Blood Work

[Hollis]

This going to be a long one, please bear with me....

 

Honey is an 11yo female Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Norm and Tanner are both 10.

Dash is a 9yo male mini dachshund.

 

When they go for annuals I always do all shots as suggested and the kennel cough vac. So everything is the same there.

 

3 weeks ago I brought Norm for his annual. We did it a little early as he lost a toenail and we knew he needed anti-b's. Also a 12 pack of heartguard. Tanner and Norm share a 12 pack at a time. Total over $300.

 

2 weeks ago the little ones went for their annuals. Only "extra" was again heartguard. The little ones share a 12 pack at a time. Total for BOTH dogs....over $300.

 

Just came back from Tanners annual. Was asked if I wanted bloodwork. Yes. Ok, we'll take him in back for the bloodwork and outside to get a pee sample. Hmmmm........never been asked for a pee sample...............

Total (NO heartguard, NO anti-b's) Over $300.

 

At which point I start asking questions. Why such differences in prices. And why did we NOT get pee from anybody else??

 

Come to find out that Norm had a regular screening blood panel done. Tanners blood work is a senior panel. And the little ones? NO blood panels!! Just the fricken' heartworm test! Dash has NEVER had bloodwork done and Honey had bloodwork done in 07!

 

Now I realize that this is partly my fault. I should have been a little more knowledgeable about what was being done. HOWEVER, every year blood is taken from everyone and I assumed that more than the heart worm test was being done.

 

I was told today that it was really the vet preference as to the type of bloodwork done but geez....an 11yo with no bloodwork in 2 years, 2 10yos-one with a senior panel and one a regular screening, and a 9yo with NO bloodwork ever???

 

I'm upset with myself, but as I tell myself on a daily basis....I dont know what I dont know. But should I be upset with the vet group?? Shouldnt there be some sort of standards once their patients hit a certain age?? Or am I overreacting?

[Guest fatesrelease]

Wow. I would be extremely upset! You totally have a right to. When I go to the vet if my animal needs anything I always ask exactly what it is they will be doing/needing from me or my animal and how much it costs and what exactly am I paying for. $300 sounds extremely expensive to me, and your vet doesn't sound very honest! If you want my opinion.

[Wonder]

My vet is awesome and always explains my endless questions (when I can think of questions at the time and yes I have called back with questions) and I bring a note book

 

You should move here Holly and use my vet

[GreyPoopon]

Different vets--even in the same practice--sometimes have different views on things. That's understandable, if sometimes frustrating.

 

What isn't, in my view, is that you have not been asked about any of this, or been told what has been done. Our discussions on blood work are pretty short these days, because we do the same thing every year. But each and every visit, someone--usually my vet but occasionally another staff member--always goes through the invoice with me.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

I've had blood work done on Sadie (actually a liver panel) at my insistence.

 

I don't care too much for my vet, but he does go over in detail anything we are going to do with the pups.

 

I would definitely have a heart to heart with the vet and if you don't feel better after talking to him than I would find another vet... but I'm on my third vet in three years so I might not be the best one to give advice on that.

 

Wanted to add, about Sadie's bloodwork. It's not acceptable in my mind that a vet wouldn't explain the tests beforehand or tell you what you're going to test for. That is just absolutely unacceptable to me.

[Guest Energy11]

There ARE some vets that are out to make money. They will suggest testing that isn't necessary, and if you agree to it, they'll do whatever they can.

But, of course, there are a lot of good ones, too.

 

Just ask a lot of questions, and maybe do a little research before getting a lot of tests. I do know that a senior blood panel cost a lot more than a standard one ... it tests for everything.

 

I like the vet I see here, but she suggested an expensive ATCH Stimulation test for Cushings for my Curfew, who we think has a brain tumor. I went over everything with Dr. Couto, and he said, "I would not do it ... " That made up my mind, and I just told my vet, I decided against it.

 

Just like with human docs, you can question whatever they do ... I worked with a lot of human docs, who I wouldn't take my worst enemy to.

 

Good luck with everything. Maybe it is time to see a new vet??

 

 

[Trudy]

I'd get bloodwork done on the one that hasn't had it done.

Then not do bloodwork until you actually need bloodwork for anybody else.

 

Jet hasn't had bloodwork done in a long time and I'm ok with that.

Ryan was a pincushion 2 years ago and hasn't had anything done since - I'm ok with that too.

 

 

I have no idea what T's had done, but if they snip snip him, he'll have bloodwork done before that.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Mone don't get bloodwork done unless there is some reason, like something the vet is looking for, or pre-surgical. Frank has only had it done twice since I have had him and no for Chelsa. My vet charged different prices for bloodwork according to what is being tested for; but a full panel work up I think was around $150.

[Guest KennelMom]

Doesn't your vet give you an itemized print out? I always look that over if I'm bringing in several pups to have various this and thats done just to double check. Our, by default, won't do bloodwork on an annual check up. On seniors they'll ask if we want it...but not always.

 

I try to have a baseline blood panel run every 2 years or so on each dog. Once a year on the seniors over 10 or so. I just like to have a baseline in case anyone gets sick....it's helpful to know what is "normal" for a particular dog. Ours offers pre-surgery blood panel for $30, which is a great bargain and checks everything except HW and thyroid.

Edited May 15, 2009 by KennelMom

[Hollis]

results in......

 

 

WBC low at 3.6. Normal range for this site is 4.0 to 15.5. Tanner has always run low so no real concerns there.

