The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

It seems the older our cockers get the more tiny "things" pop up. With my dogs, I usually watch the area or wait until there are more than one before putting them under. My vet always keeps an eye on them and of course if they grow they are seen and receive treatment. Tucker has a couple and we decided not to put him under until this summer due to his being not healthy after pancreatitis. He has just in the last month or so become his old self jumping up on me and being a merry boy.

Deborah Chloie is a young dog.

Dawn the high white cells won't have any effect on the anesthesia or recovery. However, do they have any idea why it's so high in the first place? It indicates a very intense infection going on. That's is incredibly high, and I don't think it has anything to do with that mass unless it's an abscess forming, which it doesn't look like at all. What was the rest of her CBC results do you know?

Hi Dawn!

First of all, let me say I'm so sorry to hear that Miss Chloie Pearl is under the weather! Please give her extra lovin' from me!

Second, I have to tell you that I'm not so much buying that her ears are the culprits in the very high WBC. When I read your post, my immediate gut reaction was- "Uh, No! That 's not it."

I think my reaction is based my experiences with the fosters, taking cockers to the vet who had "roaring" ear infections, and their WBC's were "just slightly off normal" not crazy high like Chloie's is now.

So, in a nutshell, I'm glad you're treating her ears, but I suspect there is something more going on.

My suggestion would be to have her tested for tick borne diseases again. I know you have lots of 4-footed critters that use your yard for access to and from the open space. I've heard several times this summer that erlichiosis is rising rapidly here in the Bay area, and lyme has been a concern for several years now.

I know you and Kevin will keep following the trail until you get it solved. Best of luck, and please keep asking questions and sharing with us!

Dawn I am sorry Chloe is on the sick side. I saw the picture of the growth on Chloe's back. Let me tell you my holly has about 2 of those. One on her chest that is been there for the last 3 years and one on her right hind leg more or less 4 months. The get also removed some lipomas from her chest that came back. I have left those growth alone just kept an eye. Holly has a tendency to grow warts all over including on her paws. I also left them alone and they go away. I am not sure since when this growth been around. I will just keep an eye, you even said since the antibiotics the growth is getting smaller. The white blood cells count is high that means infection. Unless the growth has an abscess or necrotic tissue then I will removed it but high white count and surgery in top of it will be a means for more infection as there will be an open area. Dogs tend to heal fast but ask the vet if is necessary to remove the growth no or wait. Another thing you mentioned she needs a teeth cleaning. Check her mouth well look for abscess or teeth that are loose. The mouth is the first window to the world and one of the first route for infection. Please keep us posted. Keep an eye on the growth.

I'm sorry you're going through this! However, I know that whatever is going on with Chloie, you will be diligent in finding out what is going on and getting her the best care possible. Hugs to all of you!

Hi Ladies,

First, thank you so much for your posts, concerns, ideas and possible causes for Chloie's high white cell count. Been researching ever since I have read these posts.

Chris, I do see that tick born disease can cause high WBC. From what I can see, as of now, she does not present any of the other symptoms. Since I will be discussing this with all Vets that I have had associations within the past. I will surely be asking about this possibility. My real concern is about their understanding of this situation. So, I will also be contacting our Internist at the Veterinary Hospital.

I do know that the Vet that treated Chloie last Friday will not be in the clinic till this coming Friday. So, I am not sure if there will be a way for me to discuss this with her. She did not seem to be very concerned and, as I stated before, she did mention Chloie's ear infections. But, I did not hit the alarm button. Even though I did realize that the values that she gave me were twice as high as normal. I was more concerned, at that time, about Chloie's surgery and how the WBC would reflect on that possibility. I wanted to just get this growth off of her neck.

Here is an article that I found regarding canine high white blood counts and the possibility of disease:

"Identification
•White blood cells are often referred to as leukocytes. Their normal value in a dog, according to Peteducation.com, range between 6,000 and 17,000 per microliter of the dog's blood.
Types
•There are several sub-types of white blood cells in a dog such as neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes. The blood test used to determine their numbers is called "differential white blood cell count."
Benefits
•A differential white blood cell count analysis will help the veterinarian determine exactly which white cells are elevated.
Causes
•The most common cause of elevated white blood cell count in dogs is infection. However, there may be other causes such as stress, allergies, auto-immune disorders, viral disease, parasitism, and some forms of cancer, such as lymphosarcoma or leukemia.
Considerations
In some cases, sending blood work to a pathologist may provide more information in difficult cases where an exact diagnosis cannot be determined based solely on physical findings and in-house lab work.

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Read more: What Are the Causes of High WBC in Dogs? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5766509_cause ... z223yAEvdC"

Frankly, the term "Auto-Immune Disorders" makes my knees nock!

Obviously, I will be delving into this much more deeply tomorrow. As for Chloie, today was just another day. Excepting she is getting more easy cheese because of the added pills. She is not showing any of the symptoms that have been discussed during my readings today. Of course, I have checked her gums and they are nice and "pink". I did make an attempt to measure this mass so I will have a baseline for tomorrow. I am still thinking that it looks to be a "little" smaller or less swollen.

Thanks again for alerting me to the possible problems that I had not considered as of yet. Now I am on alert!

Dawn

Hi Dawn, I'm sorry to hear about Chloie. It's always upsetting when we can't figure out what's going on with our babies.

I can tell you this, my Darby has had an extremely high WBC and neutrophil count for the past 4 years. Her wbc was 41,000 last month and hasn't been below 24,000 in the 4 yr. period. She has had surgery for an ACL repair during this period and she healed very quickly with no problems. So I don't think it should have a bearing on Chloie's surgery.

My common sense tells me that there should be a reason for the elevation but she has been tested for everything and no cause can be found. She has been on antibiotics several times and her WBC's remain elevated. Darby had blood sent to Dr. Dodds lab for testing and her WBC's were 37,000 at that time. Our vet discussed the high WBC's with Dr. Dodds and ,after hearing everything that was R/O as a cause, she said she would just watch her and wait for a cause to present itself. Darby does have Cushings, but the two issues aren't related. She had the abnormal WBC's 2 yrs. before the DX of Cushings. I'm constantly researching and trying to find an explanation. Darby is being checked every 2mo. and ,of course, more frequently if she just seems a little off. I trust our Vet and I certainly trust Dr. Dodd's opinion but it still makes me a little crazy not knowing what's causing the elevation.


Good luck with Chloie's surgery... I'll pray for a good outcome and speedy recovery!

Great news!

From one "Worrywart mommy" to another: Better that than some of the neglect-careless-ignorant cases I have seen working with rescue. Frankly, anything with blood cells makes me want to grab the dog and check its gums. It's now the first thing I do when a dog seems off. I had a wrestling match with my poor foster Peggy when she didn't get out of the crate Sunday morning and was listless. I dragged her out and pried open her mouth to look at her gums when it dawned on me that if she had IMHA she wouldn't be fighting me so hard! Turns out she has Bordatella--and is now on antibiotics.

Hope all turns out well for Chloie!

Sending good thoughts for Chloe.