# Low red blood cell + very high reticulocytes



## kimouette (May 2, 2012)

I think my 11 year old Labrador is dying...
2 weeks ago we though he was starting to have arthritis since he had trouble getting up after he had lay down. Then walking started to look difficult, so I brought him to the vet.
The vet gave him an injection of cartrophen. He was starting to feel better. But 2 weeks later the same story occurred ( trouble walking and standing up). Brought him back to the vet, the vet gave him another injection and also asked me to give him Rimadyl. That seemed to make things worse : he started to have diarrhea, lost his appetite and puked several times a day.

Back to the vet again he did a complete blood count and analyse of his urine and feces. Most of his blood work looks fine except for his red blood cell (4.89 while normal is 5.50 to 8.50). Hematocrite also is low but very close to the low end of the medium range so not too bad. What is scaring me is the retic value : 366 while normal is 10 to 110!! The vet said nothing was wrong with his blood test results but I noticed that one only yesterday and now I'm scared! Why would he tell me that everything is fine if that result is so damn high?? Unless there's something I don't understand with this retic value?

The same day the vet told me to stop Rimadyl and give Deramax instead, plus some famotidine for his nausea, plus novo-sucralate for his stomach.

The dog kind of got his appetite back but I think it's related to the food change : I give him wellness core instead of royal canin scrap. But his legs and body in general didn't improve. It got worse to a point where he can't stand up, I have to use a belt to help him stand up, and walking seems to hurt,

I called the vet he now suspects a cancer...
Does anyone see something with all these info I gave?

Could it only be arthritis but with a stomach problem simply caused by the medicine?
Or does that retic value shows something important?
How can I rule out the cancer theory?
Any help will be greatly appreciated !


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

Did you question the vet about the high retic value. I don't know much about blood test at all so I hope some one that knows something will chime in. Have you tried giving any kind of supplement for arthritis? 

I'm not giving you hell or anything but I though you fed raw? I also am wondering how your ear problems are going, I am still at it sadly.


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## kimouette (May 2, 2012)

Geez I realise how hard it can be to follow my story! it's a complicated. That dog is a new member of the family. He was still on his old food and didn't seem to be interested in raw chicken so we decided to do the change gradually...

As for my dog with the ear problem, it's still not perfect but we are currently trying a restricted diet to test for allergies. The vet says that now that he only eats chicken (chicken rmb and chicken offals), 3 weeks later his ears didn't get worse. He said to keep on feeding only chicken cuz it's too soon to conclude anything, but for him, if I had continued feeding something he's allergic to, his ears would be a lot worse right now... Just like they always got after a few weeks without any treatment.
So I'm suspecting a beef allergy. Cuz horse is normally pretty hypoallergenic and fish, well I fed him fish only once a week.
We're still waiting for an improvement...


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I'm going to bump this again in hopes that someone that knows more about blood tests will see it. Hows your Lab doing today?

Well I think your like me and have a few dogs so it is kind of hard I have 4. Not all mine are on raw full time only 2 of them. I'm thinking of trying the Chinese herbs on Turtle for her ears but the little stink keeps getting into things she is not suppose to.

They have been better the last couple of days but this morning she is going at her hip so I am wondering if she is getting another hot spot.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i was going to ask how the dog was too.....sounds like anaemia......but not enough info.


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## kimouette (May 2, 2012)

It was a tumor, in his neck. 
High reticulocytes was not a symptom, I didn't understand everything the vet said, but it only meant that new red blood cells were about to be created or something like that... The high number was not a problem.
I was prepared to see arthritis on the X-rays but instead they found a tumor big enough to keep him from walking.
My little buddy now rests in peace...


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## July11 (Jul 7, 2011)

I'm so sorry for your loss. RIP little buddy.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i am very sorry for your loss.....


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss. At least he is not in pain any more. Keep us up on your ear problem as I am still dealing with this as well.


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