How to Read a Lab Report Together With Your Vet

Reading a lab report is easier with a checklist: check the name and species, find the flags, look at the units and ranges, read the notes, and then go through it with your vet. A report is information for your vet, who reads it with your pet's signs and history. Never start, stop or change a medicine because of a report alone.

Step 1: check the details at the top

Before reading a single number, check that the report is for the right pet. Look at the name, the species, the age and sex, the owner's name, the date of collection and the report number. A report with the wrong details is a report that may belong to another animal, and the lab should be told at once so that it can be corrected.

Step 2: find the sample and the test names

Each report lists the sample type, such as blood, serum, urine or stool, and then the tests. Common ones are a Complete Blood Count (CBC) for blood cells, a Liver Function Test (LFT) for the liver, a Kidney Function Test (KFT) for the kidneys and a Urine Routine for urine. Seeing which sample was used helps explain what the test can and cannot show.

Step 3: understand flags, units and ranges

Each result has a number, a unit and a reference range. A flag, often an arrow or the letter H or L, says that the number is outside the range. It does not say why, and it does not say that the pet is ill. Some flags are slight and some are large, and your vet judges how much each matters. Units matter when you compare reports: the same test can be written in different units, so compare only like with like.

Step 4: read the notes and comments

The comments are often the most important part. They may say that a sample was clotted or haemolysed, that a result should be repeated, that something was seen under the microscope or that the test was confirmed in a particular way. A report may also say whether a result is preliminary or final. If a note affects how a number should be read, point it out to your vet.

Step 5: write down your questions

Before the visit, write down what puzzles you. Good questions to ask a vet are:

• Which results matter most for my pet?
• Is anything outside the range because of stress, age or the breed?
• Should any test be repeated, and when?
• Do other tests need to be added?
• Should anything change at home, such as food, water or rest?

Do not compare the numbers with a range from the internet or from a different lab. Do not decide that your pet has a disease because one number is flagged. Do not stop or start any medicine, or change a diet, without your vet. And do not wait for a report if your pet is seriously unwell: collapse, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, fits or heavy bleeding need a vet at once.

Keep and share your reports

Reports appear in My Reports on the website, and you can share them with your vet by WhatsApp or email. Keep them together by date, because a trend over several reports tells more than one report alone. A registered veterinarian reads each report with your pet's signs and history. If anything on a report looks wrong, call the lab and quote the report number.

Read next

For how often tests are worth doing, read Routine Blood Tests for Healthy Dogs and Cats: How Often?. If you are wondering when to test at all, see When Should You Test Your Dog or Cat? Signs and Situations.

Testing in Bhopal

The lab at C-200, C Sector, Shahpura, Bhopal can explain how to find your way around a report, though your vet explains what it means for your pet. Call or WhatsApp +91 88175 01118. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book, and sample collection is free anywhere in Bhopal.