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CBC

Electrical Cord Injury in Dogs & Cats – Don’t Chew on That!

16-07-18 by CriticalCareDVM

Pediatric patients – humans, dogs, and cats, alike – can get into things they shouldn’t when left unattended and to their own devices. Cupboards full of potential toxins. Drawers full of sharp objects. One potential household hazard for our pets is electrical cords. Puppies and kittens love to chew on things, including cords plugged into … [Read more…]

Posted in: Diseases Tagged: alternating current, amperes, analgesia, arterial blood gas, biochemical profile, burns, CBC, commissures, complete blood count, cord, coughing, current, cyanosis, direct current, ECG, EKG, electrical, electrocardiography, feeding tube, furosemide, lasix, mechanical ventilator, mouthwash, muscle, NCPE, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, pulse oximetry, radiographs, resistance, X-rays

Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhea Syndrome (AHDS) – A Cause of Bloody Feces in Dogs

13-03-17 by CriticalCareDVM

No dog parent wants to clean up diarrhea. Cleaning up bloody diarrhea is even more unpleasant. Unfortunately, the development of acute bloody diarrhea is not an uncommon occurrence in our canine companions. Such a malady is called Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhea Syndrome or AHDS. Formally called Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE), this ailment can be debilitating and potentially … [Read more…]

Posted in: Diseases Tagged: acute, AHDS, albumin, analgesia, anorexia, antibiotic, bacterial translocation, CBC, clostridium, coagulation, diarrhea, feeding tube, HCT, hemocrit, hemorrhagic, hyporexia, nausea, nutrition, PCV, perfringens, PT/PTT, toy, Type A, vomiting, Yorkshire

Icterus / Jaundice – Why is My Pet Yellow?

27-06-16 by CriticalCareDVM

Attentive pet parents perpetually look over the pets for signs of problems. Does their pet have any new lumps and bumps? Does their fur baby resent being petted at a certain location? Are the gums pink and moist? Occasionally families note a yellowing of a pet’s skin, their gums, and/or their sclera (“whites of the … [Read more…]

Posted in: General Information Tagged: bilirubin, bilirubinuria, biochemical profile, CBC, complete blood count, gall bladder, heme, hepatic, hyperbilirubinemia, icterus, jaundice, liver, post-hepatic, pre-hepatic, ultrasonography, urinalysis

Immune Mediated Polyarthropathy – A Joint Attack

14-12-15 by CriticalCareDVM

My favorite aspect of practicing medicine is treating diseases caused by dysfunction of the immune system. In previous blogs, I reviewed two common immune-mediated diseases – immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. A less commonly appreciated condition of immune system dysfunction is immune-mediated polyarthropathy or IMPA, a disease where the immune system attacks a pet’s joints. … [Read more…]

Posted in: Diseases Tagged: arthrocentesis, biochemical profile, carpus, CBC, idiopathic, immune-mediated, immunomodulation, immunosuppression, IMPA, joint tap, joints, prednisone, radiographs, tarsus

Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s Disease): A Great Pretender

16-11-15 by CriticalCareDVM

One of my favorite diseases to diagnose and treat is Addison’s disease. The medical name for this disease is hypoadrenocorticism, an adrenal gland disorder that predominantly affects dogs and rarely cats. The opposite of Cushing’s disease, this disease can manifest in a myriad of ways. This week I spend some time introducing this interesting disease … [Read more…]

Posted in: Diseases Tagged: ACTH, ACTH stimulation test, Addison's disease, aldosterone, CBC, cholesterol, cortisol, hypoadrenocorticism, leukogram, potassium, sodium, stress leukogram

Pre-Anesthetic Testing – Is It Really Necessary?

12-10-15 by CriticalCareDVM

Inevitably at some point in a pet’s life, anesthesia and surgery will be necessary. For example, spaying (called an ovariohysterectomy) and neutering (called and orchiectomy) are very common surgical procedures recommended for non-breeding dogs and cats. Both surgeries are performed while a patient is under anesthesia. Prior to anesthesia veterinarians recommend a few non-invasive tests … [Read more…]

Posted in: General Information Tagged: anesthesia, biochemical profile, CBC, CHEM, coagulation, complete blood count, electrocardiography, pre-anesthetic, surgery, urinalysis

White Blood Cells – Elevation Does Not Always Mean Infection!  

09-03-15 by CriticalCareDVM

In recent posts I wrote about two of the major cells types in blood – red blood cells and platelets. Specifically I reviewed causes of low red blood cells and low platelets. This week I introduce the last major cell type in blood – white blood cells – and discuss reasons why their population can increase. … [Read more…]

Posted in: General Information Tagged: basophil, cancer, CBC, complete blood count, eosinophil, granulocyte, infection, leukocytosis, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil, white blood cells

Low Red Blood Cells – Understanding Anemia

02-03-15 by CriticalCareDVM

One of the more common reasons for which patients are referred to me is anemia or a low red blood cell count. Red blood cells are truly important as they carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Without an adequate oxygen supply, body organs suffer damage and the body goes into shock. In this … [Read more…]

Posted in: General Information Tagged: anemia, bone marrow, CBC, erythrocyte, hematocrit, hemoglobin, hemorrhage, immune-mediated, RBC

Laboratory Tests for Pets – Where Are They Performed?

02-06-14 by CriticalCareDVM

Evaluating blood, urine and feces (as well as other bodily fluids) to screen for and monitor disease processes is an essential component of animal healthcare. Samples can be submitted to any number of veterinary reference laboratories, gold-standard facilities with board-certified veterinary clinical pathologists and well-trained medical technologists who work with test samples all day. According … [Read more…]

Posted in: General Information Tagged: biochemical profile, CBC, in-house, reference laboratory

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