but seems hugely unlikely considering his relatively young age.