How to read lab test results 

What do all those terms mean?  What should my dog's results be as a reference?

	Unit of Measure	Reference Ranges for Dogs
A/G ratio (albumin to globulin ratio)	ratio	0.8 – 2.2
Albumin - (ALB) - Produced by the liver, reduced levels of this protein can point to chronic liver or kidney disease, or parasitic infections such as hookworm. High levels indicate dehydration and loss of protein.	g/dL	3.0 – 4.5
Alkaline Phosphatase (Alk Phos, ALP) - (ALKP) - An enzyme produced by the biliary tract (liver). High levels indicate bone disease, liver disease or bile flow blockage.	u/L	10 – 122
ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase, SGPT) - (ALT) - An enzyme that becomes elevated with liver disease.	u/L	12 - 118
Amylase (serum)	u/L	270-1,900
Anion Gap (serum)	mEq/L	13 – 52
AST (aspertate transaminase SGOT)	u/L	9 – 60
Basophils (Basos)	%	quite rare
Basophils (Basos)	Total# x109/L or x103/µL	quite rare
Bicarbonate	mmol/L or mEq/L	18 – 25
Bile acids	u mol/L	0 – 13
Bilirubin (Total bilirubin) - (TBIL) - A component of bile, bilirubin is secreted by the liver into the intestinal tract. High levels can lead to jaundice and indicate destruction in the liver and bile duct.	mmol/L ---------- mg/dL	0.9 – 10.5 ---------- 0.1 – 0.4
Bleeding Time	In minutes	2- 5
Body Temperature (rectal) 101 – 101.5 – 102.2 F, 39C	Fahrenheit/centigrd	101 – 102.5 F, 38- 39C
Breaths per minute	------	18-34
BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)	mg/dL	8 – 30
BUN/Creatinine	ratio	4-27
Calcium (in blood) - (CA) - Blood calcium levels are influenced by diet, hormone levels and blood protein levels. Decreased levels indicate acute damage to the pancreas or under active parathyroid. Muscle twitches may occur in decreased level. Increased levels can be an indicator of certain types of tumors, parathyroid or kidney disease. Dr. Goldstein mentioned in his book, Nature of Animal Healing that low calcium level may indicate deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, and high calcium level may indicate poor metabolism of fats and protein.	mmol/L ---------- mg/dL	2.2 – 3.0 ---------- 8.7 – 11
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Chloride - see Electrolytes	mEq/L or mmol/L	102 – 124
Cholesterol - (CHOL) - Decreased levels are found in an overactive thyroid gland, intestinal malabsorption. Elevated levels of cholesterol are seen in a variety of disorders including hypothyroidism and diseases of the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular, diabetes, stress.	mg/dL --------- mmol/L	100 –290 ---------- 3.0 – 6.6
Cholinesterase	u/L	1,271 – 5,101
CK (CPK, Creatinine Kinase) - usually associated with muscular trauma of some form	u/L	14 – 120
Coagulation Time (glass)	minutes	6 – 8
Creatinine	mg/dL	0.5 – 1.6
Creatinine	mmol/L	44 – 138
Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride) - The balance of these chemicals is vital to health. Abnormal levels can be life threatening. Electrolyte tests are important in evaluating vomiting, diarrhea and cardiac symptoms.
Eosinophils (Eos)	%	2 - 10
Eosinophils (Eos)	Total# x109/L or x103/µL	100 – 1,250
Fibrinogen	g/L	1 – 4
Gestation Period (Pregnancy)	days	62 – 63
GGT (GGTP)Gamma-glutamyl transferase	u/L	0.1 – 9.7
Globulin (total, blood) - (GLOB) - Decreased levels indicate problems with antibodies, immunodeficiency viruses or risk of infectious disease. Increased levels may indicate stress, dehydration or blood cancer, allergies, liver disease, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes.	g/dL	1.6 – 3.6
Glucose	mg/dL	62 – 126
Glucose	mmol/L	3.4 – 6.0
Heart rate –(pulse rate)	Beats/minute	70-120
Hematocrit (PCV packed cell volume) - (HCT) or Packed Cell Volume (PCV) - Provides information on the amount of red blood cells (RBC) present in the blood. Decreased levels means anemia from hemorrhage, parasites, nutritional deficiencies or chronic disease process, such as liver disease, cancer, etc. . Increased levels are often seen in dehydration.	%	36 – 60
