Following are selected posts to the Holisticat (TM) Mailing List on the subject of blood tests. There's a lot of information here, and the posts are arranged in ascending chronological order. If there is a particular word you're looking for, it's probably best to utilize the "Find in Page" function in your edit menu!

Happy hunting :)

<27 Aug 98  From: Yumi Re: Blood Tests>

Someone on the Wellpet was asking about blood test, so I posted some info there.

I finished (with a help from some wellpetters) blood test info for my newsletter.

A Complete Blood Count indicates the number and type of cells in the dog's  blood. This standard test can identify anemia and leukemia, as well as  the presence of many infections. A Blood Profile includes a variety of tests that examine the functioning of organs, such as the liver and thyroid. If these tests indicate any abnormality, careful screening helps pinpoint the problem. Bacteria and fungus cultures can indicate the presence of diseases caused by those agents. Additional treatment of the culture may suggest effective medication. A Fecal test can indicate the presence of parasites. A Urinalysis looks for disfunction in the kidneys, urinary tract and liver. It can also identify diabetes and other
diseases.

After checking with several labs, I have noticed that they don't use exactly  same value as a normal counts.

Yumi Guidotti

CBC Values

• RED BLOOD CELLS (RBC) - Responsible for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.
• Hematocrit (HCT) or Packed Cell Volume (PCV)  - Provides information on the amount of red blood cells (RBC) present in the blood.  Decreased levels of RBC or PCV means anemia. Increased levels are often seen in dehydration.
• Hemoglobin (Hb) - The essential oxygen carrier of the blood. Decreased levels indicate the presence of hemorrhage, and anemia. Increased levels indicate higher than normal concentrate of RBC
• Reticulocytes - Immature red blood cells. Decreased count is usually associate with anemia. Increased count is associated with chronic hemorrage or hemolytic anemia.
• PLATELETS (PLT) - Play an important role in blood clotting. Decrease in number occurs in bone marrow depression, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, systemic lupus, severe hemorrhage or intravascular coagulation. Increased number may occurs with fracture or blood vessel injury, or cancer.
• WHITE BLOOD CELLS (WBC) - The body’s primary means of fighting infection. Decreased levels may indicate an overwhelming infections (viruses), or drug /chemical poisoning. Increased levels indicate bacterial infection, emotinal upsets and blood disorders.
• LYMPHOCYTES (L/M) - These smooth, round white blood cells increase in numberwith chronic infection, recovery from acute infection or underactive glands and decrease with stress, or treatment with steroids and chemotherapy drug.
• Calcium (CA)  - Blood calcium levels are influenced by diet, hormone levels and blood protein levels. Decreased levels indicate acute damage to the pancrease or undersctive parathyroid. Increased levels can be an indicator of certain types of tumors, parthyroid or kidney disease.
• Phosphorus (PHOS) - Affected by diet, parathormone and kidney. Decreased levels shows overactive parathyroid gland and malignancies, malnutrition and malabsorption. Increases with underactive parathyroid gland and kidney failure.
• Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride)  - The balance of these chemicals is vital to health.  Abnormal levels can be life threatening. Electrolyte tests are important in evaluating vomiting, diarrhea and cardiac symptoms.
• Cholesterol (CHOL) - Decreased levels are found in an overactive thyroid gland. Elevated levels of cholesterol are seen in a variety of disorders including hypothyroidism and diseases of the liver or kidneys.

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) - An enzyme that becomes elevated with liver disease.
• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALKP) - An enzyme produced by the biliary tract (liver).  High levels indicate bone disease, liver disease or bile flow blockage.
• Total Billirubin (TBIL) - A component of bile, bilirubin is secreted by the liver into the intestinal tract. High levels can lead to jaundice and indicate destruction in the liver and bile duct.
• Total Protein (TP) - Increases indicate dehydration or blood cancer, bone marrow cancer; decreases indicate malnutrition, liver or kidney disease, bleeding or burns.
• Globulins (GLOB) - Decreased levels indicate problems with antibodies, immunodeficiency viruses or risk of infectious disease. Increased levels may indicate stress, dehydration or blood cancer.
• Albumin (ALB) - Produced by the liver, reduced levels of this protein can point to chronic liver or kidney disease, or parasitic infections such as hookworm. High levels indicate dehydration and loss of protein.

• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) - BUN is produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys.  Decreased levels are seen with low protein diets, liver insufficiency and the use of anabolic steroid drug. Increased levels indicate any condition that reduces the kidney's ability to filter body fluids in the bodu or interferes with protein breakdown.
• Creatinine (CREA) - Creatinine is a by-product of muscle metabolism and is excreted by the kidneys.  Elevated levels can indicate kidney disease or urinary obstruction. An increased BUN and normal creatinine suggest an early or mild problem. An increased creatinine and increased BUN with elevated phosphorus indicate a long standing kidney disease.
• Blood Glucose (GLU) - High levels can help diagnose diabetes and can indicate stress, excess of the hormone progesterone, an overactive adrenal gland.  Low levels can indicate liver disease, tumors or abnormal growth on pancreas, an underactive adrenal gland.
• Amylase (AMYL) - The pancreas produces and secrets amylase to aid in digestion.  Elevated blood levels can indicate pancreatic and/or kidney disease.

