Michelle and Doodle
Active Member
I just got Doodle's latest labwork back and there's good news and bad news -- and of course more questions.
The good news is that his blood pressure is down to 155 and the spironolactone seems to be helping.
sodium = 153 (147 - 156)
potassium = 3.9 (3.9 - 5.3) (and he's only been getting 7mEq)
Bad news is that his kidney values have deteriorated a bit more.
BUN = 50 (15 - 34)
Creatinine = 3.7 (0.8 - 2.3)
Phos. = 4.8 (3.0 - 7.0) - up from 3.0 for the last couple of years
My vet thinks it's time to start a phos binder and says that these results confirm kidney "failure".
She said it also probably means that the hyperaldosteronism is secondary - but that it won't hurt to go ahead and test his level again (which of course I plan to do)
The other bad news (I think) is that my vet is moving out of the state. (her husband is military)
So now I have to find someone else to do a follow-up ultrasound on Doodles adrenal glands -- and apparently, on his liver. ??
(I guess no one else there is trained to do ultrasounds)
When he had his ultrasound done on June 7th my vet mentioned a "liver cyst" and noted an "area of grape-like echogenicity along the margin medial and ventral to the stomach" -- at the time she said it wasn't something to really worry about.
But just a few hours ago, on the phone, she said to make sure to follow up on the "concerning area of his liver"
SO now I'm a little freaked - I guess I had convinced myself it wasn't "concerning".
So my questions are
1.) do I actually need to start a binder yet?
2.) does anyone else have any experience or knowledge of a liver with "grape-like echogenicity" - like what could that mean?
And 3.) is this something that needs to be looked at this weekend? or can it wait?
The good news is that his blood pressure is down to 155 and the spironolactone seems to be helping.
sodium = 153 (147 - 156)
potassium = 3.9 (3.9 - 5.3) (and he's only been getting 7mEq)
Bad news is that his kidney values have deteriorated a bit more.
BUN = 50 (15 - 34)
Creatinine = 3.7 (0.8 - 2.3)
Phos. = 4.8 (3.0 - 7.0) - up from 3.0 for the last couple of years
My vet thinks it's time to start a phos binder and says that these results confirm kidney "failure".
She said it also probably means that the hyperaldosteronism is secondary - but that it won't hurt to go ahead and test his level again (which of course I plan to do)
The other bad news (I think) is that my vet is moving out of the state. (her husband is military)
So now I have to find someone else to do a follow-up ultrasound on Doodles adrenal glands -- and apparently, on his liver. ??
(I guess no one else there is trained to do ultrasounds)
When he had his ultrasound done on June 7th my vet mentioned a "liver cyst" and noted an "area of grape-like echogenicity along the margin medial and ventral to the stomach" -- at the time she said it wasn't something to really worry about.
But just a few hours ago, on the phone, she said to make sure to follow up on the "concerning area of his liver"
SO now I'm a little freaked - I guess I had convinced myself it wasn't "concerning".
So my questions are
1.) do I actually need to start a binder yet?
2.) does anyone else have any experience or knowledge of a liver with "grape-like echogenicity" - like what could that mean?
And 3.) is this something that needs to be looked at this weekend? or can it wait?
