Flynn 11 y/o Foxie Cross - Right adrenalectomy- Good Bye Flynny We will miss you

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Originally Posted by Trish

My one thought is the time stamp on results show it was not processed by the lab till over 30 hrs after the samples were (blood and UPC) taken, not sure how that would affect the results. I have emailed the vet back to ask that, also maybe it is time to go onto liver support meds. STINK!!!!

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At room temperature, the UPC ratio did not significantly increase after 2 and 4 hours. After 12 hours at room temperature and at 4°C, the UPC ratio significantly increased. The UPC ratio did not significantly change during 3 months of storage at −20°C.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

The UPC ratio must be measured as soon as samples are collected. Alternatively, samples should be immediately frozen to increase their stability and minimize the risk of misclassification of proteinuria.

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Found this info at: http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs...urnalCode=ajvr

Thanks for that Lori, when I next speak to the vet I will definitely be asking how they transport it. :D Flynn does not know I am worried about his tests, all he is worried about is when his next snack is coming :D:D

LOL Flynn is smart, he knows that treats are important!

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi Trish,
I was taking a look at Flynn's lab results and wondering if you have had a chance to talk to the vet to get his explanation and insight? I understand why the liver value increases would be worrisome. I hope he has something reassuring to offer about that, and maybe it is not as significant as it appears.

Are you concerned about the UPC being up a smidge? I wonder if what Lori posted about the delay in running the test could have caused that? I didn't know about that of course, now I have questions about how my vets office handles them. I'm pretty sure they don't freeze the sample. I know they are sent to an outside lab. And you are right about the UPC, it is a quantitative test for urinary protein loss and is not affected by urine volume or concentration.

So glad to read that Flynn continues to feel so good. I am just hoping your vet has some reassuring feedback about the liver enzymes. I missed chatting over the weekend, I ended up having a lot going on. I don't like it when that happens! :rolleyes:

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

Hi Trish-I'm no judge of the numbers but Flynn has been feeling good hasn't he? That's a good thing to keep in your head when you're thinking the numbers are not perfect.
How about a liver supplement as Sharlene mentioned...we use Denamarin which you can get online, there are probably others as well.
Trixie's liver numbers were through the roof last time we tested. She' s been on denamarin for awhile now...can only do her good. No harm in it. Hope Flynn continues to do well! :D
Barbara

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Originally Posted by Trish

UPC is up to 1.93 from 1.84 in May. It is weird as the total protein in the sample is the lowest it has been since April 2012 so I was very happy to read that, but creatinine is also low in the urine so that means the ratio increases. I cannot get my head around that test properly!! I "think" it means that the protein level may be down but the urine may be more dilute or concentrated and the ratio takes those fluctuations into account.

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The UPC ratio test is based on that the excretion of creatinine is constant for healthy animals. Over a period of time when several UPC tests are performed on a pet fluctuations of the creatinine can be seen and these flucuations can produce high or low UPC results.

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Differences in urine creatinine create confusion in clinically evaluating a single UPC result.

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Article found here: http://www.2ndchance.info/atopica-urineparameteres.pdf

Hi guys, thanks for the link Lori. It is strange that his creatinine has varied so much in the urine. It remains very stable in blood. Here are his UPC results over last year or so. As you can see this latest Protein is lowest since April last year, so that has to be good!! Tina have not spoken to vet yet about liver tests, I am not going to worry too much till we check them again in a month! Thanks for the posts everyone, I am just pleased my Flynn boy is feeling so good :D So I really think (hope) these results are a little off base, we shall see in a few weeks. xxx

6-Apr 2-Nov 22-Feb 5-Mar 2-May 22-May 10-Jul
U.TPCAL g/L 1.84 3.1 6 3 5 2.45 2.27
U.CRE umol/l 13521 18566 18194 13954 12411 11781 10380
PRCR 1.21 1.48 2.92 1.9 3.57 1.84 1.93


Hmmmm I dunno how to edit those numbers so they are readable!! It looks perfect in the preview post? but does not seem to save properly. I copied it from an excel spreadsheet so that may be the problem.

Trish:
Glad to hear some good news for once. It is nice to have a day off from worry. Hope Flynn continues to do well. Blessings
Patti

Hi Trish,
I miss you! I am thrilled that Flynny boy is feeling well, especially without TOYS!;):p He is so lucky to have you on his side. He is truly a blessed little man. Big hugs,

Good news Trish!

With Daisy's recent Trilo adjustment, the subject of numbers came up for us too and Dr. Morgan (IMS) said that she's more concerned with how she's actually feeling than the numbers.

Glad that Flynn is doing better!!!

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Originally Posted by doxiesrock912

Good news Trish!

With Daisy's recent Trilo adjustment, the subject of numbers came up for us too and Dr. Morgan (IMS) said that she's more concerned with how she's actually feeling than the numbers.

Glad that Flynn is doing better!!!