Hemoglobin (Hg, HgB) - The essential oxygen carrier of the blood. Decreased levels indicate the presence of hemorrhage, anemia, iron deficiency. Increased levels indicate higher than normal concentrate of RBC, B-12 deficiency (because there are fewer cells).	g/dL	12-20
Iron	ug/dL	46 – 241
Iron binding capacity	ug/dL	363 – 475
LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase)	u/L	20 – 270
Lipase	u/L	200 – 700
Lipase-DCL	u/L	65 – 691
Lymphocytes (Lymphs, Lymphos)		12 – 30
Lymphocytes (Lymphs, Lymphos) - (L/M) - These smooth, round white blood cells increase in number with chronic infection, recovery from acute infection or underactive glands and decrease with stress, or treatment with steroids and chemotherapy drug.	Total# x x109/L or x103/µL ----------- % of WBCs	690 - 4500 ---------- 12 - 30
Magnesium (blood)	mg/dL	1.7 – 2.7
Magnesium (blood)	mmol/L	0.7 –1.1
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)	pg	19.5 – 25
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) - Measurement of the avarage size of the RBC. Elevated volumes can be due to B-12 folic acid deficiency and reduced volumes are from an iron deficiency.	femto-liters (fl or µm3 )	58 - 79
Mean corpuscular Hgb concentration (MCHC)	g/dl	32 – 36
Monocytes (Monos)	% of WBCs	3 – 10
Monocytes (Monos)	Total# x109/L or x103/µL	150 – 1,350
Myeloid/erythroid ratio	ratio	0.75 to 2.50:1
Neutrophils (bands, stabs, immaures, granulocytes)	% of WBCs	0 –3
Neutrophils (bands, stabs, immaures, granulocytes)	Total# x109/L or x103/µL	0.0-300
Neutrophils (segs, matures, polys, granulocytes)	% of WBCs	60 – 77
Neutrophils (segs, matures, polys, granulocytes)	Total# x x109/L or x103/µL	3,000 – 11,000
Osmolality, Calculated	mosm/L
PCV (packed cell volume, hematocrit)	%	37-55
pH (of blood)	-------	7.32 – 7.42
pH (of urine)	-------	5.5 - 7.5
Phosphate	mg/dL	2.3 – 6.5
Phosphorus - (PHOS) - Affected by diet, parathormone and kidney. Decreased levels shows overactive parathyroid gland and malignancies, malnutrition and malabsorption. Increases with under active parathyroid gland and kidney failure.	mg/dL ---------- mmol/L	2.7 – 6.7 ---------- 1.0 – 2.0
Platelets Estimated	microscope	Adequate
Platelet Count - (PLT) - Play an important role in blood clotting. Decrease in number occurs in bone marrow depression, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, systemic lupus, severe hemorrhage or intravascular coagulation. Increased number may occurs with fracture or blood vessel injury, or cancer.	Total#x109/L or x103/µL	170 - 400
Potassium	mEq/L or mmol/L	3.6 – 5.6
Pro:Creat (urine) (protein:creatinine ratio)	ratio	<0.6
Protein (Total, blood)	gm/dL	5.2 – 7.8
Protein (blood plasma)	g/L	55 - 75
Protein (blood serum)	gm/L	50 - 75
Prothrombin Time	seconds	6 – 10
RBC (red blood cell count) - Iron deficiency will lower RBC count. In more reduced count, it may indicate hemorrhage, parasites, bone marrow disease, B-12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency or copper deficiency.	In million cells/ mcLOr cmm	4.8-9.3
RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width)	%	14 – 19
Respiratory rate	per minute	18-34
Reticulocytes - Immature red blood cells. Decreased count is usually associate with anemia. Increased count is associated with chronic hemorrage or hemolytic anemia.	%	0.0-1.5
SDH (Succinate dehydrogenase)	u/L	3.1 – 19
Sodium - see Electrolytes	mEq/L or mmol/L	139 – 154
Specific gravity (of urine)	------	1.015-1.050
T4	ug/dL	1.0 – 4.7
TIBC (Total iron-binding capacity)	ug/dL	235 – 495
Total Protein - Total protein measurements can reflect nutritional status and may be used to screen for and help diagnose kidney disease, liver disease, and many other conditions.	g/dL	5.0-7.4
Triglycerides	mg/dL	26 – 291
Urea Nitrogen (Blood urea nitrogen, BUN)	mg/dL	8.8 – 27
Urea	mg/dL	8.7 – 30.5
Uric Acid	mg/dL	0.2 – 0.9
WBC (white blood cell count, leukocyte count) - The body's primary means of fighting infection. Decreased levels may indicate an overwhelming infections (viruses), or drug / chemical poisoning. Increased levels indicate bacterial infection, emotional upsets and blood disorders.	Cells x 103 /cubic mm of blood = /µL	4.0 - 15.5
Whole Blood Coag-Time in Glass	minutes	2-4
	Unit of Measure	DOG