High White Blood Cells in Senior Cat (eating, siamese, throwing)

[sorrow0]

My approximately 15-year old cat was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure after she went blind from retinal detachment. They also found that she had a high white blood cell count and gave her a course of antibiotics even though she didn't show signs of an infection in her blood or urine.

After two weeks of antibiotics they checked her blood again and found that her white blood cell count was still very high. Another urinalysis complete with a culture was done but there is still no sign of infection.

After consulting with the lab techs the vet is now recommending full body x-rays at a cost of $330+ to see if there is any other sign of something wrong.

I am very concerned about this as I have already spent over $1200 on exams, tests, and medication for her over the past few weeks since this started. I am barely making ends meet as it is and the bulk of that had to go on credit. I can't help but wonder if the x-rays would just be another waste of money after two rounds of blood and urine tests showed nothing, but I would feel terrible if further down the line it turns out there IS something wrong that would have shown on the x-rays.

As stated before she is getting up there in years. Her behavior the past few weeks has been a bit unusual but it's likely this can be attributed to her recent blindness and the stress she's been under.

She has been eating and drinking more than usual but I'm sure the most likely causes for that - diabetes or hyperthyroidism - would have shown on the tests she already had. She almost never uses the litter box anymore, instead going on the floor in the hallway around it so I put down puppy training pads on a friend's suggestion, but again this is apparently likely due to a combination of her blindness and age. She's also taken to some restless wandering at times, but again tings I've read indicate this is not unusual for an elderly, stressed cat, and that it's even possible she might be going senile (which was one of the theories put forward by the vet when I first brought her in, before her high blood pressure and retinal detachment were diagnosed).

It's just very frustrating, not knowing what could be normal behavioural changes and what might be a sign that something is wrong. She's a Siamese and has ALWAYS been a little high-strung, and even before her blindness we had some disruptions to our household which caused her some stress. I have read that high white blood cells can be caused by stress.

So I'm just wondering... is it really worth it to spend money on x-rays at this point?

[Rene S]

My first question to you is, if you do the x-rays and say the find a mass (cancer, maybe), would you change anything about the treatment? Would you have surgery to remove a mass or undergo chemotherapy if it were cancer?

Could it even be removed? Our Tucker had lung cancer and one spot was by his heart and one by his spine, making surgery impossible. In some ways, it was worse for me to know he had cancer and there was nothing I could do, because he was around 14 1/2 a the time.

Yes, stress can indeed cause a high white cell count. You could play this conservatively and wait another month and re-check her blood work to see how it is. Given her other health concerns, this seems fair and what I would do if this were my cat.

For the litter box, you might try adding another new box in the place where she's peeing. She may have an aversion to the other location for some reason.

Again, this is your decision and you need to do what's best. Just throwing out some options for you to consider.

[sorrow0]

Thank you very much for your reply, Rene S, I really appreciate it.

I think you're right, when it comes down to it, if the x-rays were to show something it is unlikely there'd be any feasible options for treatment, not at her age and when she is already so easily stressed. I often feel that the efforts we made to treat my other cat when she developed a persistent infection at sixteen years old and stopped eating and drinking ultimately just extended her suffering before we finally decided to say good bye.

Right now she doesn't seem to be suffering in any way and her high blood pressure is being successfully treated with medication. I think I will wait on the x-rays for now at least.

Thank you again for your advice.

[Rene S]

We learn as we go, right?

We have a guy who is nearly 19 and already has several health issues (hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, heart murmur) and is on medications. I've told our vet that, at his age, I'm unlikely to add more pills/treatment as it would stress him out. Keeping him happy, eating, and generally comfortable is our plan, and it sounds like the same plan you have for your cat.

[NYC refugee]

You might try something like Rescue Remedy to help with his stress while he's adjusting to losing his sight. Then you can see if the high white cell count persists and make a decision about x-rays then.