High Albumin

corbinam

corbinam

Moderator
I've posted before about Bentley's stomach issues (here for the long version), and we've done bloodwork a few times. Nothing has really tipped off our vet to a long term problem, but I did have a question.

Both times we've done blood work when he's been actively sick (and we did it last year as well) his albumin was slightly high.

I've done some preliminary reading about it (I'm no scientist) and all I can find is that high albumin is usually a sign of dehydration. While it is totally possible that he is dehydrated when he is sick (he'll throw up several nights in a row), I find it hard to believe he is constantly dehydrated.

Is that possible? What else could cause consistently high albumin? Or, is he just always dehydrated? And if so, what can I do to help him?
 
corbinam said:
While it is totally possible that he is dehydrated when he is sick (he'll throw up several nights in a row), I find it hard to believe he is constantly dehydrated.
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Do you have labs showing high albumin when he's not sick? Even though it's costly, a lab from when he's not sick would tell you if his albumin is high then as well. I imagine if his stomach isn't feeling right, he's not going to drink enough. Obviously I'm not a vet, so my google search only brought up dehydration as a reason for high albumin.
 
Ashley, yes, it is my understanding that dehydration can be behind a high albumin reading and when a dog is sick and vomiting they can dehydrate very rapidly. There are more serious issues that can be behind high albumin, but if these were the case I would think the blood work would have given other indications.

When Bentley is sick you can do sub-Q fluids...a vet tech can do this or you can ask to do it yourself at home. I have often had to do sub-Q (supplied by our vet) at home for Pixie during her many bouts of pancreatitis...it is not hard to do and it insures that the fluid stays in the dog...which doesn't happen if the dog is vomiting. And doing it at home, rather than at the vet's, is much less stressful for the doggie who is already feeling lousy from being sick.

I am so sorry Bentley continues to have problems...I know from dealing with Pixie's constant reoccurring illnesses how draining it is emotionally to see a little dog you love struggling repeatedly.

Gentle hugs to Bentley.

Trini
 
So very sorry to hear Bentley is not feeling well.

I have had great success with sub-Q fluids when my Persian cat was always dehydrated. It really works. My sisters sheltie needed them recently and it helped her as well.

I personally hate needles and could never give it myself. Always went to the vet and either the vet or vet tech would give the sub-Q fluids.

I hope Bentley feels better soon.
 
Ashley - have they run liver function tests? When we test our gallbladder patients, we add albumin as it can help determine if there is pancreatitis or not.
 
Deska often had elevated albumin and potassium in his tests (he has tummy issues too, but the results would come back even at his annual tests). So if the potassium is also elevated then it probably is dehydration.

Tully was showing signs of kidney issues from dehydration before the hip op (I think she was too sore to pee so was not drinking), in fact we couldn't do the op unless her next couple of tests came back clear. Nowadays I give them a drink of lactose free milk daily, and on hot days they get an extra drink (from the fridge) after a walk. Since then neither have had anything come up in a blood test so it seems to be working.

Not that it helps with Bentley's overall tummy issues, but it's an easy way to keep them hydrated. I give mine full fat milk - they like it much more (and they don't have weight issues anyway). Deska prob gets about 2/3 a cup and Tully 1/2 a cup so it isn't much. But, except when Deska goes on a dirt eating binge, he's had much less stomach issues since getting the milk. Of course it could be entirely coincidental.
 
Emmasmom said:
Ashley - have they run liver function tests? When we test our gallbladder patients, we add albumin as it can help determine if there is pancreatitis or not.
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I don't think so--nothing outside of a full blood panel. What is required for that? More blood?
 
Caro said:
Deska often had elevated albumin and potassium in his tests (he has tummy issues too, but the results would come back even at his annual tests). So if the potassium is also elevated then it probably is dehydration.

Tully was showing signs of kidney issues from dehydration before the hip op (I think she was too sore to pee so was not drinking), in fact we couldn't do the op unless her next couple of tests came back clear. Nowadays I give them a drink of lactose free milk daily, and on hot days they get an extra drink (from the fridge) after a walk. Since then neither have had anything come up in a blood test so it seems to be working.

Not that it helps with Bentley's overall tummy issues, but it's an easy way to keep them hydrated. I give mine full fat milk - they like it much more (and they don't have weight issues anyway). Deska prob gets about 2/3 a cup and Tully 1/2 a cup so it isn't much. But, except when Deska goes on a dirt eating binge, he's had much less stomach issues since getting the milk. Of course it could be entirely coincidental.
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Interesting Caro, thanks for sharing! And yes, his annual test (not when he was sick) also came back with high albumin levels.
 
Ashley - they would need to take more blood and run the liver functions (alkphos, alanine phospatase, bilirubin) as well as the albumin. Check and see if they did run them, they might have.
 
I was thinking like Emma's mom. To check the gallbladder.

Hollie had gallbladder disease and her symptoms were frequent vomiting. The vet kept telling us the vomiting was from "Lyme disease". She would go on a round of doxycycline and get better. She would also get pain in her shoulder area which we now know was referred pain from the GB, not Lyme.

To make a long story short this went on for many years until her liver enzymes were elevated, then they checked her GB and could not believe how big it was.

I believe if diagnosed early it can be treated with medications and diet, or possibly surgery to remove GB all with good results.

I hope you get some answers and Bently is feeling better.
 
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