BLOOD CHEMISTRY PARAMETERS

ALBUMIN (ALB)

A PROTEIN PRODUCED BY THE LIVER. REDUCED LEVELS OF THIS MAY INDICATE CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE, KIDNEY DISEASE, OR PARASITES SUCH AS HOOK WORMS

ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE (ALT)

ELEVATED LEVELS OF THIS ENZYME MAY INDICATE LIVER DISEASE.

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (ALKP)

AN ENZYME PRODUCED BY THE BILIARY TRACT IN THE LIVER. ELEVATED LEVELS OF IT MAY INDICATE LIVER DISEASE, CUSHING'S DISEASE, OR MANY OTHER DISEASES.

AMYLASE (AMYL)

AN ENZYME SECRETED BY THE PANCREAS TO AID IN DIGESTION. ELEVATED LEVELS OF IT MAY INDICATE LIVER DISEASE OR PANCREATIC INFLAMMATION.

BLOOD UREA NITROGEN (BUN)

A WASTE PRODUCT PRODUCED BY THE LIVER AND EXCRETED FROM THE BODY BY THE KIDNEYS. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR OF KIDNEY FUNCTION.

CALCIUM (Ca)

INCREASED LEVELS OF THIS MINERAL MAY INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF TUMOURS OR DISEASES FROM THE PARATHYROID GLAND OR KIDNEY.

CHOLESTEROL (CHOL)

ELEVATED LEVELS MAY POINT TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, SUCH AS HYPOTHYROIDISM.

CREATININE (CREA)

A BY-PRODUCT OF MUSCLE METABOLISM THAT IS EXCRETED BY THE KIDNEYS. ELEVATED LEVELS MAY INDICATE KIDNEY DISEASE, URINARY OBSTRUCTION, OR MUSCLE TRAUMA.

BLOOD GLUCOSE

HYPERGLYCEMIA OR HIGH LEVELS IN THE BLOOD MAY INDICATE DIABETES, HYPOGLYCEMIA, OR LOW LEVELS MAY INDICATE LIVER DISEASE.

FRUCTOSAMINE

IT MEASURES THE AVERAGE LEVEL OF GLUCOSE CONTROL OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

PHOSPHORUS (PHOS)

ELEVATED LEVELS OF THIS MINERAL MAY INDICATE KIDNEY DISEASE.

TOTAL BILIRUBIN (TBIL)

SECRETED BY THE LIVER INTO THE INTESTINES. ELEVATED LEVELS MAY HELP DIAGNOSE BILE PRODUCT ABNORMALITIES.

TOTAL PROTEIN (TP)

ELEVATED PROTEIN LEVELS IN THE BLOOD MAY INDICATE A NUMBER OF DISEASES OR CONDITIONS, SUCH AS DEHYDRATION.

ELECTROLYTES (SODIUM, POTASSIUM, & CHLORIDE)

THEY ARE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES PRESENT IN THE BODY. THE BALANCE OR LEVELS OF THESE CHEMICALS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUNCTION OF ALL THE BODY'S TISSUES AND ORGANS.

PANCREATIC LIPASE

AN ENZYME PRODUCED IN THE PANCREAS. ELEVATED LEVELS MAY INDICATE ACUTE OR CHRONIC PANCREATITIS.

SDMA

AN INCREASE INDICATES DECREASED KIDNEY FUNCTION, WHICH CAN OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY, CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, OR BOTH.