Creatine kinase on a chemistry panel, see post #5

[jaimebaker]

I just had a chem panel pulled on one of my horses yesterday and the vet just kind of rambled a bunch of stuff off very quickly that was included in it. He said it does like 25 levels. I did some googling and couldn't find much info. Results should be in tomorrow but was just curious if anyone could tell me what all was covered and if there's a site that tells what each thing is. This is the first chem panel I've ever had done so I'm clueless.

[ladipus]

I just had a chem panel pulled on one of my horses yesterday and the vet just kind of rambled a bunch of stuff off very quickly that was included in it. He said it does like 25 levels. I did some googling and couldn't find much info. Results should be in tomorrow but was just curious if anyone could tell me what all was covered and if there's a site that tells what each thing is. This is the first chem panel I've ever had done so I'm clueless.

some include more or less things depending if a full or mini chem panel was done...the main components are usually checking liver and kidney function including BUN(blood urea nitrogen)creatinine,alk phos,lipase,cholesterol,and even blood glucose levels

[jaimebaker]

Thank you for the info:)

[deltawave]

Typically you're going to get the "basic seven" blood chemistry: sodium, potassium, chloride, CO2, glucose, BUN, creatinine. The first five are basically electrolytes/simple blood chemistry. The latter two (BUN/Cr) are looking at the kidneys. Usually in a more comprehensive panel will also include magnesium, calcium and phosphorus (more basic blood chemistry), alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, bilirubin (so-called "liver functions"). Serum protein, albumin, and globulins are usually in there, too. (generally reflecting body protein stores/status) and sometimes cholesterol is in there, too. Amylase and lipase are pancreatic function tests.

[jaimebaker]

Thanks Deltawave for helping with that breakdown! I got my results back today and it had a bit more than what you listed but at least you helped me with what correlated to what.

The vet said there's nothing on it that alarms him. Her glucose was a little low at 54 (range 60-125) and her triglycerides were a bit high at 108 (range 5-80).

BUT, there's something on here that says CK. It stands for creatine kinase and hers is 600 (range 100-300). He said that it's not uncommon to see older horses high like that as the muscles begin to break down. But seeing that big of a difference kind of alarms me. Is this anything to be concerned about??? The mare will be 17 next month, arab, not ridden.

[SquishTheBunny]

Thats why its good, especially in older horses, to have a panel run yearly so you can "trend" the normals for your horse. I wouldnt be alarmed by any of those results. Good idea to start trending now!

[jaimebaker]

Thanks Squish! I know he said not to be alarmed...but you know dangit, I'm alarmed:lol: If they weren't so expensive I would have had them run on more of the horses just to see. I find that sort of stuff fascinating once I figure out what all of it means:lol:

[JB]

From what I know, you can be fine with some elevated creatinine, especially in older horses, but if you *also* have elevated BUN, that's when you worry.

Same for the reverse - slightly elevated BUN isn't cause for much alarm, but if you have the 2 of them elevated, that's when you start going hmmm....

Both my TB gelding and my WB gelding prefer a higher BUN - just slightly above the normal range. I'm not sure if I hit the lottery with them, or if that isn't that uncommon. Obviously the "normal" range was derived from healthy horses who had levels in, below, and above those numbers.

[foggybok]

From what I know, you can be fine with some elevated creatinine, especially in older horses, but if you *also* have elevated BUN, that's when you worry.

Same for the reverse - slightly elevated BUN isn't cause for much alarm, but if you have the 2 of them elevated, that's when you start going hmmm....

Both my TB gelding and my WB gelding prefer a higher BUN - just slightly above the normal range. I'm not sure if I hit the lottery with them, or if that isn't that uncommon. Obviously the "normal" range was derived from healthy horses who had levels in, below, and above those numbers.

Her creatinine was not up, it was her Creatine Kinase. Different thing. CK is a marker of muscle injury. Mildly elevated is not surprising in an older horse. Horses that tie up can have levels >10 X higher than that. It also can be levated in sample that have hemolysed, so you need to be aware of that.

I'd just retest in a few months and see what it looks like....

[JB]

I somehow missed the Kinase part, sorry! :o

[foggybok]

I somehow missed the Kinase part, sorry! :o

No worries, common mistake :)

And your points about creatinine were good!

[luise]

I wouldn't worry too much about the glucose either. Often if the vial is sitting around for a while before being run, the red blood cells eat up the glucose and make it look artificially low. On my last horse the glucose came back as something like 10! I know that's impossible because otherwise he would have been in a coma.

[jaimebaker]

I wouldn't worry too much about the glucose either. Often if the vial is sitting around for a while before being run, the red blood cells eat up the glucose and make it look artificially low. On my last horse the glucose came back as something like 10! I know that's impossible because otherwise he would have been in a coma.

That's interesting to know. He sat it next to my fence while we flushed her tearducts so maybe 10 minutes in the hot air and then I know he had one more stop to make before he headed back to the clinic. So that very well could be it. Thank you for bringing that up. :)

[deltawave]

I wouldn't sweat a CK (I'm old fashioned and still call it CPK) of several hundred, but it would be one thing I'd probably recheck the next time the vet was out, just to see if it's normal for that horse. Clobbering their hip as they skedaddle through a gate or getting a kick is enough to elevate the CPK slightly.

If the blood is drawn in the proper tube the glucose should not go down if it sits a while.