As part of your pet’s overall yearly health exam, Maple Veterinary Hospital veterinarians recommend a wellness blood profile that provides screening information that sets base line levels for major organ functions.

In some cases, a wellness blood profile will identify a disease process such as thyroidism, diabetes, liver or kidney problems, or heartworm disease resulting in a treatment protocol to address the medical problem before major disease symptoms are presented. On-going blood profiles are used to monitor the progress of medical treatments.

Understanding Your Pet’s Blood Profile

The following guide defines the common blood tests that are performed in a blood profile.

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.

Hematocrit:  Measures the body's immune cells.  Increases or decreases indicate certain diseases or infections.

Hemoglobin and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration:  Are the oxygen-carrying measurements of red blood cells.

White Blood Cell Count:  Measures the body's immune cells.  Increases or decreases indicate certain diseases or infections.

Neutrophils and Lymphocytes/Monocytes:  Measures specific types of white blood cells.  Neutrophils are one type of white blood cell and they are the first line of defense to fight infections.

Eosinophils:  Measure the specific type of white blood cells that may indicate allergic or parasitic conditions.

Reticulocytes:  Measures the number of immature red blood cells.  High levels indicate regenerative anemia.

Blood Chemistries:  These common blood serum tests evaluate organ function, electrolyte status, and more.  They are important in evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting and diarrhea or toxin exposure, pets receiving long-term medications, health before anesthesia, and base line information.

Albumin:  Measures a serum protein that helps evaluate hydration, liver and kidney disease.

Alkaline Phosphatase:  Elevations may indicate liver damage, Cushing's disease, active bone growth in young pets, and tumors.

Alanine Aminotransferase:  Is a sensitive indicator of active liver damage but does not indicate the cause.

Amylase:  Elevations show pancreatitis, kidney disease, or irritations to the intestines.

Aspartate Aminotransferase:  Increases may indicate liver, heart, or skeletal muscle damage.

Blood Urea Nitrogen:  Indicates kidney functions.  An increased blood level is called azotemia and can be caused by kidney disease, urethral obstruction, shock, and dehydration.

Calcium:  Deviations can indicate a variety of diseases.  Hyperparathyroidism, tumors, and kidney disease are just a few of the conditions that alter serum calcium.

Cholesterol:  Is used to supplement diagnosis of hypothyroidism, liver disease, Cushing's disease, and diabetes mellitus.

Chloride:  Is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, kidney disease, and Addison's disease.  This test helps indicate hydration status.

Creatinine:  Reveals kidney function.  This test helps distinguish between kidney and non-kidney causes of elevated BUN.

Gamma Glutamyl Transferase:  Is an enzyme that indicates liver disease or corticosteroid excess.

Globulin:  Is a blood protein that often increases with chronic inflammation and certain disease states.

Glucose:  Is blood sugar.  Elevated levels may indicate diabetes mellitus.  Low levels can cause collapse, seizures, or coma.

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.

Lipase:  Is an enzyme that may indicate pancreatitis.

Sodium:  Is an electrolyte lost with vomiting, diarrhea, kidney disease, and Addison's disease.  This test helps indicate hydration status.

Phosphorus:  Elevations are often associated with kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and bleeding disorders.

Total Bilirubin:  Elevations may indicate liver or hemolytic disease.  This test helps identify bile duct problems and certain types of anemia.

Total Protein:  Indicates hydration status and provides additional information about the liver, kidneys, and infectious diseases.  It is made up of Globulin plus Albumin.

Thyroxine:  Is a thyroid hormone.  Decreased levels often signal hypothyroidism in dogs, while high levels indicate hyperthyroidism in cats.