Any Vets please help

[pichuchy21]

Hello,
I am so worried about my dog Lucky-Yucky. I took him in on Friday for routine bloodwork and his annual vaccines and I got a call today from his vet because his bloodwork was abnomal. His platelet count was low 120 and I think the range is 200-500 and his hematocrit was 34.5 which she said was also low, but all his other organ functions were normal.

She said it can be a number of things:
1) Machine error...which is what I hope it is
2) Blood parasite...I take such good care of him and hasn''t had a tick since I rescued him in 2003
3) Autoimmune disease

I am so worried she said to repeat the bloodwork in 4-6 weeks, but I am going to repeat it in one week because I don''t want anything bad to happen to him. Does anyone have any experience with this. What are the chances that it was just machine error. He is doing fine other wise. Playing, eating, acting like himself.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

 

[Italiahaircolor]

No advice or suggestions...just support for you and Lucky-Yucky....hope all is well in the end

 

[pichuchy21]

Date: 3/16/2009 3:44:34 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
No advice or suggestions...just support for you and Lucky-Yucky....hope all is well in the end

Thanks I am praying so much I love my dog and would be devestated if anything happened to him.

 

[Lauren8211]

No advice, but *dust* for a healthy puppy and (((hugs))) for support!

Keep us updated!

 

[FrekeChild]

****Dust*** for your doggie!!!!

 

[pichuchy21]

Thanks for the good wishes. My Lucky needs it. I am so confused because the vet told me symptoms to watch for and he is showing none he is fine I don''t understand how the bloodwork was abnormal. I am really praying that it was just machine error. I will keep everyone posted. I just hope he will be fine I can''t take anoter loss right now. My mom and my older dog passed away 7 months ago I hope Lucky will be ok.

 

[Deelight]

*dust* for you doggy, I hope it is just an error

 

[whitetulips]

Hi Pichu- I resisted answering this post because I am in no way an expert; however, I did work at a vet while I was getting my undergrad and I processed the blookwork and other various labwork there.

The machine error comes in play when spinning down the blood to get the plasma for testing. Error can occur in the centrifuge causing extra cells to burst into the plasma which can mess up numbers. Also, the machine used to test hematocrit and platelet levels is very picky and the plasma has to be placed on the plates in a specific way or else the machine won''t take it (at least that is how ours was). There was a lot of room for error and it was very common to have to run tests more than once just to make sure we didn''t make a mistake.

Since you said you haven''t seen any symptoms, my guess is that it was machine error. I would still get another test done just to be safe, but I know first hand that error is very possible when running these tests.

I hope this made sense and at least made you feel a little bit better!

 

[Steel]

Everybody in this house will have their paws crossed for you and for Lucky-Yucky.

 

[pichuchy21]

Date: 3/17/2009 12:14:41 PM
Author: whitetulips
Hi Pichu- I resisted answering this post because I am in no way an expert; however, I did work at a vet while I was getting my undergrad and I processed the blookwork and other various labwork there.

The machine error comes in play when spinning down the blood to get the plasma for testing. Error can occur in the centrifuge causing extra cells to burst into the plasma which can mess up numbers. Also, the machine used to test hematocrit and platelet levels is very picky and the plasma has to be placed on the plates in a specific way or else the machine won''t take it (at least that is how ours was). There was a lot of room for error and it was very common to have to run tests more than once just to make sure we didn''t make a mistake.

Since you said you haven''t seen any symptoms, my guess is that it was machine error. I would still get another test done just to be safe, but I know first hand that error is very possible when running these tests.

I hope this made sense and at least made you feel a little bit better!

Thank you for your reply. I am starting to think more and more it was an error because he has no clinical signs my little man looks fine. I made an appt. for friday morning to repeat the CBC I will keep everyone posted.

 

[pichuchy21]

Update:

I took my little man to the vet today to repeat his CBC since I was too anxious to wait till Friday and Thank GOD he is fine...his bloodwork was normal today so most likely it was just machine error. Thanks for all the dust that was sent his way.

 

[Deelight]

Thats great so happy to hear it

 

[missjae]

Date: 3/18/2009 6:10:21 PM
Author: pichuchy21
Update:

I took my little man to the vet today to repeat his CBC since I was too anxious to wait till Friday and Thank GOD he is fine...his bloodwork was normal today so most likely it was just machine error. Thanks for all the dust that was sent his way.

pichuchy I am SO GLAD that you''re little guy is in good health. I''m sorry you went through the scare and panic for as long as you had to. I cannot imagine how scared you were. If something like that happenned to my little Haven or Heidi (my sister''s puppy, biological sister to Haven and my Neice whom I love equally!) I don''t know what I would do!!! Both of our little sweeties have Epilepsy, Haven more so than Heidi and everytime one of them has a seizure, even though we know what to expect and know the drill, just seeing them suffer causes full blown crying fits (that we mask the best we can, not to worry them) I would have gone for a re-test earlier than planned also out of sheer panic and worry.

I am so happy you were able to sigh in relief for little lucky-yucky. After reading this, I''m going to go steal my little Haven from my sister''s bed where she has retired for the evening beside Heidi and snuggle her to pieces.

 

[bee*]

Only saw this post now, glad to hear that it was an error! Woohoo!