General Blood Picture (GBP)
A General Blood Picture (GBP) is a broad look at a stained blood smear that shows the white cell types, how the red cells look and any parasites seen. It is done for dogs, cats, cows and buffaloes.
- Sample
- Whole blood (EDTA)
- Quantity
- 2 mL
- Report
- Same day to 24 hours
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Types of white cells (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils)
- Size, shape and colour of red blood cells
- Signs of anaemia in the red cells
- Estimate of how many platelets are present
- Unusual or young cells in the blood
- Blood parasites, if seen on the smear
Benefits of this test
- Shows how the cells look, which numbers alone cannot show.
- Can show white cell changes that may fit infection, allergy or parasites.
- Can reveal unusual cells or blood parasites during the same look.
- Helps explain a CBC result that looks odd.
- Needs only a small blood sample from the animal.
When your vet may advise it
- A sick animal with fever, weakness or weight loss needs a general first check.
- Pale gums or suspected anaemia.
- Your vet wants to look at the smear to confirm a CBC result.
- A dog, cat, cow or buffalo with fever may have a blood parasite.
- A long illness where your vet wants to follow changes in the blood cells.
- Suspected allergy or parasite problem, where eosinophils (a type of white cell) may be raised.
About this test
A General Blood Picture, or GBP, is a broad check of the blood cells. It is built around a stained blood smear, which is a thin film of blood on a glass slide that is dyed so the cells can be seen. The lab studies the smear under a microscope.
Under the microscope, the lab can see the different types of white cells, such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils and monocytes. It also looks at the size, shape and colour of the red cells and gets an idea of how many platelets are present. Unusual cells and blood parasites, if any, may also be noticed.
Vets use a GBP to get a wide first look when an animal is unwell, or to follow an illness over time. A CBC is mainly a set of counts. A GBP adds a close look at how the cells appear.
How to prepare
Follow your vet's advice about food; fasting is not normally required. A small blood sample (about 2 mL) in an EDTA tube is enough, and a fresh sample matters, because cells lose their shape if blood waits too long. The report is normally ready the same day or within 24 hours.
Reading the result
The report describes the white cells, red cells and platelets as seen on the smear. A registered veterinarian reads these findings with the animal's signs, history and other test results, and then decides on treatment or further tests.
Questions about GBP
What is the difference between a GBP and a CBC?
Can a GBP find blood parasites?
Is the GBP test done for cows and buffaloes too?
Why does the lab need blood in an EDTA tube?
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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GBP: 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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General Blood Picture (GBP): What the Blood Smear Shows
A General Blood Picture is a stained blood smear that a trained person studies under a microscope. It can help show how blood cells look, the types of white cells and whether blood parasites are visible.
18 Oct 2026