Sadie – PCV drop or ?

[Linda]

Hi all.  Sorry I have been AOL lately.  I have been busy with the season, summer.  I have had a lot of company and have been traveling.  But STILL reading posts.  Thank you too, to those that have been sending me heads-ups!!!  So appreciated.

About my girl, Sadie.  The PCV before this last one on Tuesday was 50.  Superb.  This last Tuesday, 10 days later, her PCV was 40.  I turned white.  Really.  I mean, a 25% drop!!!?

They took more blood and retested.  46.  Goodness – I don’t know what happened – if she’s low or if they messed up.  Anyway, we’re back tomorrow morning at 9AM to retest, just to be sure.  Sadie and I have a road trip this weekend and I want to be sure she’s AOK.

Then, next weekend, she’s staying here with her daddy and I’ll be flying out solo.  This is a bit scary.  Sadie ALWAYS  goes with me and Pat (my husband) has NEVER given her ONE pill during her illness.  Yes, I’ll be calling twenty times a day.  I will only be gone two nights, but still – goodness gracious.

And then, after being home a week, it’s three weeks away from her (greyhound friends caring for her, so thankful).   There are no quick trips back from England/Italy – please, please, please – stay well Sadie.

Just had to share – seems several of us here have had messed up labs on our pups.  I’m hoping it’s just that.

Love and hugs, Linda and Sadie

[Vally]

Linda, Linda, Linda.  Sadie is fine.  Didn’t I tell you. I NEVER trust those super high results.  Of course you’ll retest.  But Sadie is fine.

Love Vally & 48 (which I don’t really trust either)

[admin]

Hi Linda

Oh goodness what a scare. I’m with Vally – I don’t trust mega good results either – the next one is always lower just to frighten us! I was looking back at Worzel’s results the other day & they have been up & down considerably – I suspect all the things like hydration levels, food, stress, etc etc have a lot to do with it! As long as the PCV is in the normal range, don’t you dare over-worry & get another test done to put your mind at rest. Sadie is doing really well – she is feeling good, therefore she is GOOD! I know Pat will do a great job looking after her too

Love & cuddles, Sheena Worzel & Ollie xxxxx

 

[Tamara]

Hi Linda, I read this last night on my phone and have been thinking of you and Sadie.  Boy do I understand your worries!  I really agree with Sheena, it seems like how they’re doing and feeling is such an important indicator.

Sending you and Sadie much love and many hugs – tamara and ashki xoxox

[admin]

Thanks all.  I took her yesterday in the AM and her PCV was 48.  There are so many factors, as you all say, that can alter the in house PCV test results.  And too, as you say, the high numbers come in just to throw us off.  ;)  But, I felt better getting the 48 – the 25% drop did get me.  We’re good now though – until the next shake up!!  Ha.

I have a question (well, a few).  I am thinking about taking her completely off Atopica.  She now gets only 10MG every five days.  On those days, she has diarrhea (sorry, nothing is sacred) and it takes a full 24 hours to get back to normal.  At this point, I am wondering if the 10MG every five days is doing more harm than good.    She still remains on the 5mg prednisone (AM only), which she will stay on until mid July as I’ll be traveling.  Better safe than sorry – and still, you never know.

Also, wondering – if you drop the dose of cyclo/pred/what ever – as in weaning – and get to a very low dose, do you alter the protectant supplements – i.e.; anti-clotting, stomach protection and antacid?   She’s been on the same dose of all the protectant supplements for over a year now.  Just a thought.

I have a call into her vet about dropping the Atopica completely, so I’ll ask her about the supplements too.  However, I wanted to ask you all, as I’m sure you all have wondered and/or dealt with this too.  I will let you know Sadie’s vet’s thoughts when I hear from her (which will be late today, I’m sure).

And last, but not least, when giving the heart worm meds, THIS too gives her one day of diarrhea – but I can not stop giving it since we’re in FL and the mosquitos can be bad.  Any of your pups have this happen?  She comes back around after a day, but it sure gets to her.  She does not throw up, no loss of pink in mouth – just the other end.  Yikes.  Poor Sadie and her poo issues.

I hope everyone is doing well and headed toward a great weekend. Sadie will be in tow with me, traveling to the beach this weekend.  Then next weekend, home alone with her dad (again, scary) while I head to Atlanta – wish her luck!!  ;)

Okay, she’s telling me – outside.  Off we go.  Love and hugs to all, Linda & Sadie

[Vally]

Beautiful PCV Sadie. Now YOU stop worrying your mom.  That’s just cruel and you’ve been taking lessons from Bingo.  Haven’t worked out how they’re communicating yet but I suspect he’s using that new Viber.  All the rage here.

Linda, I wouldn’t change anything before you go away – I’m the half glass empty one remember.  When you get back, see if vet thinks okay to drop the atopica.  It doesn’t seem like much – 10mg every 5 days.

Good question about the stomach protection etc.  My vet told me to drop the sucralfate some time ago.  I’ll go back through records and see what dosage we were at when we dropped it.  I resisted dropping it, and instead went from 3 times a day to 2, down to once a day for a while.  Good times for Bingo though – he HATED that stuff.  He’d do the lip smacking thing as I walked towards him with the syringe full of sucralfate and put himself under his favourite chair, which meant dragging him out.  Fine for me, but I had a friend up the road who would come down and do the middle day dose.  Such a good friend.

Love Vally & Bingo.

[Vally]

Linda, I just checked.  We stopped the sucralfate when we got to 5mg alternating with 2.5mg daily.

Love Vally & Bingo.

[admin]

Hi Linda

Love the PCV! Glad things are looking good after that little scare. I’m with “half empty” Vally too, otherwise you will worry while you’re away if you change anything. Wait until you get back. I know the diarrhea is no fun, though. I think your vet should be asked about the original clotting risks (if I remember rightly, it was agglutination wasn’t it, plus slightly high platelets at one point?) & if he decides you should continue the anti-clotting meds, continue with the sucralfate because of the risk of burning that tum-tum. Am I right in saying it’s clopidogrel (plavix)?  Just checked Worzel’s drug charts – we stopped the sucralfate when he dropped to 10mg pred (Worzel is 23kgs). He wasn’t on anti-clotting meds though & he had finished the doxycyline, which was really upset his stomach badly. Hope that helps!

Loads of love, Sheena, Worzel & Ollie xxxx