My dog's blood test has high PCT. What does this mean for her?

Blood results always have to be interpreted with the results of a hands-on exam and medical history in mind. Numbers alone cannot give a diagnosis. Your veterinarian should have explained those results to you as he also did a clinical exam and knows why you went to the vet with your dog. That said I can give you a general idea: The lab was looking for blod parasites, but did not find any. This can mean that your dog is blood parasite free or just that in the sample they had, there were no parasites visible. This is not proof that your dog is parasite free, it just means they did not find any. The PCV is high, that means your dog is likely somewhat dehydrated. He also has too many neutrophils and too few lymphocytes which is most often a sign of infection. Your veterinarian should explain to you what he suspects your dog is suffering from. The blood parameters alone are just a small part of diagnosis and in your dog's case not very specific.

In looking at the bloodwork you attached, I would not be concerned about the total White Blood Cell value being slightly lower than normal. After the total WBC value, the bloodwork breaks it down into individual white blood cells, like neutrophils and lymphocytes, none of which are too low. In fact, neutrophils, the body's first responders to infection or inflammation, are a little higher than the normal range. White blood cells are the fighters of the immune system, and it appears that Mary still has plenty in case she needs them. There is nothing you can do raise them other than keep her in good health. However, I do see that both BUN and Creatinine are also elevated. This can happen for many reasons, including severe dehydration, kidney insufficiency or failure, kidney infection, among others. These are the more concerning numbers that I see, and I am sure your vet has discussed a plan of action for these values.

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is difficult to interpret the results accurately without a medical history, however, in general: - white cell count is within normal range, indicating no sign of infection or inflammation - hemoglobin and PCV are slightly high, which usually indicates mild dehydration. This can be due to not drinking much water for a few hours prior to the blood sample, or from fluid losses through vomiting or diarrhea - MCV is an indicator of red cell size, which is only relevant if the pet is anemic (which Coco is not). I hope this helps, and that Coco is doing okay!

You are describing pancytopenia which is a low red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet count. We see this disease process secondary to infectious diseases carried by ticks, toxins such as hormones or even secondary to some medications such as anti-inflammatories, primary diseases of the bone marrow and cancer. Unfortunately, it is a problem because if left untreated his platelet count will continue to drop resulting in bleeding and his low white blood cell count predisposes him to infection. He needs to be tested for tick borne disease and possibly have a bone marrow aspirate. In the meantime, your veterinarian may recommend treating him with doxycycline and prednisone.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The BUN and CREA are the most worrying symptoms indeed. It means that Pushka's kidneys are not working very well. A urine test should be the next step of investigation to rule in/out kidney infection and intoxication. Also, ultrasound scan of the kidneys may help to make the final diagnosis. Other blood parameters that are abnormal could be related to the kidney problems or not. High RBC, HCT, HCT could be due to dehydration, but it may be caused, for example by kidney problems. I don't think the abnormalities are due to stress. I hope it will help but if you have any further questions, please let us know.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Polycythemia is just the medical term for higher than normal red blood cell count. This is most commonly related to mild-moderate dehydration, though other causes are possible. I am more concerned about the platelets. They are not terribly decreased, and if they are much improved from the last blood count, it may not be a concern. Speak with your vet about how to interpret these results and how much concern you should have about these values. Best wishes to you and Bruno!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Technically, we have to have a urine concentration to know for sure if the kidneys are affected. Those values (urea and creat) could have been caused by mild dehydration. If so, the kidneys are fine. If the urine is dilute and watery, then yes I am worried more about kidney damage. Talk to your vet about checking the concentration (USG) of the first urine of the morning. Best of luck to you and Max!