Mom, am I better YET? I'm tired of going to the vet and getting poked...[/caption]Well, the good news is there is no bad news but our dear Heather still isn't in the clear just yet. She is now completely off all medication (and has been for a little while) and will remain so until we go for another checkup in four to six months. The one liver value we were concerned with (named ALP, if I remember correctly) did decrease...but only by 300 points. Right now, that liver value is still above 600. A high "normal" range is 200, according to the vet.
The ultrasound revealed a relatively healthy gall bladder wall but there was a good bit of sludge inside. The vet said this is something we'll have to continually monitor to make sure the sludge doesn't solidify. The vet mentioned a prescription she could put Heather to prevent that from happening but said there were some side effects (not commonly seen, but always a risk) and the chance of the sludge completely solidifying was rare. Paws crossed that Heather does not defy medical odds on this one!
Many thanks to all who reached out and offered your support and thoughts for Heather today. I'm glad to know there are Scottie Moms, Dads, friends, fans and other doggie bloggers who have taken my little girl (and boy!) into their hearts. Scottie Dad, Mr. K and I will make sure our Heather is treated like a princess and will have plenty of adventures to report on while we continue playing the waiting game over the next few months. After all, life must go on and we all know Heather is ready to embrace it...did I mention she's got a birthday coming up? A think a celebration (of life!) is in store...
Hang in there Heather! You need to stick around to make Mr. Kay's life exciting......not to mention mom and dad!
ReplyDeleteMiss Heather you are a trooper, indeed. Vet visits can be the pits. Hope you were given a little treat ; )
ReplyDeleteJust a word to Scottie Mom & Dad. Scottish terriers tend to have higher liver values. I have found this out with a few rescued Scottie's and many Vet visits. Continue to keep a watchful eye. All the best from one Scottie lover to another.
Glad she doesn't need to be on meds at the moment. Get well Heather.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, Heathers AlkP is not bad at all for a Scotty. I have a reference from the Journal of the American Veterinary Association (2006, 228:222-224) that you can share with your vet. It says the avg Scotty AlkP is 1520 U/L compared to the avg normal range of 306 U/L. Does Heather have any other abnormal labs or appear lethargic?
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