T4 low at 0.3. Normal range 1.0-4.0. She wants to run a "free T4 by equilbrium". I asked her if this was low for DOGS or low for GREYHOUNDS. She couldnt answer me. So I turn to you all for that answer.

 

And the one she didnt mention is his platelet count is low at 96. Normal range is 170-400. She said NOTHING about this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help???

 

 

 

[Guest Energy11]

Normal GH Blood Values ... hope this helps!

 

 

Suzanne Stack, DVM

 

 

Greyhound bloodwork has enough differences from "other dog" bloodwork to sometimes make it deceivingly "normal" or "abnormal" if one isn't familiar with these differences. The salient differences are discussed below.

 

CBC = Complete Blood Count

 

RBC = Red Blood Cells

 

Hgb = Hemoglobin

 

PCV / HCT = Packed Cell Volume / Hematocrit

 

WBC = White Blood Cells

 

Platelets

 

 

NORMAL VALUES FOR:

Greyhounds Other Dogs

 

RBC: 7.4 - 9.0 5.5 - 8.5

 

Hgb: 19.0 - 21.5 12.0 - 18.0

 

PCV: 55 - 65 37 - 55

 

Greyhounds have significantly more red blood cells than other breeds. This elevates parameters for RBC, hemoglobin, and PCV / HCT, and is the reason greyhounds are so desirable as blood donors. Most veterinarians are aware of this difference. Never accept a diagnosis of polycythemia - a once-in-a-lifetime-rare diagnosis of pathologic red cell overproduction - in a greyhound.

 

Conversely, never interpret a greyhound PCV in the 30's - low 40's as being normal just because it is for other dogs. A greyhound with a PCV in the 30's - low 40's is an anemic greyhound. Here in Arizona, a greyhound PCV < 50 is a red flag to check for Ehrlichia.

 

WBC

 

Greyhound: 3.5 - 6.5

 

Other dog: 6.0 - 17.0

 

Other greyhound CBC changes are less well known. The greyhound's normally low WBC has caused more than one healthy greyhound to undergo a bone marrow biopsy in search of "cancer" or some other cause of the "low WBC."

 

Platelets

 

Greyhound: 80,000 - 200,000

 

Other dog: 150,000 - 400,000

 

Likewise, greyhound platelet numbers are lower on average than other breeds, which might be mistakenly interpreted as a problem. It is thought that greyhound WBCs, platelets, and total protein may be lower to physiologically "make room" in the bloodstream for the increased red cell load.

 

Confounding these normally low WBC and platelet numbers is the fact that Ehrlichia, a common blood parasite of greyhounds, can lower WBC and platelet counts. So if there is any doubt as to whether the WBC / platelet counts are normal, an Ehrlichia titer is always in order. The other classic changes with Ehrlichia are lowered PCV and elevated globulin and total protein. But bear in mind that every greyhound will not have every change, and Ehrlichia greyhounds can have normal CBCs.

 

Chem Panel

 

T.P. = Total Protein

 

Globulin

 

Creatinine

 

T4

 

NORMAL VALUES FOR:

T.P. Globulin

 

Greyhound: 4.5 - 6.2 Greyhound: 2.1 - 3.2

 

Other dog: 5.4 - 7.8 Other dog: 2.8 - 4.2

 

Greyhound total proteins tend to run on the low end of normal - T.P.s in the 5.0's and 6.0's are the norm. While the albumin fraction of T.P. is the same as other dogs, the globulin component is lower.

 

Creatinine

 

Greyhounds: .8 - 1.6

 

Other dogs: .0 - 1.0

 

Greyhound creatinines run higher than other breeds as a function of their large lean muscle mass. A study at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine found that 80% of retired greyhounds they sampled had creatinine values up to 1.6 times as high as the top of the standard reference range for "other dogs." As a lone finding, an "elevated creatinine" is not indicative of impending kidney failure. If the BUN and urinalysis are normal, so is the "elevated" creatinine.

 

T4

 

Greyhounds: .5 - 3.6 (mean 1.47+/- .63)

 

Other dogs: 1.52 - 3.60

 

These figures are from a University of Florida study of thyroid function in 221 greyhounds - 97 racers, 99 broods, and 25 studs - so it included both racers and "retired." While greyhound thyroid levels are a whole chapter unto themselves, a good rule of thumb is that greyhound T4s run about half that of other breeds.

 

Urinalysis

 

And lastly, the good news - greyhound urinalysis is the same as other breeds. It is normal for males to have small to moderate amounts of bilirubin in the urine.

 

 

 

 

[Remolacha]

I think I'd be looking for a new vet. However good they may be at vetting, they (I gather from your earlier emails, this is a group and you see different Drs.)are not good at communicating! My vet always explains to me what she suggests we do, and why, and will go over the results of any tests.

 

I can't help you interpret the numbers, I'm no good with that sort of thing, but lots of others on GT are.

 

 

 

 

[Guest LindsaySF]

Do they give you an itemized receipt? I always look mine over.

 

It doesn't sound like the vet you saw is familiar with Greyhound bloodwork. Those values you mentioned all seem normal for Greyhounds. Are you using the vet on route 69 still?

 

I just had an issue at my vet recently. They added a new doc fresh out of vet school, and she doesn't seem that familiar with Greyhounds. She insisted on doing a free T4 for Honey because her value was 1.0 (I requested the initial bloodwork because Honey is losing hair). I argued that 1.0 was normal for Greyhounds, but she wasn't buying it. Anyway, I decided to go ahead with the test because we're not sure how much Greyhound Honey has in her, but it probably was not necessary.

 

 

 

~Lindsay~