How to interpret a blood test in dogs?

Sometimes when our dog becomes sick or is turning years old, it is It is necessary and advisable to perform different tests, among which the blood test stands out, because it allows to obtain a lot of information in a short time and in a relatively economical way.

In this article of Animals and Pets Online we are going to explain how to interpret a blood test in dogs .To do this we will comment on the most important parameters that are assessed in this test, as well as the diseases that can indicate their alterations.

The importance of complete blood analysis in dogs

Blood collection for analysis is a very common and important technique in all veterinary clinics.It is normal for the sample to be taken from the front leg but, in certain cases, blood can be drawn from the hind legs or even from the neck.

Many clinics already have the necessary devices to analyze the blood in the clinic itself, thus being able to obtain the results of the basic parameters in a few minutes This will allow you to start the treatment quickly.In the following sections we will see the most important elements that are analyzed.

When more information is needed or to assess more specific parameters, such as, for example, vitamins or thyroid hormones, the veterinarian will send the sample to an external laboratory .In addition, in the market we have kits that allow, from a drop of blood, detect the presence of diseases such as canine parvovirosis.The anali Blood ethics is also performed before an operation , in case there is any risk added to take into account, especially in relation to anesthesia, which will be eliminated by liver and kidneys.

In a blood test in dogs, what are the normal values?

Lastly, to assess the results you have to take into account the reference values ​​ that it offers the laboratory, since there may be some variations between them.In the following sections we describe how to interpret a blood test in dogs.

Blood test in dogs: the blood count

If we access the paper with the results of our dog's analytics we will see that the analysis is going to be divided into different sections.The first one will be the blood count , where we can find the globules red, white and platelets:

The red blood cells or erythrocytes are responsible for transporting oxygen through the blood.Its lack is indicative of anemia in dogs, which may be regenerative or regenerative.In the first case the medulose is going to produce reticulocytes, which are immature red blood cells, trying to compensate for the lack, since more red blood cells are lost than they regenerate.This type of anemia will have a better prognosis than the regenerative one, where the lack occurs because, directly, there is no production.The amount of these globules is measured quickly in the hematocrit and, the lower this is, the more risk there will be for the life of the animal.

The white blood cells or leukocytes re they bind with the organism's defense against diseases.An elevation of its values ​​usually indicates, precisely, that the dog is suffering from an infection .On the other hand, if its values ​​are diminished, the animal could be immunosuppressed.

The blood count also includes platelet count which, in low numbers, could mean problems with coagulation and bleeding .Instead, a high number favors the appearance of thrombi.In the next section we will give more information on how to interpret a blood test in dogs according to white blood cells.

Blood test in dogs: white blood cells

In the blood we find different types of leukocytes that will also provide information on how to interpret a blood test in dogs.They highlight the following:

• Neutrophils : they are the ones that will act on the front line of the defense of the organism.They usually shoot at bacterial infections but, on the contrary, their number decreases when the pathogen is a virus.
• Eosinophils : their number increases in cases of allergies or infestations parasitic.
• Lymphocytes : there are several types, such as B or T lymphocytes.Sometimes they can appear in high numbers, as in cases of leukemia, but it is more It is customary for their values ​​to decrease, as in the initial stages of viral diseases.

Blood analysis in dogs: biochemistry

This section of analytics encompasses the count of various substances such as glucose, urea or, very importantly, proteins.To explain how to interpret a blood test in dogs we We will now set the most important biochemical parameters that will give us information on the functioning of the different organs:

• Proteins : the ratio of blood proteins gives us information Very valuable.Immunoglobulins and albumin are measured.Elevated proteins can mean dehydration.Their decrease is indicative of different conditions that will be diagnosed taking into account the clinical picture and the rest of the analytical.
• Glucose : it is the sugar that circulates in the blood.High values ​​can indicate that the dog has diabetes.The glucose can also increase if the animal is very stressed, although this alteration is more frequent in cats.opposite, a decline in this the This is related to weakness, seizures or, less frequently, insulinoma.
• Creatinine : high values ​​are related to renal failure, both acute and chronic.
• Urea : It is a waste product of protein breakdown and is eliminated through the kidneys.It is another value that increases when the body suffers from kidney disorders, which may have different causes.
• ALT and AST : they are transaminases, parameters that will give us information about the functioning of the liver.Its elevation indicates that a liver problem is occurring.
• Bilirubin : it is another parameter that relates to the liver.It is the waste product resulting from the breakage of red blood cells.If it is not properly removed, a task that corresponds to the liver, it accumulates in the body, so its elevation implies liver problems but, also, it may be due to a hemolytic anemia in which red blood cells are destroyed at a faster rate than normal.

Clinical analyzes and their interpretation

In spite of all the information provided by an analytics, to know how to interpret a blood test in dogs we must also attend to the clinical picture , that is, to the symptomatology presented by the animal.In addition, the alteration of a single parameter does not have to indicate a pathology in all cases.

The analysis, therefore, must be interpreted as a whole and taking into account the particular conditions of that dog, such as its age or its medical history.We must also know that we have explained the basic parameters but our veterinarian, in order to reach the most accurate diagnosis, can request the analysis from the laboratory of elements such as calcium, which may appear elevated by the presence of tumors, phosphorus, which is altered in renal failure, fructosamine, which serves to confirm a diagnosis of hyperglycemia (diabetes) or thyroid hormones, which are going to inform us of s If there is or is not hypo or hyperthyroidism.

Observing the blood under the microscope can also provide interesting information, being able to interpret the size, shape or number of cells.Lastly, although the amount in which they appear high or decreased normal values ​​informs us about the severity of the damage, does not imply a better or worse prognosis .Therefore, it will always be the veterinarian, valuing all available information, who will arrive at a diagnosis and treatment Once this is established, the analytics will be repeated periodically to keep track.

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