EnzaFerrari Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Background: The last three weeks or so, Enza started guzzling water. I went from one or two bowls to three or four a day and her output increased as well. She never had any accidents in the house, but if I came home late from work (8 hours tops), she'd knock me over trying to get to the door. There were a few mornings that she would wake me up at 3 AM or so to go out as well. Last weekend, she twice got up from a nap to empty a bowl of water so I figured it was a mild UTI. Her only other "symptom" was being extra demanding and whiney (more of a "get out of my spot on the sofa, lady" vs "I'm miserable and it's your fault"). I took her to the vet on Wednesday and they found no white blood cells or bacteria in her urine, but noted some bits of protein, it was highly concentrated (even though it was her third pee of the day), and it was highly alkaline. She had no fever and everything else looked fine. The vet suggested a full CBC blood panel sent to the outside lab. Everything came back normal and similar to her previous samples. She said the one "weird" thing was that Enza had very low blood platelets - low even for a greyhound. She suggested I come in tomorrow for another CBC to be run and she also mentioned doing another urine culture more high tech than what they do in the onsite lab. She had also asked me to track just how much water Enza was consuming and it's about 4-6 cups a day depending on if I drag her out for a hike or if it's hot. I guess that amount is within the normal range, just high for her. (And oddly enough, her obsession with water has calmed down the last few days.) Last year I did do a Snap Four and that was negative. As she looked through all of Enza's records (including the elusive limp), she did laugh and say, "The one thing that is consistent with Enza is that she is never normal". It's been suggested that it could be Babesia but any other thoughts would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Could be anything, including an artifact. I'd wait and see what the outside lab says. 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...
EnzaFerrari Posted May 19, 2012 Author Share Posted May 19, 2012 Could be anything, including an artifact. I'd wait and see what the outside lab says. I'm assuming you don't mean artifact like Indiana Jones..... (although it wouldn't surprise me). The previous CBC was done at an outside lab but she didn't rule out lab error because the reading was so "weird". (I hate that word right now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I'd wait and see what the other CBC says too. All of my dogs had a urine pH slightly higher than normal...our vet just concluded that it's either due to their food or the water at my house since all 6 of the pups came up similarly Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Artifact in this case usually = clumped platelets. Platelets like to do that, it's what they're designed for . Automated cell counters think clumped platelets are something else, such as white blood cells. So you get extra white blood cells and fewer platelets. The lab *should* note that, if that is what occurred. 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...
tbhounds Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Greyhound platelets are like teenage girls-- they love to hang out together = clumping (FYI cats do the same thing). If the repeated CBC has the same result your vet will have to request a manual count performed. One thing that we always do when submitting whole blood for a CBC is to make a blood smear for the lab -as "clumping" is almost a given with these Ghs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvAPuppy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Cat platelets are Terrible for clumping! The outside lab should be doing a manual count on every slide anyway, we always did. Every. Single. Slide. And there should be a canned note if there was noted clumping or anything else odd. Quote Angie, Pewter, and Storm-puppy Forever missing Misty-Mousie (9/9/99 - 10/5/15)Fort Wayne, Indiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Find out how much protein is in the urine and if necessary, repeat the test. Things may have changed in the last decade or so but, in my day it was never normal to get protein in the urine. If there is protein in the urine, start reducing the %protein that you feed for a few months and then retest as sometimes this will clear up after some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Find out how much protein is in the urine and if necessary, repeat the test. Things may have changed in the last decade or so but, in my day it was never normal to get protein in the urine. If there is protein in the urine, start reducing the %protein that you feed for a few months and then retest as sometimes this will clear up after some time. Agreed- never ever dismiss proteinuria. Whenever protein is found in the urine (assumming it was a clean catch and no blood present) a UPC should be run. Depending on that result will determine whether your hound needs to be on medication such as enalapril and aspirin. In the OP's case it sounds like the protein found may have been a trace amount in a concentrated sample so while it should still be followed up with it is less concerning than finding a lot of protein in a dilute sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnzaFerrari Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 Everything came back normal so we will wait and see how she does. But good to know nothing is seriously wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissn333 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Quote Kristin in Moline, IL USA with Ozzie (MRL Crusin Clem), Clarice (Clarice McBones), Latte and Sage the IGs, and the kitties: Violet and Rose Lovingly Remembered: Sutra (Fliowa Sutra) 12/02/97-10/12/10, Pinky (Pick Me) 04/20/03-11/19/12, Fritz (Fritz Fire) 02/05/01 - 05/20/13, Ace (Fantastic Ace) 02/05/01 - 07/05/13, and Carrie (Takin the Crumbs) 05/08/99 - 09/04/13. A cure for cancer can't come soon enough.-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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