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Valerie, Flynn isn't on cushing's treatment - he had a Pheo. :confused: The numbers for Flynn are vastly important...as are those for Daisy even tho you are talking about two different "numbers". ;)

Hey Trish,

I'm not sure what Flynn's numbers all mean either but I am sure glad about the discussion on how to keep the urine for a UPC.:)

I know Lori mentioned she always has a urinalysis done with a UPC, do you do so as well? I'm trying to plan my strategy for Zoe in August and have a pit in my tummy about her possible kidney values.

I'm so happy Flynn is feeling good and the mouth issues have resolved. Good Boy Flynn.:):) I hope the two of you have many walks on the beach this week and if you happen across a penguin, think of me;)

Hi Trish:
Thanks for all the help on the kidney stone. Yes the meds are to help me pass the stone. I think Flovent if I am not mistaken. Glad you told me about the laser I can't imagine a normal surgery. The stone is too small to do Lithotripsy, so I am on these meds for a week. May have to use meds to dissolve it if that does not work. Getting an xray and blood work after a week on the meds. They gave me a strainer and container to go in on the potty. I have been straining my urine, I saw what looked like 2 small tiny crystals, so tiny I could not get them into a specimen bottle. Either they were others in there or maybe pieces of the other one. It is hard to believe something this small can cause so much misery. It has been 15 years since my last one so I am lucky. He said he will find out, but is guessing uric acid crystals. Worried about taking this drug when it comes as he said it can affect your heart. Do you know anything about that?? Thank you for your help and I hope Flynn continues to do well. We are suffering in the heat and humidity we are in the mid to upper 90's. Blessings
Patti

When I was in high school, my mom took my brothers out of state to visit her family, leaving Daddy and me at home. Dad woke up Sat. morning in pain, bad pain. He called his doc who came to the house (they still did that in those days! :p) and told him he had a kidney stone...all he could do was try to pass it. Hour after hour after hour I watched my strong dad with tears flowing down his face going in and out of the bathroom. Later I heard an awful sound from his bedroom and found him standing by their bed with a pine ball about 8" in diameter in his hand. This was a ball that was part of a solid poster and he had twisted it off as the stone passed! :eek::eek::eek: This was the first of many for him to come and one of the biggest he had to face - he showed it to me; it looked like something alien with all these little spikes on it! In later years, he had the underwater busting procedure as well as surgeries to remove them. I feel for anyone who has to deal with these and hope you are back on your feet very soon!

That cheeky monkey of mine just took on a Doberman!!! Every evening a man down the road walks his dogs in the school fields next to my house.. one mini schnauzer (very fat with a pot belly I might add!) and the Doberman, he kicks a ball for the doby and every time Flynn hears that ball getting kicked he barks his head off and wants to get over there to the school! Well as fate would have it I went to take him for a quick walk when I got home and they all met up. Flynn is NEVER aggressive to dogs, he has been bitten three times all by big black dogs and is a bit leery of them but I have never seen him growl at others, but he did tonight he positively snarled!! Crikey - I was embarrassed, the guys said to leave them alone and they would sort it out... the Doberman was scared of Flynny and cowered and slunk around, then off they went running around together chasing the ball. OMG! BAD DOG!!!!

OMG!

I still have so much to learn. I thought that a pheo was something related to Cushings.

I'm so sorry.

HI Valerie

Flynn had a few symptoms of cushings, but not the most typical ones like excessive drinking and peeing, his LDDS testing was negative but the ultrasound found the tumour in his adrenal gland. The pheochromocytoma which is the type of adrenal tumour he had does not usually interfere with cortisol production, but they do release catecholamines like adrenaline (the one that gives the fight or flight reaction when we get a fright or stressed) so his poor little body was forever in a state of stress, it is often characterised by high BP that we saw with Flynn. Other adrenal tumours do give cushings symptoms and can raise cortisol, so it is all a bit confusing!! So the numbers we are looking at for Flynn are left over from his prolonged hypertension that affected his kidneys, that is the urine test protein:creatinine ratio or UPC or UP:CR!!

His high liver tests are most likely due to benign liver nodules that we know he has. He has also had liver cancer prior to the adrenal tumour being found and had a good third of his liver resected back in Nov 2011 (now 21months!) and that has been clear since when they have checked for any spread on ultrasound!! So we monitor that as well :) So with two cancers and both big surgeries he has had his share and so it is lovely to see him doing so well now!!!

WOW!
Flynn is SUPER DOG.

That's amazing!

Thank you for explaining, I see how it can be confusing.

