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I have unfortunately been informed that Tootsie has a low neutrophil count. It is something I plan to keep an eye on and do some reading. Unknown cause, no symptoms. The blood tests lsited below.
| Date | Neutrophil Count (2620 - 15170 / uL) | WBC Count (3.9 - 19.0 K/uL) | Platelet (100 - 440 K/uL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 22, 2023 | 2800 /uL | 7.0 K/uL | 158 K/uL |
| February 18, 2024 | 2952 /uL | 8.2 K/uL | adequate |
| February 21, 2025 | 1659 /uL | 7.0 K/uL | 331 K/uL |
| January 27, 2026 | 1325 /uL | 5.0 K/uL | 222 K/uL |
Taking a look at some research papers and speaking to the vet, it seems that neutropenia is common in FIV positive cats. That is ruled out as a cause, she definintely doesn't have FIV. One of the papers describes a 4-year old cat with idiopathic neutropenia. Symptoms were fever, dehydration and gingivitis. It also states an increased glucose and creatine phosphokinase level. "Familial benign chronic neutropenia is a domninantly inherited disorder characterized by neutropenia, an increased incidence of periodontal disease and furunculosis, and normal bone marrow cellularity with a decrease in mature myeloid cells." (1)
Tootsie hasn't had any issues when it comes to her teeth (though now I will make it a point to brush her teeth weekly knowing she could be more susceptible) but she has had furunculosis. A quick google of the word shows that it is chin acne. Tootsie had it for a little while, I ended up using some wipes which helped it go away. She hasn't had it since and I will make sure that her bowls and water fountain are always clean. All other tests on her CBC appear to be normal and within the acceptable range. I will get her CBC panel retested in about 3-6 months. In the case that the neutrophils are still low, the next test to perform would be a c-reactive protein test. More research will need to be done for it but it is typically used to measure the amount of inflammation in the body.
(1) Swenson CL, Kociba GJ, Arnold P. Chronic idiopathic neutropenia in a cat. J Vet Intern Med. 1988 Apr-Jun;2(2):100-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1988.tb02801.x. PMID: 3221355.