Sheldon's turn - Bone Marrow Biopsy tomorrow. Very anemic.

ldg

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Last week Shel isn't finishing his food. ?????

Saturday, he has no real appetite. I get some food into him - and he throws it all up.

Sunday morning, I wake up to see him looking like this. Completely white. His gums are white.




I called the vet, and given it was Sunday and his blood work wouldn't be sent to a lab until Monday anyway, we waited. Yesterday, x-ray saw some potential thickening of his bowels and they ran the HCT in-house in addition to sending his blood work out for a full Sr. panel. His HCT is 14%. He's very anemic. No surprise - he's white. :( But he purrs for pets, perks up when you talk to him, and his eyes light up for food, even though he doesn't eat more than a few licks on his own - so all of that is good. :rub:

Due to the x-ray, we scheduled the ultrasound for today while we waited for blood test results.

Ultrasound found nothing. Nothing at all.

BUT his blood work came back funky in one respect: we knew he had the low HCT. The only other thing off were reticulocytes. His WBC is low-end of normal, but normal. His body is making NO new red blood cells.

These clinical signs point *most likely* to either cancer in his bone marrow OR aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia is usually not very treatable, but there definitely ARE cases in the literature where red blood cell aplasia responded to treatment with cyclosporin and steroids.

Of course... his bone marrow needs to be ABLE to work for something like that to work. :cross:

His bone marrow biopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.


Long time TSC-ers will remember that Tuxedo had an immune-mediated hemolytic anemia - that did not start out looking like IMHA as Tuxie had low reticulocytes, too. So who knows. We just have to wait for more information. The biopsy results should take 4 to 5 days.

Good thoughts and vibes that his bone marrow still works are greatly appreciated. :hugs: :heart2:
 
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feralvr

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Aw, Laurie. Big giant hugs :hugs: :grphug: :alright: and GINORMOUS VIBES for the Bone Marrow Biopsy today. Will be hoping and praying :cross: for those tests results to be positive for Sheldon's bone marrow. :cross: I am so sorry you are dealing with all of this and just know cyberthoughts, cybervibes and cyberlove and light :heart3: :sun: are continually coming your way over the next days. Give Sheldon a kiss and scritch for me. :rub: :vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::heart::cross:
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Oh gosh, Laurie, I'm so sorry you're going thru this with ANOTHER of your furkids.  I'm starting to wonder of that RV park you lived on was on toxic dump land or something
.  Seriously.  Even Gary with all HIS issues. 

Well, mega vibes for Sheldon, and everyone else in your household too!

 

denice

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I hope everything goes well and this is something that is fixable or controllable.

I was beginning to wonder about something environmental as well.  It seems like a lot of serious health issues between your kitties and your husband.
 
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ldg

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:hugs: Thanks.

Well, Gary's issues are most likely exposure to neurotoxic agents in the Middle East and then Lyme and tick bite co-infections. The vet is thinking with the cats it's genetic, as so far it's the four siblings.

If it were the RV park, I think others that have been there seasonally for decades might be having issues. :dk:
 

the3rdname

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These clinical signs point *most likely* to either cancer in his bone marrow OR aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia is usually not very treatable, but there definitely ARE cases in the literature where red blood cell aplasia responded to treatment with cyclosporin and steroids.

Good thoughts and vibes that his bone marrow still works are greatly appreciated.
I've got fingers and toes crossed for your little guy!  Wishes for a good outcome for Tux 


Have you considered a PCR test? Some of these guys continually test neg for felv when they have it. The PCR looks for it in DNA.

Speaking of cyclo, Rumi is starting cyclosporine tonight as an adjunct to pred.  Had to search high and low for a pharmacy that carries cat-sized doses.
 
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ldg

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:vibes: :vibes: :vibes: for Rumi.

There's no reason to suspect Shel was ever exposed to FeLV, but they will test his bone marrow directly depending on what else they find - or don't.

The vet put a "rush" on Shelly's biopsy. His HCT is now 12%. They really don't want to do anything - including a blood transfusion - until they've got the results. :cross:
 

the3rdname

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for Rumi.

There's no reason to suspect Shel was ever exposed to FeLV, but they will test his bone marrow directly depending on what else they find - or don't.

The vet put a "rush" on Shelly's biopsy. His HCT is now 12%. They really don't want to do anything - including a blood transfusion - until they've got the results.
"The positive vibes are muchly appreciated, ma'am." 
 says Rumi cat.  

Of course the biopsy is going to be the definitive answer and it was a good idea to go straight for the big guns rather than piddle around with numerous, possibly inconclusive, tests. If it's any consolation, Rumi's internist has a "miracle kitty" who's lived, and learned to thrive, with a PCV of 9-12% over the past four years.  (Four years!!)  It appears that some kitties adapt to severe anemia (miracle kitty's is an idiopathic immune disorder).  So even if Tux always struggles with this, it doesn't mean he can't have a good quality of life.
 
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ldg

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Well the vet that did the biopsy yesterday fed me a load of B.S. about how Shel isn't burning through his red blood cells. His HCT is 8% and we are on the way to Tuxie's vet with Shel for a blood transfusion. (That's the vet hosp with the donors).
 

mrsgreenjeens

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So his HCT has dropped from 14% to 12% to 8% in a matter of 32 hours
???????  Holy cow
.  

Keep us posted on how he does after the transfusion
 
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ldg

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It was 6% when they tested it just prior to the transfusion. Based on how quickly he blew through them and the coagulation on the blood smear test, they are certain this is the same thing Tuxedo had, immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. The treatment will be steroid suppression of his immune system.

Shel is getting the transfusion now - or got it already. He has to stay 24 hours. He really needs all the vibes he can get. :heart2:
 

feralvr

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Had to log on ;) to send mega ginormous vibes for Shel here in his thread. I want you to know that I am with you in spirit and sending all of the positive vibes I can muster. My sister is too. ;) We are hoping for a good report. Hoping that Shel will have the same good luck as Tuxie. :cross: Love from Seattle..... :heart3: :hugs: :grphug:

:vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes::vibes:
 
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ldg

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Freaked us out. We weren't expecting them to call until tomorrow morning.The hospital just called: they needed our address, LOL. We got an update. The transfusion takes on average 4 hours. The donor kitties were arriving as we left, so i guess it took a while to get going. Update is he's alert, and they should be finishing up in about an hour. The vet will call us then as they are going to run a PVC. Another thing I like about this place is it is the e-vet for the area, so open 24 hours fully staffed. :heart2:

Hang in there Shel. :rub: :hugs:
 
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