Blood Biochemistry

Question 1

What is biochemistry?

Answer 1

The study of chemical processes in and around living organisms.

Question 2

What sample types are used in serum, lithium heparin and fluoride oxalate?

Answer 2

Serum - Plain: white cap and brown cap.

Lithium Heparin - Biochemistry: Orange cap colour.

Fluoride Oxalate - Glucose: Yellow cap colour.

Question 3

What is usually tested in a pre-anaesthetic profile?

Answer 3

Urea
Creatinine
ALT (Alanine aminotransferase)
ALKP (Alkaline Phosphatase)
Glucose
Total protein

Question 4

What is a Urea (BUN) test?

Answer 4

Blood Urea Nitrogen is a waste product formed by the liver and excreted by the kidneys as a result f protein metabolism.

Indicator of liver and kidney function.

Question 5

What does increased Urea (BUN) test indicate?

Answer 5

• Infection or necrosis
• High protein diet
• Chronic heart failure
• Urethral obstruction and rupture of the bladder
• Renal failure
• Dehydration- causes apparent raised urea levels

Question 6

What does decreased Urea (BUN) test indicate?

Answer 6

Low protein diet
Anabolic steroids
Liver failure
Portosystemic shunts

Question 7

What is Creatinine?

Answer 7

Creatinine is formed from creatine, which is found in skeletal muscle.

Quantity produced depends on diet and muscle mass.

Creatinine diffuses out of muscle and into bodily fluids including blood eg. when muscles cells are damaged.

Normally filtered through glomeruli in the kidney and eliminated in urine so determines kidney function.

Increase if there is damage to the glomeruli, urethral obstruction or bladder rupture.

Question 8

What does increased creatinine levels indicate?

Answer 8

Muscle disorders caused by exertional hyperthermia.
Hypothyroidism
Heart disease
Selenium/vitamin E deficiencies
Trauma to muscles

Question 9

What is ALT and why would levels be increased?

Answer 9

Alanine Aminotransferase.

Increased due to liver disease, severe muscle damage, hyperthyroidism.

Question 10

What is ALKP/ALP?

Answer 10

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALKP) or (ALP).

Wildly distributed throughout the body.
Higher in young animals because large quantities are found in bone so because young animals are still growing, the levels will be higher.

Can only be measured using a laboratory analyser.

Question 11

What is Glucose?

Answer 11

Main source of energy for cells in the body and concentration is controlled by hormones insulin and glucagon.

Glucose levels are an indication of carbohydrate metabolism and endocrine pancreatic function.

Question 12

What do elevated and decreased levels of Total Protein indicate?

Answer 12

Elevated
- dehydration, chronic and immune-mediated disease, lactation, infection and neoplasia

Decreased
- renal disease, malnutrition, malabsorption, haemorrhage, hepatic and pancreatic insufficiency

Question 13

What are the normal Total Protein (TP) levels in dogs and cats?

Answer 13

Dogs: 54-71 g/L

Cats: 54-78 g/L

Question 14

What is Albumin?

Answer 14

Cause of depressed levels: chronic liver disease, ascites, tissue oedema, heart failure and renal failure.

Helps to maintain osmotic pressure of blood
Formed by liver
Makes up to 40-60% of total protein

Question 14

What are the normal Glucose levels in dogs and cats?

Answer 14

Dog: 3.3-6mmol/L

Cats: 3.3-6mmol/L

Question 15

What is Amylase?

Answer 15

This is a water-soluble enzyme secreted by the pancreas
Involved in starch digestion
Cause of elevated levels is acute pancreatitis but not specific.

Normal range for dogs and cats: 400-2000units/L

Question 16

What is calcium?

Answer 16

Majority of calcium is found in bone, and it is also involved in the maintenance of neuromuscular function.

Calcium concentrations are usually related to phosphorus concentrations.

Question 17

What do elevated and decreased levels of calcium indicate?

Answer 17

Elevated levels- dehydration, neoplasia, hyperparathyroidism, renal disease

Decreased levels- hypoparathyroidism, eclampsia, pregnancy, acute pancreatitis

Question 18

What is bilirubin?

Answer 18

Bilirubin is formed from the breakdown of haemoglobin (degeneration of RBC in the presence of auto immune haemolytic anaemia or haemobartonella).

Secreted by the liver into the intestinal tract as bile.

If the bile duct is blocked or liver function is impaired, then circulating blood levels of bilirubin will increase resulting in jaundice.