Well, Noodle (poor guy) went back to the vet, and had another blood panel done, an xray, a lung aspiration, and a heartworm test done. The heartworm came back negative, the lung aspirate came back with no signs of bacteria or yeast, the xray came back with no signs of an enlarged heart or any masses in the abdomen, BUT there were 'light densities' shown on the lungs. The blood panel showed that Noodle is slightly anemic (rbc under 30%) and that his globulin level is elevated (proteins involved w/immune system). WBC is not elevated, however. The vet said this *likely* meant whatever it was, it wasn't bacterial, but was possibly viral, if it was an infection. Also, the panel showed immature rbc's, meaning he's producing more blood to cover for what's being lost. So, the vet is concerned about the following things - a slight bleeding problem in the digestive system, possibly an ulcer, causing the anemia levels and the poor health. Second, a foreign body lodged in the system somewhere causing the bleeding (Noodle has never eaten anything 'foreign' to my knowledge - he will chew rubber bits OFF of phones and remotes but he's never eaten them! odd). In both cases, the vet wants to do an exploratory. Third, megaesophagus resulting in pneumonia, but we'd have to do an ultrasound to rule this out. Fourth, and very remotely, the heartworm test was a false negative. Again, an ultrasound to rule this out. So, and I have't been to pick him up yet so I don't know specifically what meds, Noodle's going to get TWO antibiotics, one short term, one long term, and I also have to give him Pepto. Apparently one of the antibiotics is heinous-tasting. If the antibiotics don't improve him we go back in for the exploratory. Well, we go back in. He gets the exploratory. I merely pay for it. I guess if it's a gastroenteritis-caused ulcer that might explain the slight bounce back I saw when he got a short course of amoxi. Poor Noodle was *very* good at the vet's, too - sweet, curious, cute, and well-behaved. Not like himself at all. *grin* I haven't noticed any significant change in his stool that would indicate a bleeding ulcer, but based on the level of anemia it's not a very large amount of blood loss. Noodle's symptoms again are: excessive sleepiness, ie, he will wake up, come out to check out what's going on, hop around a tiny bit, then go back to sleep; weight loss, about 1 oz/2 weeks or so; a slight 'hork'ing noise where it sounds like he's trying to clear something from this throat - he extends his head and wheezes raspily through his nose. I can't imitate this sound - it's very unique. And finally, he's alert when he is awake, friendly, eats, drinks, and poops normally to the best of my knowledge. He just doesn't play. He's curious and inquisitive, he just tires out easily. Melissa ___ Melissa Litwicki __ [log in to unmask] ___ By the whole newsgroup devoted tennis showing it after scarfing fork and laughters [Posted in FML issue 1982]