New red blood cells are larger than older ones so they have a higher MCV. When there is blood loss, there should be more new red blood cells present as the bone marrow starts to make new red blood cells to replace the lost ones. In these cases, both of these numbers tend to be normal. Cats that are chronically ill often will have what is called a non-regenerative anemia where the bone marrow is not able to make red blood cells fast enough to replace those being lost to old age. They help to guide a clinician in identifying if a cat is making new blood cells as it should be when anemic. MCV and MCHC are primarily used in interpreting anemias. MCHC=Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration: How much hemoglobin is in the average red blood cell in terms of volume. MCH=Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin: How much hemoglobin is in the average red blood cell in picograms. MCV= Mean Corpuscular Volume: The volume that the average red blood cell occupies. This is the measurement used most often to determine anemia. A normal value for a healthy adult cat is approximately 30% to 45%, but normals vary according to what method is used and the individual laboratory. HCT provides an estimate of red blood cells as a percent of the total volume of blood. It's an indicator of how much hemoglobin is present, thus a crude measurement of how much oxygen can be carried by blood. HGB shows the hemoglobin concentration of whole blood.
This is a measurement made by a machine that counts cells. RBC (mil/uL) stands for the concentration of red blood cells in millions per microliter of whole blood. Cat blood test results explained RBC: Red Blood Cells That goes for kittens as well as senior cats.įor all of these reasons, it really is very complicated and challenging to interpret hemograms (blood cell counts and characteristics). If a cat is dehydrated, the blood will be concentrated so the packed cell volume or hematocrit will be higher even though it is really an artifact of the dehydration, and when normal amounts of water are restored to the body, the numbers may change a great deal.Īge can make a difference in what the normal ranges are. Results have to be interpreted very carefully as well with consideration of the cat’s hydration. In veterinary patients, and in particular cats, there are often changes that are associated with the stress a cat feels from travel and being in an unfamiliar environment that can affect the numbers and types of cells found in the blood. What the normal range in one laboratory is may not necessarily be what the normal range is in another laboratory.
Doctors have to know how to interpret the results in light of many variables relating to collection and storage of samples as well as methods of determining values. The type of anticoagulant that is used can make a big difference, and how much blood is put into the tube can as well. These nuances start with the tube of blood that is collected. Hematology - the study of the blood's composition - has a lot of nuances that can make interpretation difficult. Interpretation of the results within the right context is important. Can Cat Owners Interpret Blood Test Results on Their Own? You could end up fretting over nothing, or worse, falling into a false sense of security that could delay treatment for your cat.Īnd now, we hand the virtual mic over to Dr. That's why we avoided providing actual numbers for most of these tests.
Miller explains, a qualified veterinarian has many considerations when reading a feline blood panel. Interpreting blood test results on your own isn't wise.Īs Dr. Written by veterinarian Letrisa Miller, DVM, this article goes over the various elements of a blood panel in cats, aka a complete blood count or CBC.īefore we walk through the alphabet soup of blood test results, a word of caution. Note: We may get commissions for purchases made through links on this page. Kitty recently had a blood test? Are you wondering about the results? Can't make sense of the various abbreviations and what they actually mean?