Re: please pray for Ember

[Nina]

I sent this yesterday, but it never showed up in my inbox.  I sent it off list to Lance, but I haven't heard from him.  Did anyone get this message?  I'm going to look through the posts I've saved on IR and see if I can find the post that Michelle's talking about.  It makes sense that it might boost wbc, depending on what is causing the problem. Big hugs and prayers to Lance and Ember, Nina Dearest Lance, I was just thinking about you and your kitties today, wondering how you guys were doing since we hadn't heard from you in a while.  This is not the sort of news I was looking for!  I wish I knew more about what the low wbc indicates.  It seems to me that you must have caught it quickly, (always a good thing), since Ember is feeling and looking good.  I think the TF couldn't hurt.  It's suppose to be an immune modulator, rather than booster.  What did your vet suggest to boost her wbc?  I'll keep checking around.  Hopefully our list members will have some advice for you. My prayers and thoughts are with you, Nina I did a quick search and found this: > WBC is an abbreviation for white blood cell count. These cells help fight infection and respond when an area of the body becomes inflamed. Elevated white blood cell counts indicate infection, inflammation and some forms of cancer or leukemia. Low white blood cells counts can indicate viral infections, bone marrow abnormalities or overwhelming infections and sepsis (blood poisoning). In this situation, the white blood cells are concentrated in the area of infection and are not circulating in the blood, resulting in a low count.> > There are several types of white blood cells in blood, including neutrophils (PMNs), lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. Lymphocytes are produced in lymph nodes throughout the body. The other white blood cell types are produced in the bone marrow along with the red blood cells and platelets. The majority of white blood cells in circulation are neutrophils, which help the animal fight infections. Neutrophils can be decreased in pets with bone marrow disease, in some viral diseases, and in some pets receiving cancer chemotherapy drugs. Neutrophils are increased in pets with inflammation or infection of any part of the body and in pets receiving prednisone or other cortisone-type drugs.  Lymphocytes also help fight infection and produce antibodies against infectious agents (viruses, bacteria, etc.). Lymphocytes may be increased in puppies and kittens with an infection, they can be decreased in pets who are severely stressed, and lymphocytes might be lost in some types of diarrhea. Certain drugs, such as prednisone (a cortisone-type drug) will decrease the number of lymphocytes in the blood stream.  Monocytes may be increased in pets with chronic infections. Eosinophils and basophils are increased in pets with allergic diseases, or parasitic infections (worms, fleas, etc.). > This was on a site talking about FIV cats.  I don't know if felv kitties have cyclical low wbcs or not:  >Some FIV–infected cats have recurrent illness interspersed with periods of relative health between episodes. In those cases, low white blood cell counts and anemia also appear to cycle, with episodes of low cell counts followed by recovery to nearly normal levels. However, the overall trend seems to be progressive, with cell counts dropping lower with each subsequent episode.> Lance wrote: I took Ember in today for a routine check with our allopathic vet.  She's been doing really well, though I wasn't sure about her weight.  It turned out that she's gained back the weight she lost from her  bout with diarrhea early in the Summer. She actually weighs more than  she ever did. Fat and happy! All seemed well. Unfortunately, the blood work told a different story. While Ember's  red blood cells are doing great, her white blood cell count is  extremely low. I think it was 3.6 or 3.7 (3600 or 3700), which is  almost half of what it was when she went in four months ago, and half  of what would be considered normal. Needless to say, I now know what  the phrase, "breaking out in a cold sweat" means, because I  experienced it right there as the vet was talking to me. I'd put it  in second place only to when I got the first positive FeLV test for  her. As, I'd guess, everyone here knows, it's a horrible feeling. I ask your prayers for my girl. Any advice you might have would also  be great. Up until the time of her diarrhea episode, I was giving her  Transfer Factor Feline Formula. I stopped it then, and we haven't  done it since. Should I look at the TF+ or TF Classic human formulas  instead? God bless you and all of your furry friends. Lance