We discussed the "Chem 10" blood test in our previous Blog post, which assesses overall health, particularly the functioning of internal organs like the liver, kidneys & pancreas.
A hematology test for pets is a blood test that looks at the different types of cells in your blood, like red blood cells, white blood cells & platelets. It helps diagnose and monitor conditions such as anemia, infections & blood disorders.
Abnormalities in the results of a hematology test can indicate the presence of these conditions or help track their progression and response to treatment.
Let us break down what each parameter means, for your easy understanding.
Red Blood Cells (RBC) Parameters:
Red Blood Cells (RBC):
High RBC: Could mean dehydration or too many red blood cells (polycythemia - rare disease of dogs and cats in which the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells (RBCs).).
Low RBC: Could indicate anemia, which may be caused by blood loss, nutritional deficiencies or underlying diseases.
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV):
High MCV: Can indicate regenerative anemia (body making new red blood cells).
Low MCV: Can indicate non-regenerative anemia (not enough new red blood cells).
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC):
Similar to MCV, they can help classify anemias.
Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW):
High RDW can indicate varied sizes of red blood cells, which can be seen in certain types of anemia.
Hematocrit (HCT): % of RBC in the Body
High HCT: Often accompanies high RBC counts, can indicate dehydration or polycythemia.
Low HCT: Indicates anemia, similar to low RBC count.
Reticulocyte Count: (RETIC) immature red blood cells
High RETIC: Indicates increased production of red blood cells, which can occur in response to anemia or blood loss.
Low RETIC: Indicates decreased red blood cell production.
Hemoglobin (HGB):
High HGB: Often seen with high RBC counts, can indicate dehydration or polycythemia
Low HGB: Indicates anemia, similar to low RBC count.
Packed Cell Volume (PCV): % of blood that is made up of RBCs
High PCV: This can occur due to dehydration, which causes the blood to become more concentrated with red blood cells. **PCV for a cat can be inaccurate if the blood sample is hemolyzed (i.e. RBC are ruptured, usually caused by too much suction of syringe when blood is handled.)
Low PCV : Anemia can be caused by blood loss, nutritional deficiencies (such as iron deficiency), underlying diseases (such as kidney disease or autoimmune disorders) or chronic inflammation.
White Blood Cells (RBC) Parameters:
White Blood Cells (WBC):
High WBC: Can indicate infection, inflammation or leukemia.
Low WBC: Rare in cats, but it could indicate a viral infection or bone marrow disease.
Differential White Blood Cell Count:
Neutrophils:
High count can indicate bacterial infection or stress.
Low count can indicate viral infection or bone marrow disease.
Lymphocytes:
High count can indicate viral infections or leukemia.
Low count can indicate stress or corticosteroid use.
Monocytes:
High count can indicate chronic inflammation or stress.
Low count is less significant.
Eosinophils:
High count can indicate allergic reactions, parasitic infections or certain cancers.
Low count is less significant.
Basophils:
High count is rare but can indicate certain cancers.
Low count is less significant.
Platelets (PLT) Parameters:
Platelets (PLT):
High PLT: Can indicate inflammation, infection, or certain cancers.
Low PLT: Can indicate clotting disorders, immune-mediated diseases or bone marrow disorders.
Platelet Distribution Width (PDW):
High PDW can indicate varied sizes of platelets, which may be seen in certain conditions affecting platelet production.
Mean Platelet Volume (MPV): measures average size of platelets in a blood sample.
High MPV: Can indicate the presence of larger platelets, which may occur in certain conditions such as immune thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) or after the spleen has been removed.
Low MPV: Can indicate the presence of smaller platelets, which may occur in conditions such as thrombocytopenia or in response to certain medications.
These values can provide important information about a cat's overall health, hydration status and immune system function.
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