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06-13-2012, 12:05 PM | #1 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| How to read a lab report I was wondering if anything has been posted explaining how to understand lab reports. I did a seach here and it came up with so many unrelated threads that I decided to just ask the question. If someone remembers one please feel free to post the link here. thanks Donna
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna |
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06-13-2012, 12:15 PM | #2 |
T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England
Posts: 9,816
| What do you want to know about reading a lab report? There are usually normal values listed next to the numbers for reference.
__________________ Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy |
06-13-2012, 02:04 PM | #3 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| I dont' know what most of the things are. for instance, Sherry reported Bella had a higher than average BAT in looking at my dogs lab results I don't see anything called BAT, and the work I had done was supposed to be a full workup, what's a BAT test. This time there was a test for CK, (but it was not on last years test) it was the only thing out of rang, high is 200, Lola was 231 the vet asst, said that they are not concerned because the ALT was 74 out of range starts at 107 and the AST was 41 and out of range starts at 56. The vet said the CK number could mean she was stressed from being at the vet, or has a mild leg injury (which she did not seem to have) I did not think much about it, but I don't know if the blood was drawn before or after the rabies booster since they took her in the back. After reading a few of the threads about liver shunt and other problems I am wondering what all this means. Here is another one AMYLASE, what's that for, range is 450-1240 UL she was at 450 I could probably goggle each test name but I thought if there was a sample lab report I could just look at that. thanks any help is appreciated Donna
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna |
06-13-2012, 02:15 PM | #4 |
Donating YT 10K Club Member | BAT is bile acid test and is not done within routine blood panels. It is a separate test entirely and involves a blood draw after fasting and another after eating. Here's a link to help you. understanding dog bloodwork, canine blood tests Also note the values given are for adult dogs and puppies sometimes have variables due to growth. Other values are affected by diet or hydration. CK is creatinine kinase....which is affected by hydration.
__________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com Last edited by bchgirl; 06-13-2012 at 02:19 PM. |
06-13-2012, 03:07 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member | Here's another article that helped me to know what our doctors were looking at. HOW TO Read Your Dog?s Blood Work | Find A Vet It really is a well written & easy to understand explanation of what a lot of the terms mean.
__________________ Sherry Owned by Tuffy & Bella Visit my SHOP: SherrysPetStuff or on Etsy. Fun on Facebook Last edited by normarae63; 06-13-2012 at 03:11 PM. |
06-13-2012, 03:43 PM | #6 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| thank you, those will be helpful links. I am really torn, at times I stay out of this section because I get so worked up and scared for the owners and then I think that Lola will have all these things because I don't know that much about her background. Then I feel bad when staying away because I feel I should support the members going through hard times because if it was me I would want their support, and also because I learn stuff. Of course my biggest mistake is when I tell my husband about something I read here because he never wants to hear negative talk and tells me this is only a small group of people compared to all yorkie and dog owners. I never spent money on blood work for my past dogs and now I am starting to ask the vet for it more than once a year and I think maybe I will even get that BAT test, am I crazy? LOL I will often skip my own yearly tests and now I keep wanting to test Lola. OK now you know what goes on in my head when I can not sleep Oh now I have another worry a month ago my own vet said Lola's knees are fine when she checked her for LP, then I sat next to a vet on my trip to NY last week, she felt Lola's legs and told me she had it in both legs, and I did not even ask her she just wanted to hold Lola and pet her
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna Last edited by DBlain; 06-13-2012 at 03:45 PM. |
06-13-2012, 03:58 PM | #7 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member | Donna- I stay out of this section a lot too; mainly due to the fact I'm not very knowledgable about a lot of the topics & can really only offer my support. I know that's important too but the heartache got to be too much for me so I stay away. From what I've learned a yearly bloodwork is the best preventive thing we can do for our dogs. Going forward, my dogs will have yearly bloodwork done so that if there's something going on they will hopefully spot it before it gets out of hand. The reason I had the bile acid test added was because Bella was vomiting bile very frequently & I want to know WHY & how to make her better. Like most YTers, I'm not a vet & I'd suggest talking over concerns with your vet. I'm sure if Lola had abnormal bloodwork your vet would let you know.
__________________ Sherry Owned by Tuffy & Bella Visit my SHOP: SherrysPetStuff or on Etsy. Fun on Facebook |
06-13-2012, 05:08 PM | #8 |
Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas
Posts: 27,448
| While I understand lab values and know what many mean, I hesitate to try to interpret them because it really does take a skilled person to do that. There is more to interpreting labs than knowing what each value means. They all work together and often mean nothing by themselves.
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06-14-2012, 07:45 PM | #9 | |
YT Addict | Quote:
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06-14-2012, 08:01 PM | #10 |
T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England
Posts: 9,816
| It is true that this section can burn you out fast. I still find myself coming back here time and time again if I might be able to share info or help someone out. As for lab reports, I wouldn't go to nuts with them. I do blood work very frequently on my dogs and have seen huge swings in various readings that change with diet, stress of the animal, and the like. Preventative veterinary care with a good vet is the best any owner can do and that really does pay off in the long term. Early on in Daisy's illness, I was told that I should "treat the dog and not the lab work" and I remind myself of this advice every time I see a reading that is significantly outside of the reference range.
__________________ Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy |
06-15-2012, 06:16 AM | #11 |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| thanks guys, it's nice to know others feel as I do. after reading the threads in this section, I now go to the pictures, videos or fashion forum, that lifts my spirts back up, and I now make sure it not a section I look at right before bed
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna |
06-18-2012, 01:09 PM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Illinois
Posts: 725
| I used to stay out of this section too. Until I found myself needing advice and help with a sick lil one. Now I am reading threads almost once a day. I definately can't go to the "over the rainbow" section. I cry so much when I read those posts. Understanding labs can be very complicated, and I do the coding/billing for labs in a healthcare facilty. I often have to ask a vet/dr what it means and what it interprates for a diagnosis. If you dont feel comfortable asking your vet, find a vet tech that you can ask. They love to share their knowledge.
__________________ KIM Proud mom of ELLE and ABBIE and BELLE |
06-18-2012, 01:24 PM | #13 | |
Donating YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Oakland County MI
Posts: 6,190
| Quote:
__________________ Lola my amazing little yorkie-pom Donna | |
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