C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a blood test that measures a protein the liver makes when the body has inflammation. It is used mainly in dogs, and with care in cats, to show how strong the inflammation is.
- Sample
- Serum (plain)
- Quantity
- 2 mL
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Level of C-reactive protein in serum
- How strong the body's inflammation is at the time of the test
- Whether inflammation is rising or settling, when the test is repeated
- A general inflammation marker, not a test for one named disease
Benefits of this test
- Can help find hidden inflammation in a dog or cat that looks unwell without a clear cause.
- In dogs, it rises quickly with inflammation, so it can help detect a problem early.
- Helps your vet see whether a pet is getting better when the test is repeated.
- Can help your vet check recovery after surgery or a serious injury.
- Needs only one small blood sample.
When your vet may advise it
- A dog or cat has fever, tiredness and poor appetite with no clear cause.
- A pet has vomiting or belly pain and your vet suspects inflammation inside the body.
- A pet has had surgery or a serious injury and your vet wants to check recovery.
- Your vet wants to follow an illness over several days to see whether it is settling.
- A pet has painful, swollen joints and your vet suspects an immune-related problem.
About this test
C-reactive protein, or CRP, is a protein made by the liver when the body has inflammation. Inflammation is the body's reaction to infection, injury, surgery or other irritation. In dogs, the level of CRP in the blood rises within hours to a day and usually falls again as the dog recovers.
The lab measures CRP in serum, the clear liquid part of the blood, from a plain blood tube. The result is a number: the higher it is, the stronger the inflammation is likely to be. CRP does not say where the inflammation is or what is causing it.
Vets commonly use CRP in dogs to look for hidden inflammation in an unwell pet and to check recovery after surgery. Repeating the test can show whether an illness is settling. In cats, CRP may not rise as clearly, so the vet reads it together with other tests.
How to prepare
Fasting is not usually needed for CRP, but follow your vet's advice, especially if other tests are done from the same blood sample. The lab or your vet collects blood in a plain tube, and reporting time is confirmed when you book. Free sample collection is available anywhere in Bhopal, and from other places your vet can send the sample by courier or bus parcel.
Reading the result
A raised CRP shows that inflammation is present but not where it is or what is causing it. A registered veterinarian reads the result with the pet's signs, history and other tests, and may repeat CRP to see whether the inflammation is settling.
Questions about CRP
Does a high CRP mean my pet has an infection?
How is CRP different from a CBC?
Why would my vet repeat the CRP test?
Is CRP used in cats as well as dogs?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
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