Question :

My 2 year old santard poodle had a blood test becausehe couldn’t gain
wieght. He is very active. THe bood test were normal except for the inclusions

found in the white blood cells. We are having further tests. What do you suspect
is wrong?

Answer :

Dear Marie,

May I first wish you all the best for 2009!

Weight loss or failure to thrive can be associated with a number of conditions.

Starting the investigations with a blood test is a reasonable thing to do. I am unsure about the “WBC inclusions” and therefore cannot comment. Does the pathologist give any precisions regarding this finding?

The next step is probably to look at a fecal sample and investigate your dog’s digestive function. Can he digest his food properly? If not, that would be called EPI, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, which is common and would be typical for a large breed dog presented with a failure to thrive and normal blood test results.

Clinical signs include a good appetite and passing of voluminous, whitish fecal material. Treatment is achieved by adding pancreatic enzymes to the feed.

Best wishes,

Julien
www.vetstoria.com