Hazel’s Appetite Issue – What’s Going On?
Hazel hasn’t really been eating well for the past two days, and that always gets me worried. When you have a rescue full of dogs, you get used to seeing all kinds of ups and downs, but when one of them suddenly loses their appetite, it’s always a reason to check things out.
Since she didn’t have any obvious signs of sickness—no fever, gums looked fine, and energy levels weren’t too bad—I decided to take her to the vet just to be sure. We ran a blood test to see if anything was off.
Blood Test Results—What Do They Mean?
Blood tests can be confusing, so I’ll break it down in simple terms. Here’s what we found:
1. White Blood Cell Count (WBC)
Hazel’s WBC: 12.22 (normal range: 6.0 – 17.0)
Good news—this means no major infection or inflammation going on.
2. Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)
Hazel’s RBC: 9.54 (normal range: 5.0 – 8.5)
A little high. Could be due to mild dehydration or just stress from being at the clinic.
3. Hematocrit (HCT) & Hemoglobin (HGB)
HCT: 59.5% (normal: 37.0 – 55.0%)
HGB: 19.3 g/dL (normal: 12.0 – 18.0 g/dL)
Both are slightly elevated, which could also point to dehydration or stress.
4. Platelet Count (PLT)
PLT: 383 (normal range: 200 – 500)
Nothing to worry about here. Clotting function looks normal.
5. Other White Blood Cells (Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, etc.)
- Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, and Monocytes are in normal range, meaning no obvious infection.
- Eosinophils: 0.16 (normal: 0.1 – 1.2) – Normal, so no signs of parasites or allergies.
- Basophils: 0.18 (normal: 0 – 0.1) – Slightly high, which might indicate a minor allergic reaction or some inflammation, but nothing major.
So, What’s the Diagnosis?
Honestly, there’s nothing really alarming in her bloodwork. No infections, no signs of anemia, and no serious dehydration. The slightly high red blood cells and hematocrit could just be from stress or mild dehydration.
Since she isn’t acting super sick—no vomiting, no diarrhea—the vet decided not to jump into any heavy treatments just yet.
Treatment Plan
Medication: Cyproheptadine
The vet gave me Cyproheptadine, which is basically an antihistamine that also helps boost appetite. It’s commonly used when a dog isn’t eating, but there’s no clear illness causing it.
Dosage and Instructions
- 2x per day, 1 tablet
- Given after meals
The plan is to keep a close eye on her over the next couple of days. If she starts eating again and seems fine, great! If not, we’ll dig deeper and possibly run more tests like an ultrasound to check her organs.
Next Steps
For now, I’ll just be monitoring Hazel and making sure she’s comfortable. If she still refuses food or starts showing other signs like lethargy or vomiting, we’ll take her back to the vet for a deeper check-up.
I’ll update soon on how she’s doing. Fingers crossed it’s just a minor thing, and she’ll be back to normal soon!