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UNDERSTANDING YOUR PET’S LABORATORY WORK
"They are very thorough"
 Complete
Blood Count (CBC) - This is the most common blood test performed on pets and
people. A CBC gives information on hydration status, anemia, infection, the
blood’s clotting ability, and the ability of the immune system to respond. This test is essential
for pets with fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or loss of
appetite. If your pet needs surgery, a CBC can detect bleeding disorders or
other unseen abnormalities.
HCT
(hematocrit) measures the percentage of red blood cells to detect anemia and
dehydration.
Hb and MCHC (hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) are
the oxygen-carrying pigments of red blood cells.
WBC (white blood cell count) measures the body’s immune cells. Increases or
decreases indicate certain diseases or infections.
GRANS and L/M (granulocytes and lymphocytes/monocytes) are specific types of
white blood cells.
EOS (eosinophils) are a specific type of white blood cells that may indicate
allergic or parasitic conditions.
RETICS (reticulocytes) are immature red blood cells. High levels indicate
regenerative anemia.
FIBR
(fibrinogen) is an important clotting factor. High levels may indicate a dog
is 30 to 40 days pregnant.
Blood
Chemistries -These common blood serum tests evaluate organ function,
electrolyte status, hormone levels, and more. They are important in
evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting and diarrhea or toxin exposure,
pets receiving long-term medications, and health before anesthesia.
BUN
(blood urea nitrogen) indicates kidney function. An increased blood level is
called azotemia and can be caused by kidney, liver, and heart disease,
urethral obstruction, shock, and dehydration.
Ca
(calcium) deviations can indicate a variety of diseases. Tumors,
hyperparathyroidism, kidney disease, and low albumin are just a few of the
conditions that alter serum calcium.
CHOL
(cholesterol) is used to supplement a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, liver
disease, Cushing’s disease, and diabetes mellitus.
Cl
(chloride) is an electrolyte often lost with vomiting and Addison’s disease.
Elevations often indicate dehydration.
Cortisol
is a hormone that is a measure in the test for Cushing’s disease (the
low-dose dexamethasone suppression test) and Addison’s disease (ACTH
stimulation test).
CREA
(creatinine) reveals kidney function. This test helps distinguish between
kidney and nonkidney causes of elevated BUN.
GGT
(gamma glutamyl transferase) is an enzyme that indicates liver disease or
corticosteriod excess.
GLOB
(globulin) is a blood protein that often increases with chronic inflammation
and certain disease states.
GLU
(glucose) is a blood sugar. Elevated levels may indicate diabetes mellitus.
Low levels can cause collapse, seizures, or coma.
K
(potassium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive
urination. Increased levels may indicate kidney failure, Addison’s disease,
dehydration, and urethral obstruction. High levels can lead to cardiac
arrest.
LIP
(lipase) is an enzyme that may indicate pancreatitis.
Na
(sodium) is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney and
Addison’s disease. This test helps indicate hydration status.
PHOS
(phosphorus) elevations may indicate liver or hemolytic disease. This helps
identify bile duct problems and certain types of anemia.
TBIL
(total bilirubin) elevations may indicate liver or hemolytic disease. This
test helps identify bile duct problems and certain types of anemia.
TP
(total protein) indicates hydration status and provides additional
information about the liver, kidneys, and infectious diseases.
T4
(thyroxine) is a thyroid hormone. Decreased levels often signal
hypothyroidism in dogs, while high levels indicate hyperthyroidism in cats.
Urinalysis
- This test is a very important means of evaluating overall kidney function,
especially when done in conjunction with blood tests. Urinalysis is also a
key test for determining if there is a urinary tract infection or if there
is inflammation in the urinary bladder. This test also helps to confirm,
along with blood tests, whether or not an animal has diabetes (with
diabetes, either sugar or both sugar and ketones are present in the urine).
Fecal
Tests – Fecal tests are examinations of the stool to evaluate for the
presence of intestinal parasites (e.g. Giardia, roundworms, hookworms,
whipworms, coccidia). It is important to check periodically for parasites,
even if stools are consistently normal. Parasites can cause significant
intestinal problems in both animals and humans (some parasites can be
transmitted from animals to humans). Specific treatment is prescribed based
on results.
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West Frederick Veterinary Hospital, P.C. is accredited
by the American Animal Hospital Association. We are proud
to have passed the rigorous standards for this
accreditation.
"AAHA
developed the Accreditation Program to raise the level
of care being provided to companion animals." |
Copyright West Frederick Veterinary Hospital 2005
Site Developed by
Thomas A. Werner
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