Teddy is a bit better...I think

Teddy had an appointment at the W.S.U. vet clinic on Wednesday for her bronchoscopy and bronchoalveoler lavage.  The vets couldn't fit her as planned and so she was scheduled to have the procedure on Thursday morning, right after rounds.  Brad finally got his alum discount (lol).  Because it wasn't our fault and we'd made a over 200 mile round trip, they said they would keep her over night free of charge.  So we had to return to Pullman on Thursday to get her.

I have been exhausted by all the driving to and from Pullman....even though Brad does most of the driving.  I must say that I think the countryside is beautiful in the Palouse region.  I would love to own a farm there.  It has a much higher rainfall and so there's no irrigation to mess with.  I noticed there are no rocks and none of the nasty weeds we have to contend with in our neck of the woods.  I bet there are no rattlesnakes either.  I did notice a lot of deer though.  There was even a cheeky deer grazing on someone's lawn in the middle of Colfax!

27 + years ago I was a hospital lab tech.  I enjoyed doing WBC differentials manually using a microscope.  We didn't have an instrument to do it automated back then.  I found the report below interesting, so I'm including it.
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Results of Diagnostic Evaluation:
Bronchoscopy:  The trachea was unremarkable in appearance.  The mucosa appeared unremarkable.  There were no masses, foreign bodies, or parasites observed.  There were mild to moderate amounts of mucus with the right caudal (rear) lung lobe being most affected.  A bronchoalveolar lavage was performed and samples were obtained for cytology and culture.


Broncho-alveolar lavage with culture and cytology:
Description:  Slides prepared from the submitted fluid are cellular, containing nucleated cells and small numbers of red cells.  The nucleated cell population is composed of approximately 87% eosinophils, 7% macrophages, and 6% neutrophils.  Occasional basophils are noted.  No microorganisms are seen.


Interpretation:  Eosinophilic bronchitis - see comments.


Comments:  Eosinophilic inflamamtion within the respiratory tract typically indicates a hypersensitivity response.  Disorders such as allergic broncitis/pneumonitis, lungworms or other parasites, heartworms, and eosinphilic bronchopneumopathy can be considered.
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So we have to wait for the cultures and wormy poo thing.  In the meantime she's on Theophylline twice a day and good old benadryl...which Brad came up with and worked well...now recommended by W.S.U. for Teddy.

I love the W.S.U. vet hospital.  They have so many vets and are so caring.  I still think our regular vet is top notch as well.  We have been going to him for almost 30 years.  I can't believe it...30 years!!

When Teddy came into the lobby, we were sitting in a different part of it than we were the last time we picked her up, and she was coming from a different part of the hospital.  We were sitting very still to see what she did when she entered the lobby.  As she walked out she looked at the seats we were sitting in the last time and she looked crest fallen when she didn't see us.  She then looked around the lobby and spotted us.  She was tired from the general anesthesia still but managed her special little greeting where she walks slowly, head low and her lip pulled up over her teeth.  It wasn't by sound or smell she recognized us, but sight.    We love her so much.  :)

Even though she's on the meds, she still has coughing/hacking episodes and coughs up white junk.  I'm pleased to report she hasn't had anymore trouble breathing and her tongue has remained pink...no blue tinge like before.  She's up and about more, but she's not playing with her toys or eating much at all.  I give her bits of cheese and little bowls of cream ...I'm thinking of anything to get her interested in food again.  Last night she woke up hacking.  Poor little Ted.

I do think the hacking is a response to something in the environment.  I am noticing there's places she does it more and places where she never coughs.  The vets think it's asthma, but are waiting for all the test results.  If it is asthma she'll have a inhaler for bad episodes.

With asthma she can have a normal life span if it's managed and she could die during a severe attack..if it's untreated I suppose.

Here's Teddy last year when she was a baby dog.