krissy Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Well, more potential medical woes for Summit it appears. I've had him in for a hemostasis study (the researcher is well aware of the breed's abnormalities but still wanted to include him for interest). His first blood draw was 3 weeks ago. Everything was normal except his steroid ALP was a tad high. I wasn't concerned because there had been gun shots going off a fair bit at the time and he is severely gun phobic. His blood pressure was also high but I pointed out he was a greyhound in the hospital, and without me there to boot. Tuesday he was back for his second blood draw. I saw the ophthomologist and we ended up diagnosing him with pannus. Anyway, his bloodwork and urinalysis came back and again his steroid ALP is a tad high and now his urine UPC is high too. He is happy, eating, active, peeing normally. Go figure. I'm bringing a new sample in tomorrow for a re-run. He had quite a few hard runs through the previous week so I'm hoping it's just due to all the exercise, but it's a little high even for that to be honest, so I'm hoping it was just a problem with the test or human error. If it's still high I have to work him up for glomerulonephritis. Everyone please cross fingers that it comes back normal. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Hugs and kisses for Summit! Hoping that it was just a human error. What exactly does a high ALP & urine UPC indicate? Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Oh, I hope he is OK... I hope it is just his running and what-not. My fingers are crossed and I'll keep your beautiful boy in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Hugs and kisses for Summit! Hoping that it was just a human error. What exactly does a high ALP & urine UPC indicate? ALP is a liver/gallbladder enzyme, but the steroid ALP is a version of the ALP enzyme that is induced by excess steroids. Stress can therefore cause it, but if it gets really high we start worrying about Cushing's. His isn't so high that it's glaringly Cushing's but it shouldn't be elevated without cause. UPC is urine protein:creatinine ratio. Creatinine is supposed to be found in high quantities in the urine, protein is not. If the ratio is high it indicates that the kidneys are allowing protein to slip through, which is really quite bad and if you let it go it'll progress to chronic renal failure. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpups Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Here's hoping everything is ok Quote Jan with precious pups Emmy (Stormin J Flag) and Simon (Nitro Si) and Abbey Field. Missing my angels: Bailey Buffetbobleclair 11/11/98-17/12/09; Ben Task Rapid Wave 5/5/02-2/11/15; Brooke Glo's Destroyer 7/09/06-21/06/16 and Katie Crazykatiebug 12/11/06 -21/08/21. My blog about grief The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Lots of good thoughts for your boy. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Take deep cleansing breaths & don't assume problems. Though to be honest when you got to elevated UPC my first thought was Lyme nephritis. Just remember that the more tests we do on seemingly normal dogs the more likely we are to find something out of range, even if it isn't abnormal for that dog. But, um... I'm just in accounting & truly don't know even to say... But listen to me anyway. It's likely not a major deal. fingers crossed here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Take deep cleansing breaths & don't assume problems. Though to be honest when you got to elevated UPC my first thought was Lyme nephritis. Just remember that the more tests we do on seemingly normal dogs the more likely we are to find something out of range, even if it isn't abnormal for that dog. But, um... I'm just in accounting & truly don't know even to say... But listen to me anyway. It's likely not a major deal. fingers crossed here I wouldn't be concerned except that his steroid ALP has been elevated twice now, and I have baseline bloodwork on him from last year so it's certainly not normal for him. I'm hoping it is just stress since it is mild. I am assuming the UPC is due to exercise. And to be honest, my first comment was that on the first urinalysis his creat was really high, and on the second the creat is really low... so my feeling is that the ratio is elevated because of differences in the creat not the protein. But the research doc checked with her supervisor and he's concerned as well, so now I feel like shrugging it off would be a little blase (excuse my lack of accent). I don't intend to REALLY worry unless tomorrow's rerun returns similar results. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goofydog Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Fingers crossed for human error or some other anomoly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 What was the UPC? I'm sure you're aware that GN is not uncommon with our retired racing gh's. Lucky for us it's a rather slowly progessive disease when compared to other breeds like Soft Coated Wheatens. GN can be ruled out by running a urine culture and repeating the UPC 3 times every 2 weeks (can we say hole in the purse?). I would also check your hounds blood pressure. Best of luck with the next u/a! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 What was the UPC? I'm sure you're aware that GN is not uncommon with our retired racing gh's. Lucky for us it's a rather slowly progessive disease when compared to other breeds like Soft Coated Wheatens. GN can be ruled out by running a urine culture and repeating the UPC 3 times every 2 weeks (can we say hole in the purse?). I would also check your hounds blood pressure. Best of luck with the next u/a! It was 0.3 3 weeks ago and 2.6 on Tuesday. UPC today is still pending. His pressures were high the last 2 times (Tuesday and 3 weeks ago), but they're always high in hospital and I'm pretty sure I can't convince them to let me take the Cardell home... if this was my private clinic back home I could probably convince them to let me take home a doppler for a night. If the UPC is still high today I'm running a culture next week when he comes in to see ophtho. I just didn't want to spend money or poke him in the bladder unless it's necessary. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 What was the UPC? I'm sure you're aware that GN is not uncommon with our retired racing gh's. Lucky for us it's a rather slowly progessive disease when compared to other breeds like Soft Coated Wheatens. GN can be ruled out by running a urine culture and repeating the UPC 3 times every 2 weeks (can we say hole in the purse?). I would also check your hounds blood pressure. Best of luck with the next u/a! It was 0.3 3 weeks ago and 2.6 on Tuesday. UPC today is still pending. His pressures were high the last 2 times (Tuesday and 3 weeks ago), but they're always high in hospital and I'm pretty sure I can't convince them to let me take the Cardell home... if this was my private clinic back home I could probably convince them to let me take home a doppler for a night. If the UPC is still high today I'm running a culture next week when he comes in to see ophtho. I just didn't want to spend money or poke him in the bladder unless it's necessary. Too bad you can't sneak the Doppler home-- I did for my girl and I was finally able to get sone good numbers- she gets the white coat syndrome bigtime!! Can you get his pressures while still in your car?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissy Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Yay! Summit's UPC came back totally normal. I'm sticking to my assumption that all the exercise he had and the collection not being first thing in the morning is what threw it off. Thanks for all the good thoughts guys. We really appreciate it. So glad there's nothing seriously wrong with my special guy. Still have to get his prescription for his pannus though... I don't think that's going away. Quote Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019 Like us on Facebook! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joejoesmom Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Yay! Summit's UPC came back totally normal. I'm sticking to my assumption that all the exercise he had and the collection not being first thing in the morning is what threw it off. Thanks for all the good thoughts guys. We really appreciate it. So glad there's nothing seriously wrong with my special guy. Still have to get his prescription for his pannus though... I don't think that's going away. I am so glad that his kidney's appear healthy. Now let's kick that pannus' butt (well I guess it really doesn't have a butt, but go ahead and kick it anyway). Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I am glad he is back to "normal". And hoping his pannus meds don't take too big of a bite out of your wallet :( and that he responds well to the meds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 for you Summit Quote Caroline, Mom to Daphne (49B-50215) and Penny (41D-55779)Remembering Bridge Angels Margo and Sabrina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Excellent news! Very glad for those results. Wish he didn't have pannus but better one prob than two. Now y'all have a good, worry free weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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