Help with diagnosis, vet stumped - ITP? AIHA? Neurological? (outdoorschik)

I wish I had an answer but this is all I can offer

WBC-The body's primary means of fighting infection. Decreased levels may indicate an overwhelming infections (viruses), or drug / chemical poisoning

RBC-Responsible for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. Iron deficiency will lower RBC count. In more reduced count, it may indicate hemorrhage, parasites, bone marrow disease, B-12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency or copper deficiency. RBC lives for 120 days so an anemia of any kind other than hemorrhage indicates a long standing problem.

HGB-The essential oxygen carrier of the blood. Decreased levels indicate the presence of hemorrhage, anemia, iron deficiency. Increased levels indicate higher than normal concentrate of RBC, B-12 deficiency (because there are fewer cells).

HCT-or Packed Cell Volume (PCV) - Provides information on the amount of red blood cells (RBC) present in the blood. Decreased levels means anemia from hemorrhage, parasites, nutritional deficiencies or chronic disease process, such as liver disease, cancer, etc. . Increased levels are often seen in dehydration.

PLT-Play an important role in blood clotting. Decrease in number occurs in bone marrow depression, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, systemic lupus, severe hemorrhage or intravascular coagulation. Increased number may occurs with fracture or blood vessel injury, or cancer.

GLU-High levels can help diagnose diabetes and can indicate stress, excess of the hormone progesterone, an overactive adrenal gland. Low levels can indicate liver disease, tumors or abnormal growth on pancreas, an underactive adrenal gland.

GLOB-Decreased levels indicate problems with antibodies, immunodeficiency viruses or risk of infectious disease. Increased levels may indicate stress, dehydration or blood cancer, allergies, liver disease, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes.

I hope this helps you maybe understand some of the blood work. Because my dog has IMHA I would of course worry about that.

Oh gosh....is this one of yours? 

EHRLICHIOSIS.....first thing that came to mind when i saw the leukopenia with marked neutropenia and lymphocytosis AND thrombocytopenia!   AND the neuro symptoms your describing kinda match the disease i think.

I'd have her on doxycycline asap just in case until tick diseases are ruled out.

The painfull abdomin and crying is kinda throwing me for a loop though.  Might have to consider things like leukemia or other viral infctions (parvo.corona).

Company at the door...gotta run.

Oh....and you probably already know this but with platelets that low i'd be super super carefull with her.  The smallest of bumps or cuts could be potentially dangerous.  Spontaneous bleeding would be a concern.

IF it is immune mediated then you might be better treating with cyclosporine.  Shows better results when pancy is involved...especially if it's at the bone marrow level.

Natasha & Johnny -- let me introduce you to Outdoorschik (she's actually a long-time friend of mine and it was she who got ME to I-Dog years ago!)

Outdoorschik lost a dog to IMHA about hmmm almost 3 years ago?  And actually Snickers had Evan's (low platelets *and* anemia) so the fact that the platelets and crit are low is NOT good news to this lady.

However -- I'm thinking 2-3 different things

1.  She could have carried a low grade version of tick disease since the fall.  It's not uncommon for a dog to have it for a long time before anyone knows.  Particularly if the dog has a strong constitution and her body has been attempting to fight this off on its own (like she may have actually been immune b/c of prior exposure to ticks so she may have had some antibodies to various types of tick disease that were similar enough to help fight it off).

2.  The pain could be from various things -- tick disease causes various types of pain and it depends on what TYPE of tick disease. 

3.  Ticks are, if I'm not mistaken, dormant in the winter -- so it could simply be that there's been a tick hanging around dorman in the kennels that she got exposed to -- PLUS you've had that blue tick hanging around bringing in whatever (and he could be a southern dog up to visit?)

This is a darned good description from one online source:  "

4.  The gut pain could be from something like gastro-enteritis -- Luna had that last year and man -- she's my stoic, never anything wrong girl and that morning she couldn't even walk she was in so much pain.

