ACCUTE PANCREATITIS OR PLE???

[JanisM13]

I asked about PLE but guess no one has that information? After reading online about both...it now seems possible
there is yet another problem this might be...(?) we have a limited amount of "good" veterinarians here,I understand
no one can diagnose but wondering if someone has some general information that might offer insight?

I have a 10 yr. old neutred Yorkie,Monday he had loose stools,low
appetite,lethargic but drinking normal,urinating normal,I thought an
upset stomach,temp. was normal although buy Tuesday his breathing
was more rapid, increased breathing was for 8 hours then was normal.
Tuesday night he did not sleep but sat up all night( so did I) his breathing
was better but he did shake off and on ( pain?) Wednesday into his vet
large blood work test was done,temp still normal but vet stated he was
"tender" when he palpitated his stomach...I was worried when I saw
his BUN was 48.7~ Amylase 2500~ though his Lipase was 141~ his
protein 5.6~albumin 2.5~ all other levels were within normal ranges.
Vet said since he is a mid-age Yorkie he has
PLE (although he has had no other stated symptoms)this is his first time
with this and none of his parents or siblings ( I have 5 here) had any
symptoms~ his dam is now 15-1/2 yrs~sire is 14-1/2 yrs...after reading
he sounds like he had a accute inflammation of the pancreatitis..he is
taking 1-50mg.Metronidazole per day/ 1-Prednisolone 5mg.twice a day
also on 1.25 mg`1/8 tablet twice a day of Vetmedin for enlarged heart.
He weighs 3.2 pounds..his 2 -1/2 sisters are 8 and 9 his brother from
the same litter is also 10 years..nine have symptoms of PLE although
his mom did have Pancreatitis when she was around 4 years old,has
not had since...diagnosis was by this same veterinarian.

[JanisM13]

Hi Tony thank you for your reply.
We did have our next appointment for Mr Benson next Monday BUT he
started to show signs of problems again so we took him in today,blood
work was done today instead as well as two X-rays.
My regular vet had left for the day so I asked the "older mentor vet" of
my personal vet about "Yorkies having a higher than normal BUN as I
also had looked and found nothing,even talked with a trusted breeder
friend,( my mentor) and she hear nothing of this.
The vet today told me "this had come up several times over the years
in different breeds and for the past 10 years or so also in the Yorkies,I
doubt you would find any information online as this testing has been
done through the veterinarian colleges as well as through private vets
all around the country and the information has not been available to the
general public as yet until more information and testing is finished but
the information has proved to be valid in what they have done so far,
Yorkies as a overall breed are showing this to be factual."
Mr Benson's tests today came back today reading lower so it seems it
has gone down and improved in some areas.
Bub/CREA 45 (you would understand this better than I do)his last blood
test 2 weeks ago was 48.07 Crea 0.8 their reading was 0.8 -0.4/1.4 so it has come down over the 2 week period.
...normal was from 9.0- to 29.0 by their readings,as "normal" for the
BUN she also was not worried today either where the readings were.
TP today was 6.1 g/dl-ALB 2.9-GLOB 3.2......his white count was off
the charts,he has pnumonia (sp?) again although not like he did back
Oct. last year,shows on the X-rays but not as massive an amount like
when he was in oxygen last year for a week at the clinic ( I did look at
his X-rays today) She put him on 2 antiboitcs,the Pred. down to 5.0 mg once a day now instead of twice a day and his Vetmedin for his heart,
1/8 tablet twice a day
Mr B- DOES have heart problems,he has an enlarged heart and a low
heart murmur,she did say it was more pronounced,more audabile today
than in the past.( he has no coughing or shortness of breath and in fact
walks our pasture with me without visible problems afterward, he is a
very strong but weird 'lil fur kid,I was not happy his weight was 3 lb.4oz
today as he'd lost a bit of weight,
Today his protein levels she said were right in the middle so he is not
leaking protein at this time which is GREAT,he is not a happy camper
with this new "diet" but it looks like it has helped...he'll adjust.
He does NOT have Lepto nor Cushings,no stones or Addison's...I do
NOT vaccinate him for Lepto and never have,since he is over 7 yrs. I
do not give him anymore Distemper/Parvo either as I stop that when they turn 7 yrs and teter instead,nor does he have heart worms...now I ONLY
vaccinate for Rabies every 3 years as required by law...although now
with what is going on with him he will have a deferral from Rabies also.
( per my vet which is allowed in our state) I tend to vaccinate ONLY for
what is a serious danger,no kennel cough,no Lepto, no Corona just
basic core vaccinations and only one vaccination at a time.
I hope this has helped you(?) AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSERN and caring and for answering my post!
You do amazing things with fur kids who have kidney problems, I have
read all the information everyone posts,your caring and committment
and knowledge is an awsome gift to everyone Tony!
Sorry this was so darn long.......

[tonyb286]

Hi. I can't add anything really, but I do have a question for you ... I have not heard that Yorkies ordinarily have a higher than normal BUN and can't find anything on the specialist Yorkie sites that suggest it. It would be useful if you could ask your vet how he came by this information. I only ask because of my role as Administrator for the Chronic Kidney Failure in Dogs user group here on MedHelp.

Intestinal inflammation could certainly be one cause, but there are many others including Leptospirosis, a very high protein diet, Cushings, congestive heart failure, Addison's disease and bladder stone ... as well as pancreatitis.

Tony

[JanisM13]

I should also add his Creatinine was 0.8 and Phosphorus level
was 3.9...I was worried about kidney problems but the vet said
the BUN could be higher due to intestine inflamation and a
Yorkie can run a little higher "as normal" they have found over
years...he had no conserns about kidney functions.

[JanisM13]

Sorry it should have read NONE of my other dogs have any symptoms
other than his dam having Pancreatitis when she was younger and no
problems since.