From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2001-05-14 21:55:00 UTC
Subject: calcium levels; blood tests & terms; etc.???
I am not a vet so pull out that grain of salt, but I think that I can
help a little with parts of this.
>Hi All,
>
>I have a few questions and am hoping that someone can provide the
>answers or some ideas:
>
>1) What would cause calcium to be low for a few months, return to
>normal, then drop again? There haven't been any changes in appetite
>or diet.
>
>2) What is "hemolysis" and how does its presence affect RBC, HGB,
>HCT, MCV, MCH, and MCHC levels?
Hemolysis refers the rupturing of red blood cells Hemo (blood) -
lysis (destruction/dissolving).
>
>3) What is "polychromasia"?
Literally "many colored"; it refers to variable coloration of red blood cells.
>
>4) What exactly are monocytes and what causes them to become elevated?
They are manufactured by the marrow and are precursor cells of
macrophages (the "big eaters" if I recall the translation right)
which help fight disease.
>
>5) Do elevated lymphocytes indicate the possibility of a particular
>type of infection or disease (such as lymphoma - even if the WBC is
>normal), or simply suggest some sort of infection (like a chronic,
>smoldering one) or disease is/may be present? (I hope this isn't one
>of those "no such thing as a dumb question" questions.)
I have been told in the past that either can do that.
>
>
>6) Lastly, would ingesting NutriCal a few minutes before a blood
>draw cause a slightly elevated glucose?
Personal suspicion is that it could. Sugar gets picked up rapidly if
I recall right.
Again, I am not a vet, so use that grain of salt when reading this!
>
>Thanks.
>Sonya