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Interpreting Greyhound Blood Values


Guest b0at98

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We lost our greyhound in May and I'm still trying to understand what happened. I suspect acute pancreatitis but would like to better understand her blood analysis.

 

I thought she was in good condition for her almost 12 years. Lost a few kilos as she got older but still in good form and up for plenty of walks, didn't notice any lethargy (but she is a greyhound!). On Thursday, she had dinner, raw chicken with too much fat I think. The same evening she was panting, restless and very thirsty all night, adopting the praying position not wanting to lie on her side. The next day, her hind legs collapsed and we rushed to the vet where they took her blood and gave her IV fluids.

 

The vet took an ultrasound but did not see anything of note. Her blood showed high blood sugar levels and there was sugar in her urine so they administered insulin and reported that she was diabetic. By the afternoon she was gone.

 

Am I correct in thinking the hyperglycemia, anemia and elevated WBC shown in her blood test results suggest pancreatitis? There was no vomit or diarrhea that I know of (she could have taken herself through the dog door but I don't think she would have made it). She did not protest when I pushed on her abdomen. What I want to know is whether these blood test results could happen overnight or whether there was a long term issue I should have been aware of. (She did have a gurgly stomach which I thought was her digestion.) What am I missing?

 

I live in France where the vets are not familiar with greyhounds. I have another appointment with a different vet tomorrow and hope to discuss it with him so I would really appreciate anything you might be able to glean from her results (ignore the header, galgo Chester is registered with this vet, not greyhound Womble).

 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZZxxWXjgoPxwjLXEX7iBLR0N08Gfg5aB3ZbzBstYoWbz-z5l56_-HgLVxLZGgt5ZhJl2NLLRkIK07rXv6KRZ9C0UWeqrMVnIQ66WHVpgssJHYdM_VoLYg6j67jVg8X77KJMu4pXMRqfpmsTNyxoWoy-pzUJusDELan6o8aQeSNFnPgPL8ovyXgLPjfljT3AIouWI9tlN8uOdCs8wfflSa35umga2KhCoCwNC7vjgEBoam9y6axmdpQcGBUbIDaaOquFct9KZcSUGkX5bc9ajFLeMwL7MGHb0Cgt_ljIigzOmlsA01RVuYFGNJNzrlowTNXqL6mcQfY7P9f05X766i2PrOfzTuatrgDibcJqKeIvtZ7fGHlQQatkeaWXb8hvRKlQYrnW5_CcBJoX1QPDUKTHL5CMY80p2uGS7HaoO79XmOxA9HBZBdrakoBLqQrTW8Qes0-I2WV4BUEn_WAztooXLp-rIKiXPkAwOhWr6WADQgm6Sfpfz0gK2pgCqxxyZweLQf8bHWT03AfX5C4SkCXQC-7RgQ5tfr102-7CubAbHcqOWjsaosNSSlHhhstx16APtVBdjQYQgShHJr_G4spwEtJGYQeiAWCvx2Uo9fA=w447-h613-no

 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1lm6eJFfJYKD0HcMgSDwvWrWQrRmdMFIzAGcTg3WDdGf7kH2QGBCZOPY5og9Rmh7pxFeNBFlsLbN2Of68Fcu7zgBkK3YxwyDiRAjUPQsfI-7TcFlXGD9GlZNmAq60GtD1qfqHHSYBvIe2Io5OBTcNfqwdvYpgPBZB7f5enmbGUW-M6J4O9sB368LlHR81W6tvKVv6bzKdxQoK8YkmcKNfQ-rGu0zzucM6pve6AhlEdVNTx3PdQOkpgSVc6uKuJJXTTXJMR_EAh02dYL03xBvC5VXWNdsEF-0jHzi7nMBf_u9BILuyc60H-np6_z8AOsqjhD-WAFrQmP8T1ibj1mN33YBvfHvzkWU2E85E7oVySqGbGMR9JjYQDNGKFX2mQMjFuiz_9xjGXoRWoqwhoaorGnETXbU6PWHqhPN-EkYHzrkpuvCeORrB4dDbdm5M5hpZKxJ44_DohXlQeGsic-V6tP3-iS3F1O9CTglbNLK2pHOTkueUXxK1W38oY9WzYvv9dwJceKzD58m83BnZ0H-v7RuPvHYzxiTFvmEPrXEBCINk_4ZhRbZxjpgeFn_yApJvOlScRygB-GlbUbmExGsPQ0PGI0MafGJVWk9lefq3Q=w447-h613-no

 

