Enlarged platelets??

Does anyone have a dog, and in particular, do/did you have a female who was spayed with this condition? http://www.cavalierhealth.org/platelets.htm

Rose didn't get spayed today because her platelet count came back low, and on the visual smear, the platelets were enlarged.

Ah, helps to search on the forums first . I am printing out everything I find, and emailing myself the links to give to our vet tomorrow. I don't know if they did a clotting factor, I do know they did a smear and visual inspection. I don't know what the count was from that, but the machine was running from 74 (first test) to 68 (3rd test), and something else in the 60's at the other lab that did the smear. Hmm. Me thinks my vet may learn something new tomorrow , and I'l be praying that that's "all" it is, or that the tests next week come back fine and dandy.

Good for you! So much information to take in, I have to try to remember to write everything down, then I always forget something.

Good luck tomorrow

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Thank you . I'm not expecting any difficulties in giving this info :blabla: to my vet. She's more of the type who is eager to learn about something she isn't familiar with, than to turn her nose up. Hopefully at least, that is how it will play out tomorrow . It is a bit overwhelming sometimes...

Furrfoot said:

Thank you . I'm not expecting any difficulties in giving this info :blabla: to my vet. She's more of the type who is eager to learn about something she isn't familiar with, than to turn her nose up. Hopefully at least, that is how it will play out tomorrow . It is a bit overwhelming sometimes...

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I continue to be amazed at the ignorance of so many veterinarians about the benign low platelet count condition in cavaliers. Do they not learn anything breed-specific in those schools?

I'm guessing "no". I had an emergency vet who wanted to give my boxer ACE once. When I told her that ACE is contraindicated in boxers-http://www.jlhweb.net/BOSS/ace.htm , or, their vet drug handbook- , she told me she had used it in boxers without any problems... Yeah, I'm feeling REALLY bad for the first boxer she does have an "issue" with, and with her attitude, I hope they sue. :bang:

We don't have many Cavaliers around here, let alone in the state, I don't think . I'm hoping I call tomorrow and she has looked it up- it's happened before . I know yesterday was a crazy day at the vet office.

Glad you found the info you needed.

Where I am cavaliers are not common, so vets aren't likely to be too aware of breed specific problems. I was really impressed when I brought Guinness in for his first appointment and my vet listened to his heart for a long time, and told me about MVD and PSOM in case I hadn't heard of them.

Little, if any, breed specific training goes on in vet schools. I have friends who graduated from LSU, Texas A&M, and CSU's vet schools unable to identify most breeds, and not at all interested either.

Our clinic did the same , so they are somewhat familiar at least, and I know there are a couple of other Cavaliers who are seen at our clinic. Ah well, I'm just thankful for the internet forums and google these days .

Spoke to my vet, and the visual count did come back fine, but she was concerned that Rose was recovering from something, so hence, wanting to recheck next week. I gave her the website to check out, and she is going to check on the clotting factors. Love my vet! Thanks, everybody! I'll let you know how it goes .

At least you have a Vet who is willing to learn, and not insulted by you giving her the information.

I remember when I took Claire in for her puppy shots (I've known my Vets for over 20 years) and they made sure I was aware of MVD, Syringomelia and the low platelet count in Cavaliers. It was strictly for information, but I appreciated their honesty. They (two of them) graduated Vet school over 20 years ago, and only have one Vet in the practice who is a newer graduate, but I appreciate how they are always reading and keeping up on things. And they have a couple Cavalier owners, and unfortunately, one who has a dog with Syringomelia.

I always wonder if vets ever do what so many of us all do -- just a basic search on a curious condition or set of symptoms along with the breed name on Google... put in platelets and cavaliers and you get lots of information on enlarged platelets. I can understand that vets may not know the situation with a given breed -- especially when the breed is a lesser known one -- but all the more reason why owners need to be well informed.

I do not understand why every cavalier breeder doesn't give new homes a little information pack on health issues, care etc. I often think rescue generally does a more careful job on homing dogs (for example, few breeders homecheck beyond a phonecall and application form, while a home visit is the norm for most rescues placing any dog, purebred or mix! Rescues will get someone trusted in the locale if it is too far from the rescue to easily travel). Many non-club breed rescues that I know of are careful to go thorough their breed's health issues with new homes. With cavaliers, explaining platelets should be top of the list and I usually give out a sheet explaining this issue if the home is unfamiliar with cavaliers.