You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Haemoglobin concentrations are routinely tested for in human and veterinary practice - but what is it ?

If you or your pet go into hospital for a procedure requiring a general anaesthetic, or if you or your pet is unwell the attending clinician will often request a blood sample to be analysed...and one of the things looked for is haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is present in the red cells of blood. It contains iron and binds weakly with oxygen to carry it around the body. Basically, oxygen attaches to haemoglobin when it is present in high concentrations (such as in the aerated lungs) and it is released to the tissues when the surrounding concentrations of oxygen are low.

Haemoglobin gives blood and muscle it's red appearance and well oxygenated blood (in the arteries) is bright red, whereas blood containing haemoglobin that has released it's oxygen to the tissues, is dark red (seen in the veins). Oxygen is essential for most tissues of the body, so maintaining haemoglobin concentrations in the bloodstream is important.

Haemoglobin concentrations may be low in the blood if there is anaemia - which can be due to several factors, for example :

• Decreased production of red cells - eg bone marrow disease
• Increased destruction of red cells - eg such as occurs in immune reactions such as haemolytic anaemia

Haemoglobin concentrations are increased in :

• dehydration
• shock
• various diseases

If very low concentrations of haemoglobin are found a blood transfusion may be necessary to provide enough oxygen-carrying capability.

Updated October 2013