Blood chemistry explained (liver / kidney / glucose)
Chemistry panels read organ function: liver (ALT/AST/ALP/BILI), kidneys (BUN/CREA/PHOS), glucose and proteins. Core for senior screening and disease follow-up; requires fasting.
🧾 Antes de la prueba
- ✓Fast 8-12 hours before the draw (water is fine)
- ✓Ask the vet before skipping glucose-affecting medication
- ✓Pair with urinalysis for senior pets
📊 Cómo leer los valores clave
| Buscar | Alto | Bajo |
|---|---|---|
| ALT (liver enzyme) | Hepatocyte damage: liver disease, toxins, endocrine disease | Usually not significant |
| AST | Liver or muscle damage | Not specific |
| ALP | Dogs: liver disease / Cushing's / drugs. In cats any rise is significant (liver disease) | Not specific |
| TBIL (bilirubin) | Cholestasis, hemolysis, liver disease — an emergency with jaundice | Not specific |
| BUN | Kidney disease, dehydration, high-protein diet or GI bleeding | Liver disease, low-protein diet |
| CREA (creatinine) | Declining kidney function (read with SDMA), obstruction | Reduced muscle mass |
| PHOS (phosphorus) | Mid-late kidney disease, hyperparathyroidism | Malnutrition, diabetes treatment |
| GLU (glucose) | Diabetes; stress hyperglycemia is very common in cats | Insulinoma, toy-breed puppy hypoglycemia |
| TP/ALB (protein/albumin) | Dehydration | Protein loss (gut/kidney) or poor liver production |
| CHOL (cholesterol) | Endocrine disease, fatty diet | Liver or intestinal disease |
💡 Cómo interpretarlo In cats, even mildly raised creatinine with poor urine concentration warns of CKD; a dog's ALP has many causes and needs context. Ask for SDMA — it flags kidney disease earlier than creatinine.
🤖 Interpretación IA del informe
Escribe los valores de tu informe abajo (p. ej. «ALT 250, BUN 40») y la IA los interpretará según el significado de cada prueba.
Preguntas frecuentes
Why fasting?
Food raises glucose and lipids falsely. 8-12 hours fasting (water allowed) gives the most readable results.
Is normal creatinine proof the kidneys are fine?
Not necessarily — cats can have CKD with creatinine still in range. SDMA + urine specific gravity + blood pressure are more sensitive.