Re: Brissle Update - Good News and Bad News

[Lernermichelle]

Kyle,       I am at a loss to understand why your vet thinks it's cancer in the bone marrow.  First, if she has cancer (it would be lymphoma) in the bone marrow, that would have been causing the anemia and it would NOT have gone away from Immuno-regulin and VO. A transfusion might have helped a little, but it would not have made her hematocrit improve that amount for that many weeks.  When lymphoma in the bone marrow causes anemia, it is because it takes up space in the bone marrow that is usually used to make red blood cells. Without killing off the lymphoma, you can not increase production of red blood cells. Transfusions increase red blood cells artificially by adding them in, but red blood cells do  not live that long and so a transfusion can not increase HCT that much or for very long in a cat whose bone marrow is so compromised that red blood cell production is down to the point that HCT is 9.7.  I am not a doctor, but after going through what I went through with Simon, who had lymphoma in his bone marrow, I am pretty positive I am right on this.  Second, when lymphoma takes over bone marrow, it also compromises white blood cell production, and so causes WBC count to go down, not up.  For these two reasons, I really doubt she has lymphoma.  By all means, though, I would take her to a specialist, an internist or an oncologist.  I would probably go to an internist, because that person would be more likely to tell what else is going on if it is not cancer.        I have no idea what L/M stands for.  But to me, it sounds like she could have hemobartonella-- was she screened for that? It can sometimes be hard to detect.  That can be combatted with dox, which I think you had Brissle on?, and I would think also the immune stimulants you gave her (I-R and VO), and because it behaves like an infection if it is not entirely gone it would make WBC go up (infections do that) while suppressing HCT (because it kills red blood cells).        Again, I would take her to an internist. They are usually at hospitals and places called veterinary referral centers. I could be talking out my ear, but I have learned a lot about lymphoma and anemia, through unfortunate means, over the last few years, and what you wrote your vet said makes no sense to me.   Michelle   In a message dated 4/7/05 6:50:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I just spoke with my vet after Brissle's blood tests from today. The good news: Her HCT is now 21.3%, up from 9.7% five weeks ago. The bad news: Her WBC is now 36.8, up from 17.3 (normal is 5.0 to 18.9). And her L/M is now 24.4 (normal is 1.5 to 7.8), up from 9.0. Both of these numbers are off the chart. My vet said that all signs point to cancer and he's strongly recommending sending Brissle to a specialist for chemo. He said that her glands felt normal. He believes that the cancer is in the bone marrow. Everything else seems normal at this point. She's eating fine, energy is good. I will probably go ahead with the chemo. Just wanted to hear what the peanut gallery thought. I'm also wondering how much it costs and how often you have to go. Thanks! -Kyle