Effect of food intake on complete blood count of healthy dogs

Abstract

The present determined the hematological alterations of healthy dogs at the peak of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. Twenty-four clinically healthy dogs had blood samples collected to perform complete blood count on three consecutive days at the same time every day: first day after a 12-hour fast; second day three hours after feeding with commercial feed, during the peak of postprandial lipemia; and third day after a 12-hour fast. Feeding led to an increase in MCHC, hemoglobin and white blood cell count due to the increase in segmented neutrophil, monocyte and eosinophil concentrations. A significant increase in total plasma protein content was also observed. Postprandial condition at the peak of hypertriglyceridemia influences hematological parameters of healthy dogs, which is an important finding, however transient, when interpreting laboratory blood tests.