Electrolytes, Serum (Na, K & Cl)
A serum electrolytes test measures sodium, potassium and chloride, the blood salts that control body water, nerves, muscles and heartbeat. It is done on serum from dogs, cats, cows and buffaloes.
- Sample
- Serum (plain)
- Quantity
- 2 mL
- Report
- Same day to 24 hours
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Sodium (Na) - the main salt that helps control body water
- Potassium (K) - needed for muscles, nerves and a steady heartbeat
- Chloride (Cl) - works with sodium to balance fluid and acid in the body
- The balance between these salts, which can shift with vomiting, diarrhoea or kidney disease
Benefits of this test
- Shows whether body salts are too low or too high in a dehydrated or very sick animal.
- Can help explain weakness, muscle trembling or heart rhythm changes.
- Helps your vet follow salt levels over time in an animal that needs hospital care.
- May point to a hormone problem, such as Addison's disease in dogs.
- Needs a small serum sample and is normally reported the same day or within 24 hours.
Often discussed at these ages:Senior Horse
When your vet may advise it
- Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea in a dog, cat or calf.
- A dehydrated or weak animal that is not eating or drinking well.
- A male cat that is straining to pass urine or passing none, because blocked urine can raise potassium to a dangerous level.
- A dog with weakness, vomiting and collapse, when the vet suspects Addison's disease.
- A cow or buffalo that is down, off feed or has severe diarrhoea.
- A very sick animal that needs hospital care, so salt levels can be checked again and again.
About this test
Electrolytes are salts dissolved in the blood. Sodium, potassium and chloride help the body hold the right amount of water. They also keep nerves, muscles and the heart working. These salts are lost or shifted by vomiting, diarrhoea, kidney trouble and some hormone problems.
For this test, blood is collected in a plain tube. The serum, which is the clear part of the blood, is separated soon after. The lab measures sodium, potassium and chloride in the serum with an instrument. Quick separation matters, because potassium can leak out of the blood cells and give a false high reading.
Vets use the test for dehydration, weakness, heart rhythm changes and animals that are very sick. It is often repeated while an animal is being treated, to see whether the salt levels are settling.
How to prepare
Fasting is usually not needed, but follow your vet's advice, and do not hold back water unless your vet says so. The sample should reach the lab quickly, because a long delay can change the potassium value. Our team collects samples free anywhere in Bhopal; outside Bhopal, your vet or clinic can send the serum, kept cool, by courier or bus parcel.
Reading the result
A registered veterinarian reads sodium, potassium and chloride together with your animal's signs and history, hydration and other tests. A salt imbalance is a sign of a problem rather than a disease by itself, so your vet looks for the cause.
Questions about Electrolytes, Serum (Na, K & Cl)
Why is potassium checked in a sick cat or dog?
Why must the sample reach the lab quickly?
Is the electrolyte test useful for cows and buffaloes?
Does my pet need to fast for an electrolyte test?
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. Same day to 24 hours. 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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Electrolytes, Serum (Na, K & Cl): Bhopal and the big cities of Madhya Pradesh
Free sample collection anywhere in Bhopal. From the other cities, send the sample by courier, bus parcel or through your local veterinarian, and the report comes to you online.
Free collection in these Bhopal areas
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