Guest LittleGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I know there is another thread going right now with a similar question of "how low can they go". Does anyone here have experience with their greyhound with really low platelets? Munchie's last week were 66000, today down to 60000. We had fully expected them to be up, not down! She has a few very small bruises, my vet said they do not usually bruise/bleed until they drop below 40. Her white cell count is down to 2.2, so we are very concerned about infection, and especially so since she is already battling proteus m. My vet is still very positive, but I am beginning to worry, a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 One of my boys had very very low platelets but it was due to VW. As long as we were very careful with him he did okay with it. The only problem he had was when he had to have a tooth surgically extracted they had to have platelets on hand.We had to stop going to the dog park because any injury could have been life threatning for him. Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rycezmom Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Please visit this website for OSU's Greyhound Wellness program. One of the nice things is that they have given you the information on the differences between greyhound blood work and other canines. Some vets may not be greyhound saavy in regards to these differences. Its also good for you to know. Thank you Dr. Couto for all of this valuable information that has been made available to us and our vets. http://vet.osu.edu/2098.htm Quote The more I see of man, the more I like dogs. ~Mme. de Staël Missing my Bridge Angels Ryce, Bo, Jim, Miss Millie, Miss Rose, Gustopher P Jones (Pimpmaster G), Miss Isabella and Miss Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I don't know. Might email Dr. Feeman with those questions? IIRC, when Batman took his one chemo dose, the UW-Madison docs just weren't worried about WBC. They wanted antibiotics if it dropped below ?1200? (1.2 by your measure). Which it did. When my dad was having chemo, I don't think they bothered giving him platelets until he got down around 11,000 or so, and normal range for people is 150,000 and up. He did knick himself here and there, and bled/bruised a little more than normal, but not so you'd worry about it. 'Course, neither of them is Munchie. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greybookends Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 :hope :hope :hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 WBC doesn't sound too low for a grey. Platelets: if I remember right, vets get very concerned under 50,000. Since she is bruising at 60,000, I'd keep a close eye on her. What are you doing to up the platelets? Sending prayers. This little girl has been thru so much! Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittleGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 WBC doesn't sound too low for a grey. Platelets: if I remember right, vets get very concerned under 50,000. Since she is bruising at 60,000, I'd keep a close eye on her. What are you doing to up the platelets? Sending prayers. This little girl has been thru so much! Her white cell usually runs around 11000, so I am concerned that it has dropped so much and so quickly. She is already on pred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 If her WBC has dropped from 11000 ... that could be just a sign that the antibiotics she is/was on are working and bringing her WBC back down to normal range. Fingers crossed! Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittleGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 If her WBC has dropped from 11000 ... that could be just a sign that the antibiotics she is/was on are working and bringing her WBC back down to normal range. Fingers crossed! No, it has been in that range her whole life. Usually between 9-15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemandvm Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 60,000 is too low... not normal. What has been done to work her up? TBD titers? here is a link to some good information: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1412 Quote Bill Lady Bella and Sky at the bridge "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." -Anabele France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittleGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 60,000 is too low... not normal. What has been done to work her up? TBD titers? here is a link to some good information: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1412 Sorry, I guess I should have been more specific......I know WHY it is low, she was on Imuran for her IMPA. I just want to know how low it can get before I should start to really panic. She has been off the Imuran for 10 days........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyladydown Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 60,000 is too low... not normal. What has been done to work her up? TBD titers? here is a link to some good information: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1412 Sorry, I guess I should have been more specific......I know WHY it is low, she was on Imuran for her IMPA. I just want to know how low it can get before I should start to really panic. She has been off the Imuran for 10 days........ Forgive me if I'm a little confused. It's my experience that Imuram is the brand name for Azathioprine and is one of the drugs used to treat auto-imune platelet destruction. So, her platelet count should rise when she's on Imuran, and drop when she's no longer taking it if she had an auto-immune problem. Imuran can cause a drop in the WBC, so it needs to be used carefully. I lived through 3 years of Az/Pred treatments coupled with weekly CBCs with my sheepdog/terrier mix. My vet said that if I saw any bruising, to up his Pred immediately and get him in for a CBC ASAP. Sometimes his platelet count would drop to 20,000. It was a very scary time for all of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittleGreys Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Forgive me if I'm a little confused. It's my experience that Imuram is the brand name for Azathioprine and is one of the drugs used to treat auto-imune platelet destruction. So, her platelet count should rise when she's on Imuran, and drop when she's no longer taking it if she had an auto-immune problem. Imuran can cause a drop in the WBC, so it needs to be used carefully. I lived through 3 years of Az/Pred treatments coupled with weekly CBCs with my sheepdog/terrier mix. My vet said that if I saw any bruising, to up his Pred immediately and get him in for a CBC ASAP. Sometimes his platelet count would drop to 20,000. It was a very scary time for all of us. It's confusing for me, too! From what I understand, azathioprine can be used for auto-immune platelet disorders, which she does NOT have. I'm told there is a difference. Azathioprine would be used in cases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, where the immune system is attacking the platelets. Her immune disease does not affect her blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyladydown Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 It's confusing for me, too! From what I understand, azathioprine can be used for auto-immune platelet disorders, which she does NOT have. I'm told there is a difference. Azathioprine would be used in cases such as autoimmune hemolytic anemia, where the immune system is attacking the platelets. Her immune disease does not affect her blood. Oh, thanks. What is causing her low platelet count? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LittleGreys Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I copied this from the Pet Pharmacy website......... <<Side Effects One of the main issues with azathioprine is a problem with the bone marrow suppression. Cells of the bone marrow are rapidly dividing and thus at risk for suppression from azathioprine. For this reason, at least in early stages of use, complete blood counts (CBCs) are monitored frequently, typically every 2 weeks for the first couple of months. Signs of a bone marrow problem that might be observable at home include abnormal bruising or inappropriate bleeding (bloody nose, bloody stool, blood in urine, excess bleeding from a minor wound etc.) If bone marrow suppression has not occurred in the first couple of months of therapy, it is unlikely that it will occur later on.>> So, the Imuran caused her low platelets. We're just not sure why they aren't coming back up yet......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyladydown Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I copied this from the Pet Pharmacy website......... <<Side Effects One of the main issues with azathioprine is a problem with the bone marrow suppression. Cells of the bone marrow are rapidly dividing and thus at risk for suppression from azathioprine. For this reason, at least in early stages of use, complete blood counts (CBCs) are monitored frequently, typically every 2 weeks for the first couple of months. Signs of a bone marrow problem that might be observable at home include abnormal bruising or inappropriate bleeding (bloody nose, bloody stool, blood in urine, excess bleeding from a minor wound etc.) If bone marrow suppression has not occurred in the first couple of months of therapy, it is unlikely that it will occur later on.>> So, the Imuran caused her low platelets. We're just not sure why they aren't coming back up yet......... Thanks so much, Sue. I understand it now. White light for Munchie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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