BUT -- I'm thinking that the gastro problems could literally be caused from *stress* because she's hurting and feeling bad elsewise.  Altho you aren't seeing anything in the bloodwork to indicate that the body is fighting back here.

5.  Is there ANY Possibility she's gotten into rat poison/warfarin?  That can cause lameness/stumbling and the anemia/low platelets (often actual internal bleeding)

6.  You could simply be catching IMHA/IMT very early.  Which makes it more treatable. 

calliecritturs

Outdoorschik lost a dog to IMHA about hmmm almost 3 years ago?  And actually Snickers had Evan's (low platelets *and* anemia) so the fact that the platelets and crit are low is NOT good news to this lady.

I knew this!  I've read quite a bit of stuff on this site already....especially in regards to these diseases!  Plus i've seen you both talk about it quite often!  

ETA:  I should have looked where you were before saying Ehrlichia...lol.  I just checked a tick map and lyme is much more prevelent in you area!

She called me just before she posted so I've had a few hours to think about what it could be -- but I told her "I hope John posts -- he's better at bloodwork than most any of us!"  I figured you'd pick up on that ... but until I got to thinking about it tonight I didn't realize how long it had been since Snicker's crossed the Bridge.

The bloodwork kinda throws me away from lyme i think but perhaps my memory is bad...espeially lately!   lol  I can't focus for sh!t lately!!!

calliecritturs

Is there ANY Possibility she's gotten into rat poison/warfarin?  That can cause lameness/stumbling and the anemia/low platelets (often actual internal bleeding)

Funny well not really funny but funny that you say that because for some reason a her getting into a poison was actually my first thought as I was looking at bloodwork and what different things mean.... hum.

If she were having any internal bleeding though would it show up on an xray??

Thanks all... I really appreciate it. Yep this is one of mine. SueBee - we've had her for 4 years. She has travelled across the country and to Southern NH before that. Poison is pretty much a not possible. She lives outside with the sled dogs... and she's in the middle of the group. So she couldn't get to any and if someone threw some in, she's the last likely candidate.

I will ask the vet about tick diseases and doxy.

Of course IMHA and platelet disorder are where I jump first b/c of Snickers. When I do google searches of the blood result (like anemia and low WBC and low platelets) I get leukemia as a result.

Hi there!  Yeah, I think around here because MOST dogs will test positive for Lyme they don't treat unless the dog is showing symptoms.  Our area is off the charts bad for tick disease(s).  But, definately have them check for anaplasmosis (which is also on the SNAPP test they do) because thats the one Willow was MOST sick with.  We didn't even know she had Lyme.  And, she did tons of stumbling and tripping over her own paws with it. 

How is she today?  I bet the Prednisone is making her thirsty and hungry!

She's worse today terms of loss of balance, inability to control her walking/paws, etc. She is eating and her tummy feels better. She passed a lot of wood chips which explains the belly discomfort. I'm a little upset since they have not called me back yet and I left a message with the tech at 8AM saying, tell the vet "xyz" and tell me if they want me to have someone bring her in. If I can't get them to test her for tick diseases again today or put her on doxy, I will be making an appointment tomorrow with a different vet :( They are coming out tonight for a farm call so they may want it to wait til then, I don't know. frustrated... i'm not good at waiting.

Johnny&Tessy

ETA:  I should have looked where you were before saying Ehrlichia...lol.  I just checked a tick map and lyme is much more prevelent in you area!

I'd look at Babisiosis and anaplasma (formerly known as ehrlichiosis)--and I'd look at the different types of anaplasma seen in NE. These two are much worse than Lyme (IMHO) and the second is one that Frisby had (plus Lyme). All three are common in NE, though Lyme is still the most common. (On our island, when we get tested for Lyme, we actually get tested for all three automatically b/c they are all so common.

I also wondered about brain stuff because of some of the other symptoms. I'll try to write more in a bit. Have no computer/internet access at home now, so I'm trying to get on at work when I can.