Low On Some Blood Levels

[christinepi]

Ca 6-7 weeks ago, Tracker started slowing down pretty suddenly. He's 6. He just isn't that into his 2 40 minute walks/day anymore, and sometimes turns around to go back home on his own after just 15-20 minutes. His new energy level has been consistent, meaning there's been no further downward trend. He still ADORES going with the dog walker, though, though I switched to one who takes him for shorter walks than before, but still, the walks are longer than what he does with me. He still loves to do zoomies, too, almost the same as before. Ca 4 weeks ago we did a thyroid panel with Michigan, came back on the low end of normal, but no recommendation for drugs. Then, a week ago, I did a CBC, chemistry, urinalysis, stool, and tick panel. CBC:

 

RBC: 6.52

HGB: 18.0

HCT: 50.9.

 

Everything else came back normal/negative.

 

14 months ago, he also slowed down some, though he rebounded. We did a CBC then, with the following results:

 

RBC: 7.93

HGB: 19.8

HCT: 54.0

 

He's on regular Heartgard meds. I haven't dewormed him for anything else in a year, maybe. Should I do this?

 

The vet heard a heart murmur last week, for which we'll take him to a specialist shortly.

 

Lastly, when they took blood from his neck for the thyroid panel 4 weeks ago, this left him with a bruise like nothing I've ever seen before. It was a big area, furiously red. It took almost 6 days to go away. However, when a different vet took a sample from the same spot last week, there was no bruising whatsoever. Not sure what this means.

 

I think I'll contact OSU for this, too, but wanted to get input from the forum as well.

[christinepi]

Forgot to add that the platelets in 2013 were 165,000, and in 2012 107,000. ?

[JJNg]

The bloodwork results you posted look pretty normal, and I don't think the changes are necessarily significant. But it wouldn't hurt to run a full tick-borne disease panel to make sure. I would definitely get his heart checked out - are you seeing a cardiologist for an echo (heart ultrasound)? Bruising after a blood draw isn't usual. Sometimes the site isn't held off long enough, and sometimes it just happens. If the dog moves during the blood draw, is nervous, or pulls on a leash afterward, it's more likely to bruise.

[christinepi]

I did the full tick panel thing and it was all negative. He had Babesia before adoption, but was treated for it and has been negative since then, when tested.

 

I'll see a cardiologist, yes, for an ultrasound.

 

Glad to hear the bruising seems normal, and that his numbers don't seem too low!