Red Cell Indices (MCV, MCH & MCHC)
Red cell indices (MCV, MCH and MCHC) describe the average size of red blood cells and how much haemoglobin they carry. They help a vet work out what kind of anaemia a dog, cat, cow or buffalo may have.
- Sample
- Whole blood (EDTA)
- Quantity
- As advised
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- MCV (mean cell volume): the average size of the red blood cells
- MCH (mean cell haemoglobin): the average amount of haemoglobin in each red cell
- MCHC: how concentrated the haemoglobin is inside the red cells
- A size and colour pattern that helps sort anaemia into types
When your vet may advise it
- When a blood count shows anaemia and your vet wants to know what kind it is
- Pale gums, tiredness or weakness in a dog, cat, cow or buffalo
- Suspected long-term blood loss, for example from heavy ticks, worms or bleeding in the gut
- Follow-up blood counts to see how the red cells change during recovery
About this test
Anaemia means the blood has too few red cells or too little haemoglobin, the red pigment that carries oxygen. Red cell indices describe the red cells that are present. MCV (mean cell volume) shows whether they are larger or smaller than usual, while MCH and MCHC show how much haemoglobin each cell holds. Large cells may point to young red cells released during recovery from blood loss or red cell damage. Small, pale cells may point to iron shortage from long-term blood loss. These values usually come with a complete blood count (CBC) and are read alongside it. A registered veterinarian interprets them with the animal's signs and history.
How to prepare
A small blood sample in an EDTA tube is needed. Red cells can swell in an old sample and change the result, so it should reach the lab fresh. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.
Questions about RBC indices
What does a low MCV mean in a dog?
Are MCV, MCH and MCHC values the same in cows and 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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RBC indices: 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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18 Oct 2026