Rose and Luluka having trouble getting accurate bloodwork
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Rose@...
Aloha Rose |
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Hi Rose,
As long as the vet froze your sample after centrifuging it, and kept it frozen it's ok to ship it weeks or even months later. But the insulin and ACTH could be artificially lowered if the samples weren't kept chilled then frozen for shipping. How Luluka is doing should also give you an indication of whether her insulin has come down on metformin. Once it's below about 80, signs of acute pain should go away, unless she has abscesses mobilizing. The glucose number can give you a good idea if the sample has degraded due to improper handling as it is much more sensitive. Glucose in a horse eating hay should be around 100, but anything from 90-100 is fine. Once glucose starts dropping into the 80s and especially the 70s you can suspect some sample handling issues. - 2021-08-05 bloodwork results.pdf: glucose is in diabetic range, likely due to inappropriate diet (not likely to have degraded so insulin and ACTH are accurate) - 2022-08-17 Luluka Bloodwork.pdf: glucose below the reference range so it has degraded significantly, meaning insulin and ACTH are likely artificially low - 2022-9-20.pdf: glucose is still ok so insulin and ACTH are probably good - 2022-10-13 Bloodwork.pdf: it's hard to read but glucose is in the 70s so the sample has degraded and ACTH and insulin are artificially lowered As for ACTH, the number would decrease, not increase, if sample handling is an issue. Her Oct 13 ACTH is very high. Given that September was normal and she is only 11 YO, I don't think I'd believe this result either. I wonder if the sample wasn't centrifuged and if that could explain an unusually high value? Dr Kellon? -- Kirsten and Shaku (EMS + PPID) and Snickers (EMS) - 2019 Kitimat, BC, Canada ECIR Group Moderator Shaku's Photo Album Snickers' Case History Snickers' Photo Album |
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Rose@...
Aloha I finally heard back from vet. She said the sample was spun down and frozen within 4 hours. (if it was, it was at the tail end of that time as she had told me she had 2 other clients after me and then the drive back to her home would have made it tight) She never admitting to forgetting to send the samples. She just said that as long as it is stored in the freezer and shipped on ice the results are accurate. Her response was that there is a seasonal fluctuation of hormone levels with increases in the fall. She typically likes to test in Spring for the most accurate results. At this point, if Luluka is continuing to do well, retest in spring. |
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