🧪 Bear goo update:
The slide has few cells, mostly keratinocytes, the nonviable flakey keratinized outer skin cells. There are bacteria, but they all look like normal skin flora.
What I DON’T see is more relevant: no protein, fat, or inflammatory cells. He’s not making milk 👍 & no inflammation 👍👍
🧪 Today as I left work, a coworker waved me into his office to ask, “Hey, can I get your thoughts on some bear nipple goo cytology tomorrow?”
And honestly, I’d thought he’d never ask!
(The gooing bear is male and should not be making any mammary goo at all.)
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s goo report!
I’ve recommended having the amount of protein in the fluid analyzed. Cytology is not a great method to detect small amounts of protein, and the level of protein helps you understand a process better. In this case, high protein would mean either inflammation or secretion.
Low protein fluid is more like interstitial fluid, the background juice that keeps all your cells cheerfully damp. I’m hoping this is the territory we’re in. (It’s also less supportive of bacterial growth than high-protein fluids and easier for the body to remove.)
Please keep us updated about Leaky Bear. It is the sort of low-stakes (for me since I am not the bear or caretaker of bear) ursine interest story that today needs.
I can also tell you that he is a very Good Bear. This sample was collected awake, while he voluntarily presented his chest. They were also able to palpate AND get ultrasound of his testes. (There are some testicular tumors that can cause mammary development.)
Definitely earned his treats. 🐻
Good Bear, indeed. I can think of some humans that would not be that accommodating.
Though the image of a doctor telling Gentle Ben "turn your head and cough" is going to be in my head for a bit now. I'm ok with that.
