Real blood reports: questions behind the numbers
Read four extracts from three cats and three clinics, linking flags and changes to clinical questions.
A visit may be routine screening, a change in behaviour, or follow-up for a known condition. The same result can lead to different questions in these settings. Blood work gives clues, not a complete diagnosis, treatment plan or prognosis.
Transcribed and checked against owner-provided paper-report photos. Owner and pet names, phone numbers, record IDs, clinicians and clinic addresses are removed. Original photos are not published. Prepared by TengRip; data checked on 2026-10-14. This article has not been reviewed by a veterinarian.
These are extracts, not complete medical records. Symptoms, medication, fasting, hydration, urine results and final diagnoses were not supplied for each report, so no case is labelled diabetic, kidney-diseased or pancreatitic. Handwritten historical values are omitted. An undated report remains undated.
Which markers matter for which clinical questions?
A reading order for veterinary visits, not a chart for self-diagnosis.
Kidney function and CKD
CREA and SDMA give kidney clues; BUN has other influences. Diagnosis and staging need urine findings, hydration and stable repeat testing.
Diabetes versus stress-related glucose
GLU is a snapshot; FRU covers longer-term glucose. Discuss persistence, symptoms, urine glucose and monitoring rather than diagnosing from one high result.
Pancreatic involvement
Identify the assay and units, then consider symptoms and imaging. Different methods or cats do not make one trend.
Anemia and bleeding
HCT reflects red-cell proportion; PLT contributes to hemostasis. Reticulocytes, smears and clumps help separate real changes from specimen issues.
Inflammation, infection and white-cell changes
WBC is the total, NEU a subset. Absolute counts and smear findings add clues, but do not identify a pathogen by themselves.
Case A: two visits
Case A uses different clinics and different chemistry analyzers. The comparison identifies changes worth discussing, not a strictly comparable same-analyzer trend. The size of a change alone does not establish disease progression.
| Test | 2025-12-22 | 2026-01-05 |
|---|---|---|
| CREA | 1.7 mg/dL | 1.8 mg/dL |
| SDMA | 13 µg/dL | 17 µg/dL |
| BUN | 27 mg/dL | 60 mg/dL |
| HCT | 50.8 % | 34.7 % |
| HGB | 15 g/dL | 10.3 g/dL |
Case A
Senior cat: normal creatinine does not settle the kidney question
CREA is 1.7 then 1.8 mg/dL, within the printed intervals, while the later SDMA of 17 and BUN of 60 exceed their intervals. Discuss the combination with urine concentration and hydration; neither a normal CREA nor these numbers alone establish or exclude CKD or its stage.
HCT falls from 50.8% to 34.7% and HGB from 15.0 to 10.3 g/dL, still within the listed intervals. Ask about the change and sampling context without assigning an anemia cause from this extract.
Later GLU is 164 mg/dL against an upper limit of 159. A single elevation does not diagnose diabetes: persistence, urine glucose, symptoms and possible fructosamine or home monitoring matter. PL 17.6 and QPL 20.9 U/L exceed their printed intervals; confirm the assay and interpret with symptoms and imaging.
Questions for your vet
- How comparable are these two clinics? Are urine concentration, urine protein and blood pressure available?
- Does the HCT/HGB change need a same-analyzer recheck or blood smear?
- Which follow-up tests are useful for glucose and pancreatic lipase in this clinical context?
Within range, high and low describe only the interval printed on that report. They do not mean healthy or diagnosed.
