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Wilbur’s Medical Whirlwind

Wilbur blood draw

Wilbur was one of the dogs I took to Burlington last week, and in his case he was there to see the ophthalmologist, Dr. Sarah Hoy, for a one-year check up after his lensectomy. During her exam Dr. Hoy noticed two blood spots in the retina, which can indicate high blood pressure. She checked his blood pressure and sure enough, he was very high at 190 mmHg. Treatment for high blood pressure is usually recommended at 160 mmHg and higher, so we definitely had a problem.

High blood pressure can be caused by lots of different things — heart disease, kidney disease, and adrenal gland problems, for example. There is also primary hypertension, in which there is no underlying cause of high blood pressure.

I had just been to our internal medicine specialist, Dr. Tanya Donovan, with Bentley before heading over to see Sarah, so I called Tanya to see if she had time to look at Wilbur.

Tanya said she could definitely do a work-up on Wilbur, so I drove back over to her clinic at Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists. Tanya and her team went to work on Wilbur. In the photo above, vet techs Brenna (left) and Katie (right) hold Wilbur for a blood draw. They also retested his blood pressure, getting the same high readings that Sarah had.

In this next photo, Tanya is doing an ultrasound while Katie holds Wilbur:

Wilbur ultrasound
Although there was a slight change in one of his adrenal glands, Tanya didn't find anything in the imaging that could explain the hypertension, and his bloodwork and urine also were normal. The final test, for Cushing's, came back negative on Friday.

So the working assumption at this point is that he has primary hypertension, and Tanya started him on a twice-daily medication to bring his blood pressure down. We are rechecking his blood pressure tomorrow, on Wednesday, to see how much the medication has helped in the meantime.

Except for the two blood spots in his retina, though, Sarah thought his eye looked good a year after the surgery. So if we can get the high blood pressure under control, he should still be good for another 10,000 miles.

—

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9 responses to “Wilbur’s Medical Whirlwind”

  1. Linda Murphy Avatar
    Linda Murphy

    Hopefully he’ll be getting better once he’s on his meds. Boy, you sure had a travel-day! Sending less stress and a smoother week!

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  2. Leila K. - Western Wash. Avatar
    Leila K. – Western Wash.

    Poor sweet little Wilbur……he’s so adorable!

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  3. Barb Ribinski Avatar
    Barb Ribinski

    Wilbur is so adorable! Even when he’s getting the ultrasound his little tongue is sticking out. You just want to hug him and kiss his little face. I hope the meds for the blood pressure do the trick. We want the little fellow to be healthy and happy for a long time to come. Thanks, Steve, for taking such good care of the furry kids.

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  4. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    Welcome to my world Wilber. Maybe we’ll take a nap together sometime!

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  5. Mary H./Washington state Avatar
    Mary H./Washington state

    I still have a huge crush on Wilbur! RDF treats these little souls like the rock stars they are and the skilled veterinarians that help you are an extra blessing. RDF rocks!
    PS-extra hug to the Wilbster.

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  6. Mae - Jefferson City Avatar
    Mae – Jefferson City

    Hugs and kisses to that sweet little guy.xoxoxo

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  7. Tonya Allen Avatar
    Tonya Allen

    Wilbur’s such a little thing! And looks like he is a good boy at the vet. Sorry to hear about his blood pressure, but at least it is treatable.

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  8. Shirley * James/Portland, OR Avatar
    Shirley * James/Portland, OR

    Oh sweet Wilbur! Our Mink has high blood pressure and 1/2 a pill a day keeps the Vet away. Thanks for the update—such a darling boy!

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  9. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    So glad things will be working out well for both Scamp and Wilbur. Thanks for taking such good care of them as always!

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