Dog & Cat Blood Test Reference Ranges
Every number on a standard CBC and chemistry panel, for dogs and cats side by side — with a plain-English note on what a high or low result usually means. Print it, keep it with your pet’s records, and use it to read your report before the vet calls.
Read this first. Reference intervals are specific to the laboratory and the machine that ran your sample. The values here are typical ranges for healthy adult pets — the interval printed on your own report always wins, and a single number outside these ranges is not a diagnosis. Puppies, kittens, pregnant pets and pets on medication often have different ranges.
Complete blood count (CBC)
Red cells, white cells and platelets — the first panel most vets run.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White blood cells (WBC)×10⁹/LHow to read a CBC | 6.0–17.0 | 5.5–19.5 | Infection, inflammation, stress or a bone-marrow disorder | Overwhelming infection, marrow suppression or a viral illness |
| Neutrophils×10⁹/LWhite blood cell differential | 3.0–11.5 | 2.5–12.5 | Bacterial infection, inflammation or stress | Severe infection, marrow disease or immune destruction |
| Lymphocytes×10⁹/LWhite blood cell differential | 1.0–4.8 | 1.5–7.0 | Chronic inflammation, a reactive response or leukemia | Stress, steroid treatment or a viral infection |
| Monocytes×10⁹/LWhite blood cell differential | 0.2–1.4 | 0.0–0.9 | Chronic inflammation or tissue damage | Rarely significant on its own |
| Eosinophils×10⁹/LWhite blood cell differential | 0.1–1.3 | 0.0–1.5 | Parasites, allergies or skin disease | Usually not significant on its own |
| Red blood cells (RBC)×10¹²/LHow to read a CBC | 5.5–8.5 | 5.0–10.0 | Dehydration, or a condition driving red-cell overproduction | Anemia — blood loss, destruction or reduced production |
| Hemoglobin (HGB)g/dLHow to read a CBC | 12.0–18.0 | 9.5–15.0 | Dehydration or a rare overproduction disorder | Anemia — it moves with the red-cell count |
| Hematocrit (HCT / PCV)%How to read a CBC | 37–55 | 30–45 | Dehydration or red-cell overproduction | Anemia; below about 20% is usually urgent |
| Mean cell volume (MCV)fLHow to read a CBC | 60–77 | 39–55 | Young red cells, or B-vitamin / iron deficiency | Iron deficiency or an inherited trait in some breeds |
| Mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)g/dLHow to read a CBC | 32–36 | 30–38 | Often a lab artifact — ask whether the sample was hemolyzed | Iron deficiency or a regenerative response |
| Platelets (PLT)×10⁹/LLow platelets in dogs | 150–400 | 300–700 | Inflammation, iron deficiency or a rebound after blood loss | Clotting risk — immune destruction, infection or marrow disease |
| Reticulocytes%Reticulocytes & anemia | 0.0–1.5 | 0.0–0.4 | The marrow responding to anemia — usually a good sign | Anemia without a regenerative response |
Liver & bile
Enzymes that leak when liver cells are irritated, plus bilirubin.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALT (alanine aminotransferase)U/LLiver enzymes explained | 10–100 | 20–100 | Liver-cell injury — toxins, drugs, inflammation or low oxygen | Rarely significant |
| ALP (alkaline phosphatase)U/LLiver enzymes explained | 23–212 | 14–111 | Bile flow problems, steroid use, or normal bone growth in young pets | Rarely significant |
| GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase)U/LLiver enzymes explained | 0–7 | 0–4 | Bile-duct disease or long-term steroid use | Not clinically meaningful |
| AST (aspartate aminotransferase)U/LLiver enzymes explained | 10–54 | 10–50 | Liver or muscle damage — read it next to ALT and CK | Not clinically meaningful |
| Total bilirubinmg/dLLiver enzymes explained | 0.0–0.3 | 0.0–0.4 | Red-cell breakdown, liver disease or bile-duct blockage | Not a concern |
Kidney & electrolytes
Filtration markers plus the salts that keep nerves and muscles working.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUN (blood urea nitrogen)mg/dLBUN, creatinine & SDMA | 7–27 | 16–36 | Dehydration, kidney disease, a high-protein meal or GI bleeding | Liver disease, a low-protein diet or over-hydration |
| Creatininemg/dLBUN, creatinine & SDMA | 0.5–1.8 | 0.8–2.4 | Reduced kidney filtration — recheck with SDMA and a urinalysis | Low muscle mass |
| SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine)µg/dLCat kidney disease | 0–14 | 0–14 | Early loss of kidney function — often rises before creatinine | Not clinically meaningful |
| Phosphorusmg/dLBUN, creatinine & SDMA | 2.5–6.0 | 3.0–7.0 | Kidney disease, or normal growth in a puppy or kitten | Over-supplementation, intestinal loss or a hormone imbalance |
| Sodium (Na)mmol/LElectrolytes explained | 140–155 | 145–158 | Water loss — vomiting, diarrhea or no access to water | Over-hydration, certain diuretics or a hormone disorder |
