Sometimes, when our dog gets sick or is getting older, it is necessary and advisable to carry out different tests, including the blood test, because it allows you to get a lot of information in a short time and relatively inexpensively.
In this article on our site 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 evaluated in this test, as well as the diseases that can indicate their alterations.
The importance of a complete blood test in dogs
Blood extraction for analysis is a very common and important technique in all veterinary clinics. Normally, the sample is taken from the front leg, but in certain cases, blood can be taken from the hind legs or even the neck.
Many clinics already have the necessary equipment to analyze 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 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 laboratoryIn addition, we have kits on the market that allow, from a drop of blood, to detect the presence of diseases such as canine parvovirus. The blood test is also carried out before an operation , in case there is any added risk to take into account, especially with regard to anesthesia, which is to be eliminated by liver and kidneys.
In a dog blood test, what are normal values?
Finally, to assess the results you must take into account the reference values offered by the laboratory, since there may be certain variations between them. In the following sections we break down how to interpret a blood test in dogs.
Blood analysis in dogs: the complete blood count
If we access the paper with the results of our dog's analysis we will see that the analysis will be divided into different sections. The first will be the blood count, where we can find the red and white blood cells 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 can be regenerative or aregenerative. In the first case, the bone marrow will produce reticulocytes, which are immature red blood cells, trying to compensate for the lack, since more erythrocytes are lost than are regenerated. This type of anemia will have a better prognosis than aregenerative anemia, where the deficiency occurs because, directly, there is no production. The quantity of these globules is quickly measured in the hematocrit, and the lower the hematocrit, the greater the risk to the life of the animal.
The white blood cells or leukocytes are related to the body's defense against disease. An increase in its values usually indicates, precisely, that the dog is suffering from an infection On the other hand, if its values are decreased, the animal could be immunosuppressed.
The blood count also includes the platelet count which, in low numbers, could mean problems withcoagulation and hemorrhage On the other hand, 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.
Dog blood tests: white blood cells
In the blood we find different types of leukocytes which will also provide information on how to interpret a blood test in dogs. The following stand out:
- Neutrophils: they are the ones that will act in the first line of defense of the organism. They tend to be triggered by bacterial infections but, on the contrary, their number decreases when the pathogen is a virus.
- Eosinophils: their number increases in cases of allergies or parasitic infestations.
- Lymphocytes: there are several types, such as B or T lymphocytes. On some occasions they may appear in large numbers, such as in cases of leukemia, but it is more common for its values to decrease, as it happens in the initial phases of viral diseases.
Blood analysis in dogs: the biochemistry
This section of the analysis includes the count of various substances such as glucose, urea or, very importantly, proteins. To explain how to interpret a blood test in dogs, we will now look at the most important biochemical parameters that will give us information about the functioning of the different organs:
- Proteins: the blood protein ratio gives us very valuable information. Immunoglobulins and albumin are measured. Elevated protein can mean dehydration. Its decrease is indicative of different conditions that will be diagnosed taking into account the clinical picture and the rest of the analysis.
- Glucose: is the sugar that circulates in the blood. High values can indicate that the dog has diabetes. Glucose can also increase if the animal is very stressed, although this alteration is more frequent in cats. Conversely, a decrease in this element is associated with weakness, seizures, or, less frequently, insulinoma.
- Creatinine: high values are related to kidney failure, both acute and chronic.
- Urea: is a waste product of protein breakdown and is eliminated through the kidneys. It is another of the values that increase when the body suffers from kidney disorders, which can have different causes.
- ALT and AST: these are transaminases, parameters that will give us information about the functioning of the liver. Its elevation indicates that a liver problem is occurring.
- Bilirubin: is another of the parameters related to the liver. It is the waste product resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells. If it is not eliminated properly, a task that corresponds to the liver, it accumulates in the body, which is why its elevation implies liver problems, but it can also be due to hemolytic anemia in which red blood cells are destroyed at a faster rate than normal.
Clinical tests and their interpretation
Despite all the information that an analysis provides us, to know how to interpret a blood test in dogs, we must also attend to the clinical picture, that is, to the symptoms 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 wholeand taking into account the particular conditions of that dog, such as its age or his medical history. You should also know that we have explained the basic parameters but our veterinarian, with the aim of reaching the most precise diagnosis, can ask the laboratory to analyze elements such as calcium, which can appear high due to the presence of tumors, phosphorus, which altered in kidney failure, fructosamine, which helps us to confirm a diagnosis of hyperglycemia (diabetes) or thyroid hormones, which will tell us whether or not there is hypo or hyperthyroidism.
Observing blood under a microscope can also provide interesting information, being able to interpret the size, shape or number of cells. Finally, although the amount by which normal values appear raised or lowered tells us about the severity of the damage, does not imply a better or worse prognosisTherefore, it will always be the veterinarian, evaluating all the available information, who will arrive at a diagnosis and treatment. Once this is established, the analytics will be repeated periodically to keep track.