• Color - Normal color is yellow to amber. Red is caused by Blood, Dark yellow to brown with yellow form are caused by bilirubin, reddish brown is caused by hemoglobin / myoglobin.
• Transparency - Normal is clear. Cloudy urine is caused by crystals, cells, blood, mucous, bacteria or cast.
• Gravity - 1.007 ~ 1.029 occurs with diabetes mellitus, insipidus, overactive adrenals, excessive thirst and pyometra. Over 1.040 occurs with high fever, dehydration, diabetes mellitus, vomiting, diarhea and severe homorrhage.
• PH Levels - It should be 6.2~6.5, little on the acidic side.

NORMAL COUNT
 

                             Canine                 Feline                     Units
Glucose             65-120                     70-120                  mg/dl
BUN                     6-24                         17-30                     mg/dl
Creatinine         0.4-1.4                     0.6-1.6                  mg/dl
Tot. Protein       5.2-7.2                     5.3-7.2                   g/dl
Albumin             2.5-4.3                     2.6-3.9                  g/dl
Calcium             9.5-12.0                  9.4-11.2                 mg/dl
Phosphorus        3.3-6.8                    4.0-7.0                   mg/dl
Alk. Phos.            20-200                   20-220                   U/L
GGT                    1.2                           0-10.0                    U/L
AST                      10-40                      8-35                       U/L
LDH                      30-190                   35-280                   U/L
Cholesterol       110-314                 90-150                    mg/dl
Total Bili.            .04-.40                    .08-.30                    mg/dl
ALT                     10-70                      10-130                    U/L
Amylase            200-1290               not valid               U/L
CPK                     20-200                    20-160                   U/L
CO2                   17-24                       17-24                     mEq/L
Triglycerides     20-200                    20-100                   mg/dl
Direct Bili.          0-0.30                     0-0.30                     mg/dl
Ur Acid              0-2.0                       0-1.0                       mg/dl
Sodium             140-151                 143-153                  mEq/L
Potassium         3.4-5.4                   3.5-5.2                    mEq/L
Chloride            105-120                108-128                  mEq/L
Lipase                120-258                 120-258                 U/L
Globulins           0.9-4.0                  1.5-4.0                     g/dl
A/G                    0.53-3.5                0.56-2.6
AGAP                5-30                       5-30
HgB                    120-180                 80-150                    g/L
Hct                     0.37-0.55              0.24-0.45                 L/L
RBC                    5.5-8.5                  5.0-10.0                    x106/ul
MCV                  60-77                     39-55                        fl
MCH                  19.5-24.5             13-17                          pg
MCHC               32-36                    30-36                         g/dl
Retic                  0-1.5%                  0-1%                            %
WBC                  6.0-17.1                5.5-19.5                      x1000/ul
Segs                   3.6-11.5                2.5-12.5                     x1000/ul
Bands                0.0-0.3                  0.0-0.3                       x1000/ul
Eos.                     0.01-1.25             0.0-1.5                       x1000/ul
Lympho.           1.0-4.8                  1.5-7.0                       x1000/ul
Monos.              0.15-1.35              0.0-0.85                    x1000/ul
Plat.                   2-9                          3-7                            x100000/ul

How many pages are devoted to the blood tests in that book, Sandy?  I've seen it in a couple different places and thought about purchasing it. Actually, there is a book out there that has some information on interpreting blood tests - it devotes an entire chapter to blood tests and urinalysis.  There's an explanation of CBC values and what decreased or increased levels might mean, kidney and liver values, and things like specific gravity or increased/decreased levels of urine output.  Yes, it's a d** book, but the explanations are *very* generic, pointing to specific disease states and causes that could occur with *either* a dog or a cat. It also has some great information (again generic) on vitamins, enzymes, and supplements.  It's a book I think I would have purchased even if I did *not* have a dog.  "The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog" by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, DVM.

I posted this not because it is a dog book, but because I truly feel it has helpful information in it for kitties too.

<<If I could throw an online party I would >>

Here is a "yippee!" and a few streamer tosses from me :)

How cool the kits' test results are good so far!

<<Cordelia (nearly 6 years), who is 2 lbs. more than she was in  December, has low albumin & low protein (2.7).>>

<<snip>>

<<Megan's liver enzymes are fine.  So is everything else except for one thing.  Her protein is around 2.>>

In the blood test stuff I've got (printed out) it says:
low protein: malnutrition, liver or kidney disease, bleeding or burns
low albumin: chronic liver or kidney disease, parasitic infections

On another sheet I printed some time back it says:
low protein: malnutrition, advanced liver disease, pregnancy and lactation, blood loss, parasitism

So if all their other numbers came back within normal ranges, I wonder if maybe a fecal might be a good idea. Were they anemic by any chance? That would really make me think parasites - especially hooks....

I have two urls for blood tests:

At  http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Plains/1151/hlthlnks.htm  there is a list of Lab Test Interpretation & Terminology Links, some are for humans and d*gs, but it's info that applies to cats too.

There's a good web site that goes into a detailed explanation of what the different items in a blood test are.  The url is:
http://www.baysport.com/clinic/bloodexp.html