| Potassium (K)mmol/LElectrolytes explained | 3.6–5.5 | 3.4–5.2 | Urinary blockage, kidney failure or tissue damage | Vomiting, diarrhea or diuretic use |
| Chloride (Cl)mmol/LElectrolytes explained | 105–120 | 110–125 | Water loss or a diet high in salt | Vomiting or certain diuretics |
| Calcium (Ca)mg/dLElectrolytes explained | 9.3–11.8 | 8.6–11.2 | Parathyroid or paraneoplastic disease — worth investigating | Low protein, vitamin D problems, or a nursing mother |
Protein, glucose & other chemistry
Blood sugar, proteins, fats and one muscle enzyme.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glucosemg/dLGlucose & fructosamine | 70–120 | 70–150 | Stress in cats, diabetes, or steroid treatment | Too much insulin, a very small puppy or kitten, or liver disease |
| Total proteing/dLProtein in urine | 5.5–7.5 | 6.0–8.0 | Chronic inflammation, dehydration or a rare marrow cancer | Protein loss through the gut or kidney, or liver disease |
| Albuming/dLProtein in urine | 2.7–4.4 | 2.5–3.9 | Dehydration | Liver disease, or protein loss through the gut or kidney |
| Globuling/dLLiver enzymes explained | 2.4–4.0 | 2.3–5.3 | Chronic inflammation, infection or immune disease | Immune deficiency — usually needs a second look |
| Cholesterolmg/dLHypothyroidism in dogs | 110–320 | 75–220 | High-fat diet, hypothyroidism or a hormone disorder | Liver disease or intestinal malabsorption |
| Triglyceridesmg/dL | 30–150 | 30–160 | A recent fatty meal, obesity or a metabolic disorder | Usually not significant |
| CK (creatine kinase)U/L | 10–200 | 10–100 | Muscle damage — injury, a seizure or severe exertion | Not clinically meaningful |
Hormones & special tests
Thyroid and diabetes monitoring tests.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T4 (total thyroxine)µg/dLThyroid testing (T4, TSH) | 1.0–4.0 | 0.8–4.0 | Hyperthyroidism — common in older cats | Hypothyroidism in dogs, or a sick pet — recheck before treating |
| TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone)ng/mLHypothyroidism in dogs | 0.0–0.6 | 0.0–0.4 | Supports a hypothyroidism diagnosis in dogs | Usually normal — not useful on its own in cats |
| Fructosamineµmol/LGlucose & fructosamine | 200–350 | 190–365 | Diabetes that has not been well controlled in recent weeks | Low blood protein, or a short-lived glucose change |
Urine
Two numbers from the urinalysis that change how the blood work reads.
| Test | Dog | Cat | High result | Low result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urine specific gravity (USG)—BUN, creatinine & SDMA | 1.015–1.050 | 1.035–1.060 | Dehydration | Dilute urine — more drinking, diuretics, or kidney / hormone disease |
| Urine pH—Urinalysis decoded | 5.5–7.5 | 5.5–7.5 | Alkaline urine — a recent meal, infection or a certain stone type | Acidic urine — a high-protein meal or certain diets and drugs |
How to read a lab report without panicking
- Look at the flags, not just the numbers. Labs print H or L next to values outside their own interval — that is the fastest way to find the results that need attention.
- Read values together. A high creatinine means little without BUN, SDMA and urine specific gravity; ALT without ALP and bilirubin tells only part of the story.
- One abnormal value is common. Mild changes happen with stress, hydration and recent meals. Trends across two or three tests matter far more than one point in time.
- A "normal" result does not rule out disease. Kidney and liver disease can hide inside the reference range until a large share of function is lost.
- Ask which interval your lab used. If a value sits just outside the range, that is the first question — not "is it bad?".
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal blood test for a dog?
There is no single normal. Each laboratory publishes its own interval for each test, and values also shift with age, breed and hydration. The table above shows typical adult ranges so you can sanity-check a report — but the interval printed next to your dog’s result is the one that counts.
Why is my cat’s glucose high at the vet?
Cats commonly raise their blood sugar from stress alone during a visit. A single high glucose in an otherwise well cat is often rechecked, or paired with fructosamine, before diabetes is diagnosed.
Does a high creatinine always mean kidney failure?
No. Creatinine also rises with dehydration and depends on muscle mass. Vets read it alongside BUN, SDMA and urine concentration, and usually repeat the test before staging any kidney disease.
Can I use this chart for a puppy or kitten?
Only roughly. Growing pets have different ranges — ALP in particular is normally much higher in puppies — so always use the interval from the lab that ran the sample.
Stop retyping lab values into a notebook. Create a free PetzDay account to photograph a report and keep every value, flag and recheck in one timeline — or read the full guides behind this chart.