Have you ever wondered what the blood test information is telling your vet and Candy is looking for her FORever home.

Candy is looking for her FORever home

Our guest blogger is Dr. Wendy Pennington
of Pennington Animal Hospital

So…Your veterinarian has recommended to run blood tests on your cat to screen for illnesses or to make a diagnosis in order to establish a treatment plan for your sweet furry family member. Some tests that would most likely be run are a CBC (Complete Blood Cell count), Diagnostic Chemistries, Electrolytes, Total T4 (Thyroid Screen) and Urinalysis as a minimum data base.

So let’s take a closer look at these tests that your veterinarian is running to determine the health of your cat.

Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC): A CBC checks for red blood cell counts (RBC’s), white blood cells (WBC’s) and platelets. A decrease in red blood cells indicates anemia. An increase in white blood cells would indicate infection or inflammation in your pet. A decrease in white blood cells might indicate stress or a viral infection. A decrease in platelet counts might point to a clotting disorder or tick borne illnesses.

Diagnostic chemistries can include the following depending on the level of testing selected by the veterinarian:

Albumin (ALB) - A protein that is produced by the liver. Reduced levels of this protein can point to chronic liver, kidney, or intestinal disease.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) - An enzyme present in multiple tissues including liver and bone. Elevated levels can indicate liver disease, Cushing’s disease, osteoarthritis, or abnormalities from cortisone/steroid therapy.

Amylase (AMYL) - An enzyme produced by the pancreas. Elevations may indicate pancreatitis.

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) - Produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Abnormally high levels can indicate kidney disease or dehydration and low levels may be seen in certain liver diseases.

Calcium (Ca) - Increased levels can be seen with diseases of the kidney or parathyroid gland. Elevations can also be an indicator of certain types of tumors.

Cholesterol (CHOL) - Elevated levels of cholesterol are seen with hypothyroidism or liver disease.

Creatinine (CREA): Creatinine is a by-product of muscle metabolism and is excreted by the kidneys. Elevated levels indicate kidney disease.

Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) - Increases in this enzyme may indicate a problem with the liver or gall bladder.

Globulin (GLOB) - A protein that may indicate inflammation.

Glucose (GLU) - High blood glucose levels may indicate stress in cats or diabetes mellitus.

Lipase (LIPA) - Elevated levels may be seen with pancreatitis.

Phosphorus (PHOS) - Elevated levels may be seen with kidney disease.

Total Bilirubin (TBIL) - Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin as well as a component of bile. Blood bilirubin levels are useful in indicating liver/gall bladder problems or certain types of anemia.

Total Protein (TP) - The level of total protein can indicate dehydration, inflammation and diseases of the liver, kidney or intestinal tract.

Electrolytes - Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), and Chloride (Cl) are important when evaluating vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, endocrine problems or cardiac problems.

Total T4 (Thyroxine) - This a measurement of the level of thyroid hormone that is circulating in the blood and is helpful in screening for hyperthyroidism in cats.

Urinalysis: Routine screening of the urine often helps identify diseases such as lower urinary tract (bladder) infections, diabetes, and kidney disease.

Pet owners must keep in mind that the above tests are used to screen for potential problems. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend additional tests to make a definitive diagnosis. Also, an abnormality in a single test may or may not indicate an actual problem. An item such as this may be measured periodically to determine if it is normal for your individual cat or if it is an indication of an early disease process.

Candy came to us from a local shelter. She kept being over looked because she wasn’t as outgoing as the younger pups in her kennel. She is completely deaf, tiny little girl at 9 lbs. She gets along fine with small dogs, doesn’t like the cat at all but would have a hard time catching one. She is a senior girl and sleeps a lot. If you are home a lot and want a nice quiet companion.. Candy is for you. Because she is older she needs to be taken out more frequently but she is also potty pad trained. She sleeps in her crate in the kitchen with the door open. Every once in a while she’ll get up in night and use pee pad. Usually can hold it all night, 7/8 hours of sleep. Loves belly rubs. Candy is just a very sweet senior. We couldn’t leave her to live out the remainder of her life in the shelter.. She is cherished in her foster home but sure would like to meet FORever. And she deserves it. She is fostered in Huntsville, AL.

EmailInfo@FORrescue.net if you think you might be THAT special person. 

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 At the end of 2014 individuals who submitted content for the FOR blog will be entered in a drawing for a free pet portrait.