Trish:
Your Flynn has been through so much. He has to have super powers to have endured all he has. God Bless him, and you for getting your baby through all of this. Blessings
Patti

awww...Flynn has been through quite a bit..not just his adrenal stuff but liver as well! Wow, he has come through everything like a champ!
I guess if he gets a little annoyed by a Doberman then we have to forgive him! :D
Sometimes there is just something about another dog that sets them off. We encounter so many dogs when we're out walking...our neighborhood is loaded. Once in awhile Trixie will pass a dog and just start growling....we always wonder what was that all about!? My husband will say Trixie just didn't like that dogs face! :D (or scent I think more likely!)
Maybe Flynn doesn't appreciate the noise from all that ball kicking ;)

Barbara

Here's an idea for a toy for Flynn. I got the cat size that a friend who has JRT ended up with and it was the perfect size for them. They LOVED their babble ball!

http://stores.babble-ball.com/StoreFront.bok

HI Barbara and Leslie!! I just looked at that babble ball Leslie, it is only available in USA from that website but just went to our NZ auction site and they have them there so have just ordered one :) YAY, Flynny loves getting presents in the mail, he opens them himself! Thx xx

Trish, if you have a Bed, Bath and Beyond store near you, we've gotten something very similar from there.

Wait until you hear the things that it says :) I smile every time Daisy knocks it around.

I got it for Trinket and Brick hoping they would play with it via sounds. Nah...After she inspected it a time or two, Trink just "looked" at it like, "Move, sucker, I dare you" while Brick stomped around barking. :p But Ernie and Reggie just loved it, especially Reggie. He whined for days when the battery died and was so happy when they got a new one!

Trish, reading about Flynn makes me more optimistic about Kaibo. Flynn has made it through a lot. I have often questioned why poor, sweet Kaibo must go through one thing after another. It just isn't fair. None of our furbabies should have to go through any of this. It's so terrible. I can only hope that Kaibo's outcome is as successful as Flynn's. This certainly isn't an easy decision. Does anyone have a crystal ball I could borrow? :p

Ha, if we had one of those we would be rich!!!! I am glad Flynny's story can give others hope, he has certainly been through the wringer but seems to have come out the other side!! Kaibo is much younger than Flynn going through the surgery so that has to be good in that he will be tough!!

I need to step away from online shopping! I have just bought him the babble ball, a puzzle game that I think is like Addy's one for Zoe, a tough little non toxic chew bone, wheat free treats and was tossing up on the new blankie!! Eeek on my credit card but he is going to be one happy doggie when all his packages arrive and he deserves some new toys!! :D:D

YAY!!!!!! TOYS!!!!!!!!! You're such a great mom Trish. I knew you'd cave. I'm sure glad you did. It will be like Christmas when the toys arrive! It will be a happy, happy, day for FLynny boy.:D xxxxx

We want videos of Flynn opening up all his presents.:):):)

I love it when the pups get all excited and run around, ripping open presents. It is soooo much fun.

:D:D Your post made me smile Kathy, as that is exactly what Flynn Boy will be thinking when he opens his treats, can't wait for them to arrive, it is much more exciting that just going to the pet store to get them!! I have purposefully picked treats that will not hurt his mouth... you can imagine him right now... he is curled up on that spot on the couch in that photo we did for you... with all his blankets gone into the wash.. sun is coming in so he is warm!!

Ok Addy, I will video him :D, he will be doing his happy doggy dance!!

Trish,
I still would love to visit you Trish. I am thinking about going ahead and getting a passport. How does next Summer look? I have a friend who would love to Rosie sit. Is the offer still open? Give Flynny a belly rub for me. Poor guy, no toys and no blankie either. Xxxxxx

My summer or your summer? Either fine with me! Shame you cannot smuggle Rosie in too, would love to play with her! xx

My Summer. I do get a week off in November, two weeks Dec/Jan, and two weeks in Mar/April. I really want to meet Flynny and check out the toy situation. :Dxxxxx

That will be my winter... like as in now :D:D Might be nice for you to have a bit cooler weather in the middle of your heat waves... :D I can take you up the mountains to the snow if you would to see some, Flynn has never seen snow now that would be funny to see!

You can post videos on here!!?? If so, I should put one up of Kaibo opening his Bark Box! Happy days for him that is for sure!

No you can't unfortunately, but link it to youtube or hmmm I forget what it is called now... I put one up of Flynn... I will go look for it and you can see him ;)

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Originally Posted by Trish

http://s1296.photobucket.com/user/Tr...351e9.mp4.html

Hope this works, it's Flynn digging a hole with his wee friend Madi when we were on our beach holiday in March!

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Plus, are you in Canada? USA people cannot see this one on youtube as it has a song on it and got copyrighted!! But Sharlene could see it in Canada :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNrM_RdOdks

Trish I had no problem viewing your photo bucket video. The little girl with the blond hair is absolutely adorable! Not as cute as my pal Flynny, but pretty darn cute!:D xxxxxxxx

Trish,
I can see the YouTube video and even hear the Sinatra song!! Heehee...love watching Flynn open his gifts! :D
Trixie's favorite part of Christmas is tearing up the wrapping! She loves tearing and shredding up paper bags too...I save them for her and on rainy days when she's not out much I let her attack them to get out the excess energy!
Flynn is so cute! :p

Barbara

I saw it too Trish <3

Daisy opens presents too! She's like a kid and is antsy until it's her turn. We open presents one at a time and go around the room :)