2025-12-22 · Anonymous clinic I
ProCyte Dx / Catalyst One
| Test | Result | Range on this report | Range comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC | 10.05 M/µL | 6.54–12.2 | Within range |
| HCT | 50.8 % | 30.3–52.3 | Within range |
| HGB | 15 g/dL | 9.8–16.2 | Within range |
| RETIC | 18.1 K/µL | 3–50 | Within range |
| WBC | 6.61 K/µL | 2.87–17.02 | Within range |
| NEU | 5.18 K/µL | 2.3–10.29 | Within range |
| LYM | 0.59 K/µL | 0.92–6.88 | Low |
| PLT | 296 K/µL | 151–600 | Within range |
| SDMA | 13 µg/dL | 0–14 | Within range |
| CREA | 1.7 mg/dL | 0.8–2.4 | Within range |
| BUN | 27 mg/dL | 16–36 | Within range |
| PHOS | 4.8 mg/dL | 3.1–7.5 | Within range |
| CA | 8.9 mg/dL | 7.8–11.3 | Within range |
| ALB | 2.7 g/dL | 2.3–3.9 | Within range |
| ALT | 58 U/L | 12–130 | Within range |
| AST | 41 U/L | 0–48 | Within range |
| ALKP | 40 U/L | 14–111 | Within range |
| Na | 162 mmol/L | 150–165 | Within range |
| K | 3.5 mmol/L | 3.5–5.8 | Within range |
| Cl | 122 mmol/L | 112–129 | Within range |
| PL | 17.6 U/L | 0–4.4 | High |
2026-01-05 · Anonymous clinic II
ProCyte Dx / Catalyst Dx
| Test | Result | Range on this report | Range comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC | 7.17 M/µL | 6.54–12.2 | Within range |
| HCT | 34.7 % | 30.3–52.3 | Within range |
| HGB | 10.3 g/dL | 9.8–16.2 | Within range |
| RETIC | 10 K/µL | 3–50 | Within range |
| WBC | 15.37 K/µL | 2.87–17.02 | Within range |
| NEU | 12.57 K/µL | 2.3–10.29 | High |
| LYM | 1.07 K/µL | 0.92–6.88 | Within range |
| MONO | 1.22 K/µL | 0.05–0.67 | High |
| PLT | 506 K/µL | 151–600 | Within range |
| GLU | 164 mg/dL | 71–159 | High |
| SDMA | 17 µg/dL | 0–14 | High |
| CREA | 1.8 mg/dL | 0.8–2.4 | Within range |
| BUN | 60 mg/dL | 16–36 | High |
| TP | 6.6 g/dL | 5.7–8.9 | Within range |
| ALB | 2.7 g/dL | 2.3–3.9 | Within range |
| GLOB | 3.9 g/dL | 2.8–5.1 | Within range |
| Na | 160 mmol/L | 150–165 | Within range |
| K | 4 mmol/L | 3.5–5.8 | Within range |
| Cl | 120 mmol/L | 112–129 | Within range |
| QPL | 20.9 U/L | 0–4.4 | High |
Case B
Adult cat: a normal WBC total can hide a low subset
WBC 4.60 is within range, but NEU 1.99 is below 2.30 K/µL. Read absolute differential counts alongside a smear, symptoms and persistence; the extract cannot identify infection or marrow disease.
PLT 98 is low while PCT 0.19% is within range. PCT cannot replace checking the smear: platelet clumping can lower an automated feline count. RETIC 58.1 with HCT 48.6% does not by itself establish regenerative anemia.
CREA 2.3 approaches the upper limit of 2.4; SDMA and urine testing were not supplied. Missing data are not normal results. PL 0.8 U/L is within this report’s interval; values from different cats are not a recovery trend.
Questions for your vet
- Were platelet clumps present, and should the count be confirmed?
- Is the low NEU persistent, and is a differential recheck appropriate?
- Are this cat’s previous creatinine, urine and SDMA results available?
Within range, high and low describe only the interval printed on that report. They do not mean healthy or diagnosed.
2026-08-19 · Anonymous clinic III
ProCyte Dx / Catalyst One
| Test | Result | Range on this report | Range comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC | 10.2 M/µL | 6.54–12.2 | Within range |
| HCT | 48.6 % | 30.3–52.3 | Within range |
| HGB | 15.8 g/dL | 9.8–16.2 | Within range |
| RETIC | 58.1 K/µL | 3–50 | High |
| WBC | 4.6 K/µL | 2.87–17.02 | Within range |
| NEU | 1.99 K/µL | 2.3–10.29 | Low |
| LYM | 2.34 K/µL | 0.92–6.88 | Within range |
| MONO | 0.09 K/µL | 0.05–0.67 | Within range |
| EOS | 0.14 K/µL | 0.17–1.57 | Low |
| PLT | 98 K/µL | 151–600 | Low |
| MPV | 19 fL | 11.4–21.6 | Within range |
| PCT | 0.19 % | 0.17–0.86 | Within range |
| GLU | 136 mg/dL | 74–159 | Within range |
| CREA | 2.3 mg/dL | 0.8–2.4 | Within range |
| BUN | 28 mg/dL | 16–36 | Within range |
| TP | 7.6 g/dL | 5.7–8.9 | Within range |
| ALB | 3.4 g/dL | 2.2–4 | Within range |
| GLOB | 4.2 g/dL | 2.8–5.1 | Within range |
| ALT | 72 U/L | 12–130 | Within range |
| ALKP | 62 U/L | 14–111 | Within range |
| Na | 159 mmol/L | 150–165 | Within range |
| K | 3.6 mmol/L | 3.5–5.8 | Within range |
| Cl | 116 mmol/L | 112–129 | Within range |
| PL | 0.8 U/L | 0–4.4 | Within range |
Case C
Another adult cat: identify the assay and units first
PLT 104, NEU 2.04 and PCT 0.16% are below their listed intervals. This combination needs confirmation and follow-up, not a shared disease label; clinical signs and smear/recheck findings matter.
