The
Basic Profile
or
"The ABC’s of Diagnostics
Girl aGirl
and Greyhounds; La Joie de Vivre;
Wardle, Arthur
(1864-1949)
Image courtesy PicturesNOW!
Suzanne Stack, DVM
When that "basic profile" comes back
from the lab, what can it tell you? The highlights in greyhounds
are:
The CBC
The CBC (complete blood count) tells how
many of each kind of blood cell is circulating. RBCs (red blood
cells) contribute to the HCT or PCV (hematocrit or packed cell
volume = the concentration of red blood cells in the sample). Hgb is
the amount of hemoglobin in the RBCs. These numbers are normally
high in greyhounds, low in anemia. MCV, MCH, and MCHC are
calculations derived from RBC, PCV, and Hgb.
The WBC (white blood cell) count is a
total of the different kinds of WBCs in the sample - segmented
neutrophils, bands, lymphocytes, monocytes, and eosinophils. The
breakdown of WBCs is called the differential (diff) and by its
makeup can indicate a normal dog or possible infection/inflammation.
The "diff" gives the doctor clues to what process or disease might
be causing an abnormal WBC. WBCs can normally run low in greyhounds.
Platelets are the last component of the
CBC. Platelets are the blood cells that form a "platelet plug" to
stop the bleeding when you cut your finger. Greyhounds can run under
or on the low end of normal platelet counts.
The Chem Panel
The lab uses serum (what is left of
whole blood once the cells are removed) to determine approximately
20 "blood chemistries." There are many other tests that can be run
on serum. Most "chem panels" include:
Total Protein
= the sum total of Albumin +
Globulin
Albumin
- a protein made in
the liver
- can be lost
through damaged kidneys or intestines
Globulin
- a protein
produced in response to antigenic stimulation
- increased in
chronic infections and some cancers
BUN
– blood urea
nitrogen
- increased in
dehydration or kidney disease
- decreased in
liver disease
Creatinine
- also increased in kidney disease
- another measure of kidney function less affected by dehydration than BUN
- normally higher in
greyhounds than other dogs
ALT (SGPT)
- alanine transferase
- released from
damaged liver cells
AST (SGOT)
- aspartate transferase
- increased in
liver damage, muscle damage (including intramuscular injections), or
hemolysis (breakdown of RBCs). The hemolysis can be as simple as
from a difficult blood draw.
ALKP (SAP)
- serum alkaline phosphatase
- increased with
liver disease, Cushings, steroids, some cancers & infections.
Normally high in young, growing dogs.
T. Bili - total
bilirubin
- pigment increased in liver disease or
hemolysis which causes dog, serum, and/or urine to turn yellow
(jaundice = icterus)
CPK - creatine
phosphokinase
- enzyme released from damaged skeletal &
heart muscle
Amylase
- digestive enzyme
increased in pancreatitis, intestinal disease, or kidney failure
Lipase
- digestive enzyme which is more specific
for pancreatitis
Cholesterol
- rises after eating or from pancreatitis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, or glomerulonephritis.
- doesn't clog arteries in dogs.
Glucose
- "blood sugar"
- rises in
diabetes, pancreatitis, seizures, or severe near-death type stress
- decreased in sepsis, insulinoma tumor,
baby pups who don't eat often enough, but most often from sample
sitting around too long before centrifuging
Calcium
- increased in
lymphoma & other cancers
- decreased in kidney failure,
post-whelping seizures, & hypoparathyroidism
Phosphorus
- increased in
kidney failure
The electrolytes
TCO2, Cl-, K+, & Na+ show a wide variety of derangements in
different diseases.
TCO2
- total carbon dioxide
Cl
- chloride
K+
- potassium
Na+
- sodium
Lastly are 4
calculations:
A/G ratio
- albumin/globulin ratio
- albumin should
predominate over globulin in the normal dog
B/C ratio
- BUN/creatinine ratio
- helps distinguish
dehydration from true kidney failure
Na/K ratio
- sodium/potassium ratio
- screens for
Addison's disease
Anion gap
= (Na + K) - (Cl + bicarbonate)
- reflects acid/base status
There are many
other less important or more obscure possibilities for elevations
and decreases in these parameters that were omitted for space and
clarity. Many values are only something to worry about if they're
either elevated or decreased, but not necessarily both. These are
the basics.
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