Hematocrit

I'd be wondering WHY kitty is anemic, and wondering why the Vet doesn't wish to pursue the underlying cause? You want to determine the cause before it goes any lower? To put it into perspective, cats w/ CRF often become anemic and a PCV (aka hematocrit) of 21 is time for special injections that help promote production of red blood cells (Erthyropoetin). Not trying to panic you at all but I'd want to get to the bottom of this.

Kidney disease/failure (CRF) can cause this.

A major flea infestation can cause it.

Hemobartonella (sp?) can cause it.

Parasites (fleas, ticks, hookworms)

Feline Leukemia, FIV

Blood loss, significant bruising, trauma


Also, there's 2 types of anemia; regenerative and non-regenerative. Your Vet should be sure to do a reticulocyte count to help determine which it is.

Does your kitty ever eat ANY kind of food (namely people food, or even baby food) that contains garlic powder or onion powder? These can cause Heinz-Body Hemolytic Anemia in cats.

What's been going on lately with your kitty? Health issues? (sorry if you've posted about them, I can't keep track of everyone, old age you know LOL)

I've never heard of treatment for anemia being 'red meat' - at least not in cats. Generally cats w/ regenerative anemia (like that caused by CRF) are given iron supplements (Fer-in-Sol; 1 tiny drop daily) and B Vitamins because they help with red blood cell production. Pet-Tinic (not sure if they still make it?) is a liquid supplement in a bottle (with a dropper) that contains iron, b vitamins, etc.....for cats w/ regen anemia. Of course though, treatment can vary depending on the cause (eg: if it's a parasite causing it, you treat that).

Here's a good link that gives info on Anemia in cats:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/in...m/bc/10200.htm

Here's another good link:

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/anemia.html

Here, also, is a really excellent link:

http://www.cat-world.com.au/anemia-in-cats

Here, also, is a really good forum for people whose kitties have anemia...it's a group on Yahoo (you'll have to 'join' to read and post). I belonged to it years ago when I had a very old CRF kitty who was anemic (her PCV was 22% at the lowest; we started with Erythropoetin injections but she passed shortly after that due to heart failure)

http://pets.dir.groups.yahoo.com/gro...sec=dir&slk=11

LASTLY ***** improper handling of a blood sample (say the blood sits for too long and hemolyzes (breaks down))....that can cause a falsely LOW PCV.

Does your kitty have signs of being anemic? Pale gums? Less active? Weight loss? Poor appetite?

Bumper's normal values are not within the normals for the lab my vet uses (slightly lower) he has had many tests and the final conclusion was - not all healthy cats fit in the norms

28% would be within norms for hct for the labs here, they use 25-45%, Bumper is usually 20-25% depending on whether he was fasted before the tests and Autumn's recent labs showed 24-45 as normal

Yeah, many many tests later, we agreed he was normal in an abnormal way

Thank you Food lady for that last bit, the improper handling of a sample. I did not know that. Thanks for it