My babies: Chester (left) Womble (right)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WDxRmXzoHEy2DoNYS1I-fLLNA50ty_Ix7ZhUnAVoDeTIHv-IM-lzxd3CVd3C37B73kWRGjyaQ38sMQRiH4sXbYwRDksuA4tKku256WHAyyyTrxDSRd5KdlyIprp_Z0_NGyoYeOz8dZZDUjutxD3D_O7uCIUUmMwkC9-4xfXxNDavY0RRXUua6_0kuZ-eKiGzNpbEgOM276AtUW7_xdoKHmHlZz2Jo-wXrOR8d7u7bxl3kM9XjhPqfsTWl-AksDubFInHvaIREv8z-wYJNt4Lse0aTu4g-M1OIoPrLn645RuNpB4x_gGbsylRnmgA_6UeE_V_MNE6FoffkTOqeaKKR9WHixBQflmLIHp8WSJP93CX0cKVW79DlvG6ADA31gHZjyWbujgPJQRd3j4GqSjRoU7pVIJzfTOhGzV-3ltjDgnXL5040F2q9dwXN8HZ9HI4J7Vf4vRCrtXoCyckSZsl-fHCVfF1ZFyZENacEw89xcRJ5kuo1EHRqBf9lF8JZH-3jGZ9n3VnDgVEKFES8Zx1FKM_9PrrHrorhxbIh36F3VLd3G_TzpGjYf6cEXaAJS2Bblm9bhgpJFpO1X9AmsDDr5pdLJelEjFJBLc7PF1NKA=w818-h613-no

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The links aren't working for me; I'm not sure if it's a privacy setting on your end or an issue on mine. Although I wouldn't be any help with blood values regardless, I wanted to mention this in case others with more medical knowledge can't view them either.

 

I'm very sorry for your loss and hope you find the answers you seek.

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Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig.
Missing gentlemen kitties MudHenry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly
 Sweep:heart

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b0at98, you can read about greyhound specific lab work here on Dr Stack's website. http://www.greythealth.com

 

Perhaps that will give you some insight on your girl.

 

NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto
Angels:  Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella),  Charlie the iggy,  Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt.

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Pancreatitis is diagnosed reliably by ultrasound, so if the ultrasound was done by a vet competent in the modality, then that probably rules it out. It can be diagnosed by bloodwork as well, though there is more margin of error, which is done with a Spec CPL. Generally pancreatitis dogs are not anemic unless they are having significant blood loss in diarrhea or vomit. They are also not usually hyperglycaemic because most of them are not eating and are vomiting. White blood cells can be elevated because of the inflammatory process. In my experience it would be very unusual for a dog with pancreatitis to not have any vomiting or diarrhea.

 

Sorry for your loss. :( I hope you can find some answers and some peace.

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

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Im sorry for your loss-clearly you loved your baby and losing them in such a manner is awful. Your links arent working for me either but, when looking at bloods with a dog with pancreatitis often the amylase and lipase will be elevated. Theres a very specific test that can be run-Idexx labs offer a Spec cPL® (canine pancreas-specifc lipase), however I am unaware if it or something similar is available in France.

Your hound may have a a low grade chronic case of pancreatitis that was on the brink of having an acute flair.

Edited to add-was able to open the latest link-very concerning that your dog was anemic yet regenerating -may be had a bleed.

Edited by tbhounds
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Thank you for your kind words.

 

I have read that the efficacy of ultrasound in diagnosing pancreatitis is questionable and the Spec cPL is a more reliable method, but unfortunately too late.

 

tbhounds, not sure what you mean by regenerating - the WBC count? Is it unusual to be anemic and have elevated WBC?

 

Research tells me hyperglycemia and anemia are commonly recognised in dogs with pancreatitis (if you believe what you read). But is it possible to achieve her levels overnight as a result of one meal? This would at least tell me whether there was a pre-existing issue.

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So, the vet also noted the regenerative anemia indicating internal bleeding. Thank you very much tbhounds for taking the time to look at the blood analysis. I'm almost sure it was pancreatitis. If anyone finds it helpful, I was able to identify many of the symptoms in this article:

http://www.vetfolio.com/emergency-medicine/diagnosing-acute-pancreatitis-in-dogs

I wish I had known the dangers of fat

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i always keep the greyhound health packet handy. it's at: http://www.medinavets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Greyhound-Health-Packet-2016.pdf

 

more info available at http://www.medinavets.com/library/

Edited by kronckew

 

Regards,
Wayne Kroncke

CAVE CANEM RADIX LECTI ET SEMPER PARATUS
Vegetarians: My food poops on your food.

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