Diagnostics and Bloodwork: A Note From the MED

The Vets is off to a "fur"ocious start in 2023! 🐕"Purr"haps this has to do with all of the amazing team members, in fact we are "paw"sitive this is the case!🐾

As your patients age and grow, their organ function also changes. Performing serum chemistry and complete blood counts are useful in detecting those minute irregularities. The Vets Wellness Guidelines provide you with suggested IDEXX reference laboratory diagnostics for all your patient's life stages.

Interpretation of pediatric results can be difficult as the normal parameters for laboratory reference ranges are based off of adult patients, so care should be taken. Provided here are charts from Kutzler's Small Animal Pediatrics with suggested reference ranges and parameters for your pediatric patients.

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TABLE 30-3 Puppy biochemical parameters up to 12 months of age
2-3 Months 4-6 Months 7-12 Months

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Albumin (g/dl)*
2.6-3.7 2.6-3.7 2.6-3.7
ALP (U/L)
88-532 126-438 4-252
ALT (U/L)
≤29 ≤32 5-45
Amylase (U/L)*
≤1683 ≤1683 ≤1683
AST (U/L)
7-19 3-23 2-26
Bilirubin (mg/dl)
0.01-0.13 0.01-0.13 ≤0.3
BUN (mg/dl)*
9.8-37.3 9.8-37.3 9.8-37.3
Calcium (mg/dl)
10.4-13.6 10-13.2 10.4-12
Chloride (mEq/L)*
99-120 99-120 99-120
Cholesterol (mg/dl)
99.6-499.6 99.6-499.6 135-278
CK (U/L)
31-255 40-192 ≤134
Creatinine (mg/dl)
0.39-0.49 0.27-0.88 0.21-0.89
GGT (U/L)
≤6.2 ≤4.3 ≤3.2
Globulins (g/dl)
1.9-2.5 2.2-3.5 2.2-4.5
Glucose (mg/dl)
97.1-166.2 97.1-166.2 76-119
GLDH (U/L)
1.6-9.6 1.9-8.7 1.2-8.0
LDH (U/L)
68-290 ≤442 9-269
Lipase (U/L)
≤241 ≤139 ≤154
Magnesium (mEq/L)*
1.4-5.2 1.4-5.2 1.4-5.2
Phosphorus (mg/dl)
6.4-11.3 5.6-9.6 3.5-7.8
Potassium (mEq/L)
4.5-6.3 3.9-6.1 4.2-5.6
Sodium (mEq/L)
140-156 139-159 138-158
Total protein (g/dl)
4.3-5.8 4.5-7.3 4.9-6.7
Triglycerides (mg/dl)
19.1-205.5 19.1-205.5 40-169
TLI (µg/L)
5-35

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Adapted from the following sources:
Harper EJ et al: Age-related variations in hematologic and plasma biochemical test results in Beagles and Labrador retrievers, J Am Vet Med Assoc 223(10):1436-1442, 2003.
Kley S et al: Establishing canine clinical chemistry reference values for the Hitachi 912 using the international federation of clinical chemistry (IFCC) recommendations, Comp Clin Path 12:106-112, 2003.
Kraft W, Hartmann K, Dereser R: Dependency on age of laboratory values in dogs and cats. Part 1: Activities in serum enzymes, Tierärztl Prax 23:502-508, 1995.
Kraft W, Hartmann K, Dereser R: Age dependency of laboratory values in dogs and cats. Part II: serum electrolytes, Tierärztl Prax 24:169-173, 1996.
Laroute V et al: Quantitative evaluation of renal function in healthy Beagle puppies and mature dogs, Res Vet Sci 79(2):161-167, 2005.
Vajdovich P et al: Changes in some red blood cell and clinical laboratory parameters in young and old beagle dogs, Vet Res Commun 21(7):463-470, 1997.

TABLE 30-5 Kitten biochemical parameters up to 12 months of age
<3 Months 4-6 Months 7-12 Months
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ALT (U/L)
10-50 ≤77 ≤85
ALP (U/L)
≤564 37-333 21-197
Amylase (U/L)*
≤1800 1800 ≤1800 (≤2200 Oriental breeds)
AST (U/L)
≤20 ≤30 ≤30 (≤40 Oriental breeds)
Bilirubin (mg/dl)†
≤4 ≤4 ≤4
BUN (mg/dl)‡
17-35 17-35 17-35
Calcium (mg/dl)*
9.2-12.0 9.2-12.0 9.2-12.0
Chloride (mEq/L)
97-125 102-122 104-124
Creatinine (mg/dl)
0.16-1.26 0.33-1.21 0.8-2.3 (adult reference range)
CK (U/L)
≤188 ≤160 ≤128
GGT (U/L)*
≤4 ≤4 ≤4
GLDH (U/L)*
≤7 ≤7 ≤7 (≤16 Oriental breeds)
Glucose (mg/dl)‡
70-150 70-150 70-150
LDH (U/L)
68-280 ≤442 9-269
Lipase (U/L)
≤280 ≤280 ≤280
Magnesium (mEq/L)*
1.2-5.2 1.2-5.2 1.2-5.2
Potassium (mEq/L)
3.7-6.1 4.2-5.8 3.7-5.3
Phosphorus (mg/dl)
6.5-10.1 6-10.4 4.5-8.5
Sodium (mEq/L)*
143-160 143-160 143-160
Total protein (g/dL)||
— 3.3-7.5 3.3-7.5
TLI (µg/L)
17-49

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Adapted from Kraft W, Hartmann K, Dereser R: Dependency on age of laboratory values in dogs and cats. Part 1: Activities in serum enzymes, Tierärztl Prax 23:502-508, 1995; Kraft W, Hartmann K, Dereser R: Age dependency of laboratory values in dogs and cats. Part II: serum electrolytes, Tierärztl Prax 24:169-173, 1996; Kraft W, Hartmann K, Dereser R: Age dependency of laboratory values in dogs and cats. Part III: bilirubin creatinine & proteins in serum, Tierärztl Prax 24:610-615, 1996.

References:

Kutzler, M.E. P. (2011). Small Animal Pediatrics. Elsevier Health Sciences (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/978-1-4160-4889-3

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