SNAP fPL reports Normal as a qualitative result. It cannot be converted into a U/L value and ranked against PL or QPL. TT4 1.9 µg/dL is within the printed interval; age, symptoms and concurrent illness still shape interpretation.
The photo does not provide a clear test date. It remains unknown and is not inferred from the record number or added to another cat’s timeline.
Questions for your vet
- How should the low platelet and neutrophil counts be confirmed?
- Did the SNAP fPL result answer the clinical question at that visit?
- Which tests should be repeated if symptoms continue?
Within range, high and low describe only the interval printed on that report. They do not mean healthy or diagnosed.
Date not supplied · Anonymous clinic II
ProCyte Dx / Catalyst Dx / SNAPshot
| Test | Result | Range on this report | Range comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC | 9.68 M/µL | 6.54–12.2 | Within range |
| HCT | 46.3 % | 30.3–52.3 | Within range |
| HGB | 15.4 g/dL | 9.8–16.2 | Within range |
| RETIC | 26.1 K/µL | 3–50 | Within range |
| WBC | 5.74 K/µL | 2.87–17.02 | Within range |
| NEU | 2.04 K/µL | 2.3–10.29 | Low |
| LYM | 3.18 K/µL | 0.92–6.88 | Within range |
| PLT | 104 K/µL | 151–600 | Low |
| PCT | 0.16 % | 0.17–0.86 | Low |
| GLU | 138 mg/dL | 74–159 | Within range |
| SDMA | 9 µg/dL | 0–14 | Within range |
| CREA | 1.4 mg/dL | 0.8–2.4 | Within range |
| BUN | 26 mg/dL | 16–36 | Within range |
| TP | 7.3 g/dL | 5.7–8.9 | Within range |
| ALB | 3.5 g/dL | 2.2–4 | Within range |
| ALT | 46 U/L | 12–130 | Within range |
| ALKP | 40 U/L | 14–111 | Within range |
| TT4 | 1.9 µg/dL | 0.8–4.7 | Within range |
SNAP fPL: Normal · Qualitative test
Other supplied pages
One abdominal-fluid report, two dog/cat reference sheets and a prescription/invoice were also supplied. Abdominal fluid is a different specimen: its protein, urea and cell results must not be inserted into blood trends. Reference sheets are not patient results. Medication and prices do not establish a diagnosis.
Sources for further checking
- eClinpath — Creatinine
- eClinpath（Cornell University）— Quick test interpretation: Chemistry
- IRIS — Staging of CKD (Modified 2026)
- eClinpath — SDMA
- eClinpath — Glucose
- AAHA 2023 Selected Endocrinopathies of Dogs and Cats Guidelines — Feline Hyperthyroidism
- Peterson ME. More than just T4: diagnostic testing for hyperthyroidism in cats. J Feline Med Surg. 2013
- eClinpath（Cornell University）— Quick test interpretation: Hematology
- eClinpath — Platelet number
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Platelets of Cats
- eClinpath — Leukogram patterns
- Merck Veterinary Manual — White Blood Cell Disorders of Cats
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Clinical Hematology
- IDEXX — Catalyst Pancreatic Lipase Test algorithm
- IDEXX — Catalyst Pancreatic Lipase Test white paper
- IDEXX — SNAP fPL Test insert
- Cornell Feline Health Center — Feline Diabetes
- eClinpath — Fructosamine