Going to ask for some tests - What do you recommend?

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Spoke with them this morning and they said they would run an Fpli through Anatech. I asked why we couldn't do what I asked for through IDEXX they say it is the same thing. I told them if I brought them a different brand than what they asked for they would question me too. These are amazing friends I am dealing with at the hospital and I am frustrated that they don't understand my feelings. I guess I disregard their feelings too. I trust you all more then them right now and I'm sure that is galling.
 
Spoke with them this morning and they said they would run an Fpli through Anatech. I asked why we couldn't do what I asked for through IDEXX they say it is the same thing. I told them if I brought them a different brand than what they asked for they would question me too. These are amazing friends I am dealing with at the hospital and I am frustrated that they don't understand my feelings. I guess I disregard their feelings too. I trust you all more then them right now and I'm sure that is galling.
The test through Antech is absolutely NOT the same as the specfPL through IDEXX. Your vet might not have a contract to use IDEXX; mine does not but they work with a nearby vet who does and will send blood to IDEXX for them.

Any vet can send blood to Texas A&M to get a specfPL or GI Panel.


I am going to ask the Vet for the Specfpl test to see if my baby is hiding Chronic Pancreatitis. I am also going to ask for a liver panel. What other things come to mind that I should ask for? I appreciate your input.
Personally, I don’t think labs should be looked at in a vacuum unless you are only rechecking one thing that might have been off in very recent labs. When I have labs done, I have the Senior Panel (Antech) done as it gets everything (superchem, CBC, thyroid) for less than just doing a superchem which is liver & kidney related tests as well as electrolytes.
 
Any vet can send blood to Texas A&M to get a specfPL or GI Panel.

Personally, I don’t think labs should be looked at in a vacuum unless you are only rechecking one thing that might have been off in very recent labs. When I have labs done, I have the Senior Panel (Antech) done as it gets everything (superchem, CBC, thyroid) for less than just doing a superchem which is liver & kidney related tests as well as electrolytes.

Marjie and Gracie - Thank you for replying and so quickly! I hear you are gifted with lab work, so I appreciate your time. I am so glad you said that Texas A&M can do this. I have seen labs come back from them before so I know they can do this as an adjustment to my request. Something is elevating his numbers. It would really put my mind at ease to have this one thing off the list. They said they would do an ultrasound this time and a GI panel again. They have slow walked my requests for labs in the past including when I thought he was first diabetic. I took him to other vets and they too didn't think my instincts were right on infections and diabetes. I have no idea why they wouldn't play along because cost was not a factor. I was right both on the infections they "couldn't see" and the diabetes even though his tests were fine 2 weeks earlier. As it is multiple vets and 2 previous instances I am developing a sense of paranoia when they say, "Oh Sam that is just a Diabetic Cat thing. They are always a mess." I am just going to have to work harder on making them think these things are their ideas and perhaps not mention this Forum... :) because I cannot for the life of my figure out why I get push back. I don't do the "I told you so thing," and I am polite. I think it is a Cat thing honestly. Alright that turned into a ramble.

Thank you thank you thank you!
 
While you are getting tests done, make sure the vet has a look in his mouth. Infections/dentals needed are a common reason for higher numbers. As are urinary infections in diabetics. Like Marje, I get the full senior panel done (called geri panel here) and maybe a urinalysis too if it's been a while or if his peeing seems off.
 
Spoke with them this morning and they said they would run an Fpli through Anatech. I asked why we couldn't do what I asked for through IDEXX they say it is the same thing.
The IDEXX and TAMU (Texas A&M University are the same test:
" IDEXX Laboratories, in conjunction with Texas A&M University Gastrointestinal Laboratory then developed a monoclonal sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure feline pancreas-specific lipase (Spec fPL® Test)."
https://www.cuvs.org/sites/default/files/2017-06/AdvancesinInternalMedicineDiagnosticTesting.pdf
The ANTECH test is not the same.
"Precision PSL ▪ANTECH Diagnostics ▪NOT ‘traditional’ catalytic lipase assay ▪Novel catalytic assay for DGGR-lipase activity – Poor correlation 1,2-diglyceride assay with the DGGR-lipase ▪Reference range 8–26 U/L from 80 healthy cats ▪ Incorporated into routine biochemistry panel – Lower cost, increased availability ▪Agreement studies were published in cats*& dogs"
from middle slide on second page of https://www.cuvs.org/sites/default/...on Testing Pancreatitis and Leptospirosis.pdf
 
Marjie and Gracie - Thank you for replying and so quickly! I hear you are gifted with lab work, so I appreciate your time. I am so glad you said that Texas A&M can do this. I have seen labs come back from them before so I know they can do this as an adjustment to my request. Something is elevating his numbers. It would really put my mind at ease to have this one thing off the list. They said they would do an ultrasound this time and a GI panel again. They have slow walked my requests for labs in the past including when I thought he was first diabetic. I took him to other vets and they too didn't think my instincts were right on infections and diabetes. I have no idea why they wouldn't play along because cost was not a factor. I was right both on the infections they "couldn't see" and the diabetes even though his tests were fine 2 weeks earlier. As it is multiple vets and 2 previous instances I am developing a sense of paranoia when they say, "Oh Sam that is just a Diabetic Cat thing. They are always a mess." I am just going to have to work harder on making them think these things are their ideas and perhaps not mention this Forum... :) because I cannot for the life of my figure out why I get push back. I don't do the "I told you so thing," and I am polite. I think it is a Cat thing honestly. Alright that turned into a ramble.

Thank you thank you thank you!
You’re very welcome!
 
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