Does anyone know have a reference range for 'blood gas' results..

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Lucrezia Borgia - 23 May 2005 04:45 GMT

I'm talking about the tests which I think are done with small blood
samples, not full blood panels. They have labels such as PACO2, PVCO2,
PAO2, PVO2. These particular ones are arterial and venous carbon
dioxide and oxygen levels in the blood. Another one is HCO3.

I have a bunch of test results for my cat from his time in the
hospital, but the results appear to be for venous blood sample, while
the ranges shown are for arterial blood samples.

I'm not even sure why they do them.

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Phil P. - 23 May 2005 05:16 GMT

> I'm talking about the tests which I think are done with small blood
> samples, not full blood panels. They have labels such as PACO2, PVCO2,
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> hospital, but the results appear to be for venous blood sample, while
> the ranges shown are for arterial blood samples.

Why, were the reference ranges 3x-4x higher than the test results? That
would do it!

Also, if the blood tubes aren't filled to the very top, C02 can diffuse
outta the blood and into the space between the blood and the cap-- which
will lower the TCO2.

> I'm not even sure why they do them.

Maybe to see if his lungs are oxygenating his blood-- however, venous blood
gas measurements are just about usless because most of the O2 has already
been used by tissues. Were the blood gases done after he became dyspneic?

Phil

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Lucrezia Borgia - 23 May 2005 06:30 GMT

They did these 'biochemistry flow tests' frequently during both stays.
The ones I was looking at were
done during his first stay, when they failed to manage his UT problem.
That was before the respiratory distress started. They did

Syringe Sample Acid base 37 deg C (pH, pCO2,pO2, HCO3 -act, HCO3-std,
ctCO2, BE(B) and Be (ecf). Only the first 3 had ranges. The post
surgery pO2 was always very low: 24.5, 30,28.1. I only found one
reference for venous O2, which was 40. He became anemic after the
surgery: that might cause the readings to be low, assuming they were
correct, wouldn't it?

They did electrolyte measurements for NA, K, two Ca (one has a 7.4 next
to it always), Chloride and the Anion Cap. The potassium was always low
or just normal (3.x), the NA was usually high as was the Chloride. The
CA was always low and the Anion Gap ping-ponged. They also did Glucose
& Lactate Metabolite tests, sometimes. I never saw a reference to this
results in the notes, so I don't know what value they serve, other than
a $20 a pop charge. There are period hand entries which say 'Chem'on
those flow sheets; I don't know what that means.

During the first stay, they only did a full blood chemistry panel the
morning before his surgery. On the second go round, they did them
frequently as first, then did them every other day and before
discharge.
So, they did not measure his BUN or creatinine before they discharged
him, both of which were elevated when he was re-admitted. The Director
of Surgery is claiming that his kidney factors did not influence his
heart, based on the K level, but relative to where his seems to mostly
have been, it did go up quite a bit. On the quick test it was 3.4 the
day before he was discharged, but it was up to 5.4 when he was
readmitted.When he was discharged the second time, it was back down to
3.4, so for him, it looked like it did go up quite a bit in a day and
1/2.

On another topic, they apparently did a cytology study on the fluid
from his pleural cavity. The conclusion was that there was 'modified
transudate with evvidence of previous/ongoing intratcavitary
hemorrhage. Does that mean that bleeding was occurring internally? The
surgery was 5 days before the fluid was removed.

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Phil P. - 23 May 2005 12:58 GMT

> They did these 'biochemistry flow tests' frequently during both stays.
> The ones I was looking at were
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
> from his pleural cavity. The conclusion was that there was 'modified
> transudate

I'm a little confused- modified transudates are usually 'older' transudates
that picked up more cells and protein- IOW, transudates are usually produced
by early *right-sided* CHF and modified transudates are usually (but not
always) produced by chronic CHF- or severe left-sided CHF-- but the echo
didn't show any CHF. I'm stumped- and cardiology is my strong suit-good
thing I'm not a vet. I have a hunch his CHF was caused by fluid overload
and someone is trying to cover their a.ses. Did you get a chance to speak
to the cardiologist with same first name as mine? If not, you should- he's
usually a straight-shooter,

with evvidence of previous/ongoing intratcavitary

> hemorrhage. Does that mean that bleeding was occurring internally?

Not necessarily. Hemorrhage could also be caused by traumatic (clumsy)
collection. If he's still hemorrhaging somewhere his blood protein- both
albumim and globulin would be low or low-normal, too.

If his anemia was really caused by blood loss, his blood iron would be low,
too because with blood loss, he would lose RBCs and iron whereas with some
other cause of anemia he would only lose RBCs. Once the blood loss has
stopped, his iron would begin to return to normal. His iron count should be
on the chemscreen.

The

> surgery was 5 days before the fluid was removed.

--then the echo should have been very clear because pleural fluid acts like
an acoustic window.

Sorry I can't be more helpful- a few things don't quite add up- I'm really
stumped.

How's your cat doing?

Phil

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