Bingo's blood test

[Linda]

Oh Vally and Bingo – way to go!!! I’m doing the happy dance too!! This is the greatest news! I hope you can relax a bit now.

About the weight – you did cut back on food intake, treat type and pill cover (liverwurst – sorry, that had me giggling), so maybe you are right and that’s it.

Sadie had lost three pounds and gained it back being indoors for two weeks, lazy – with the pollen so bad. The pollen has almost subsided – so starting tomorrow, out we go Sadie girl – a few sprints would be good. :)

Again, so happy about the great results on the blood tests, especially the ALT and TBIL. Great advice Patrice – you’re so good. PCV is wonderful too! Keep it up (or down, depending) Bingo boy!!! He is right in the ‘normal’ range – perfect. Normal – Bingo?Thank God, he’s not, but we’ll take it with the blood work. We need your antics Bingo – nothing normal about those and we love you for the laughs (and your mom’s interpretation).

Now we just need to know how Worzel did at the vet today? Come on Sheena love – don’t keep us hanging?! ;)

Love to you and Bingo – you’re an awesome fur mom, Vally.

xoxo Linda and tubby Sadie

[Patrice]

Vally,
Excellent results! The decreases are most likely due to the decreased dosage of prednisone.

It is possible they may have damaged the previous sample causing hemolysis of some of the RBC. This causes something called an artifact in the sample.

There is another artifact that can also impact a blood sample. Here’s how a one veterinary university describes possible reasons for higher than normal total bilirubin:
“Artifact:
With some analyzers and reagents, hemolysis and lipemia (even mild) will cause artifactually high bilirubin values.”

Lipemia is fat in the blood. This is another reason why I recommend that you fast your dogs for at least 8-10 hours before a blood sample is drawn. Lipemia skews a number of results on some tests. If I understand correctly what I have read about this it tends to refract light in a certain way that can confuse the analyzer.

If we were testing healthy dogs, it would be apparent that the results are not correct. But we are testing dogs with illness and we are determining medication dosages depending on these results. So artifacts are not desirable, even if they can be explained away.

If you can continue the liver sparing diet you may drop the Alt (alanine transaminase) a bit more. Alt levels are generally in direct relationship to the dosage of prednisone. The liver must process this drug and liver cells are damaged in the process. That damage is what Alt is measuring.

Good job Mom, you did this work and now you can relax some. You need to take a day off to care for yourself. Promise me you will?
my best, patrice

[Brigitte]

Hello Vally,
wonderful news! Me and the poodles did some happy dances around the computer, Bingo is a Superstar and you Vally have done a great job achieving these great results. You deserve a pat on the back and a piece of liverwurst:) Just keep doing what you are doing, your little boy will get even better with this next reduction.
Congratulation! This made my day!

Best wishes,
Brigitte

[Vally]

You know, the day before the last test, I was away for the night and day. I had my nephew staying with dad and looking after Bingo’s food and medicine regime. I know for a fact he feels mean giving Bingo his meds and likes to treat him. Those were the liverwurst days, so it’s very very possible he was given lots of extra treats the day before the test. Who knows.

PS Bingo says thanks Patrice for all the extra water forcefully syringed down my throat by mum this morning. It was a long car ride to the vets and back and I refuse to use the toilets there – they stink!!! I had to hang on for AGES!!!

[Vally]

Thanks everybody, Linda, Patrice, Brigitte. I do totally deserve a treat myself, but I’ll skip the liverwurst thanks Brigitte – a massage is more to my liking – and that’s now on the cards tomorrow.
I kept the week free in case of ultrasounds, ct scans – you know, other normal stuff in case of the results I was sure we would get today.
Yes Sheena, we’re waiting, how did Worzel go today?

[Mary-Jane]

Ah fantastic news Vally, and well done Bingo! I can well imagine keeping the week free for the usual CT scans etc but am SO pleased there is no need!

Enjoy the massage and the new slimline Bingo boy!

Sheena – fingers and paws crossed that Worzel also gets good news today.

Much love, M & M x

[admin]

Vally – you’ve made my day – Bingo, you are the best boy for your Mum. Brilliant. Worzel & Ollie are really happy to hear the good news & are grinning from ear to ear! I am glad the liver enzymes are looking so good – ALT down nicely & TBIL normal too. Whooopeeeee!
Love Sheena & the boys.
PS – I will post when we get back from the vets this afternoon – that’s the trouble with different times zones – my today is your tomorrow? Or is it yesterday?!!!!

[Linda]

Vally – how are Bingo’s teeth?

XO – Linda