Eosinopenia (low eosinophils count)

[TimRobbins]

Good morning and Merry Christmas all.

Yesterday, our Claire-bear meowed very loudly and alarmingly before vomiting two times. A small pillow feather was expelled along with undigested dry food from her afternoon feeding, and we thought the end of the matter. However, she vomited another two times afterwards and also howled immediately before; that time it was just mucus/bile. She hadn't drank water all day, and stopped showing interest in food. Emergency vet trip resulted in: x-rays (negative), blood (negative), and sub-q fluids and one Cerenia shot. She was her normal self after returning home. She even waited by her food bowl, but we were advised by the attending vet not to feed her (I should've ignored this) until morning. This morning, no interest in food, and she isn't like herself.

I just checked her blood work documents from last night and her eosinophils level was marked at .03 K/uL out of .17 (lowest value) to 1.57 (highest value). I understand this decrease in white blood cell count is normally attributed to "stress." However, this very same "it's probably stress" discussion occurred with our last cat with a different cat-speciality vet, and it ended up being small cell lymphoma for which she died before diagnosis was even confirmed.

We have a pending ultrasound procedure with the emergency vet office later today.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I would say that the repeated vomiting prior to the ER visit certain could be the cause of the low number, since vomiting is without a doubt stress inducing. Were any of the other numbers out of whack?

Since you have a follow-up later today for that ultrasound, it is a perfect time to discuss with the Vet, at which time I hope that can help ease your mind AND figure out what is wrong with little Claire-bear. Poor baby, not a good way for any of you to be spending Christmas Day . Let us know what the ultrasound shows.

 

[TimRobbins]

Thank you for the reply.

Claire improved significantly on Christmas day. She didn't want any food the morning of, but started eating bit by bit throughout the day. And then we spoke another vet on duty who explained the 'stress' factor. I also did some online clinical digging (reading legitimate vet medical journals) and have since discovered the difference between eosinophillia and eosinophenia -- the latter applying to this incident. We canceled the ultrasound as soon as she started chomping down on both dry and wet food that very day. She's completely back to normal now.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

That is great news!