My dog's lab results are abnormal but not medically relevant. Is cancer a concern?

Question

My 8 year old Labrador had a vet appointment today. Her doctor did a CBC and said everything looked good. However when I got home I saw the lab work report and a couple things (lymphocytes, monocytes, RDW) were listed abnormal. It also said they were not medically relevant. What does that mean and should I be concerned about her out of range lab results? I worry about a possible cancer. Thanks in advance! Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | spayed | 8 years old | 65 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

I can see the results, but I'm unable to see the reference ranges for each value which can vary based on the machine so it's a little difficult to say for certain what these changes could mean. It looks to me like the monocytes and lymphocytes (specific types of white blood cells) are a little low - this could be a stress response which is very normal for a dog having it's blood drawn in the hospital. Some dogs simply lie on the lower end of the reference range as well. I can't think of any disease where low lymphocytes and monocytes in the absence of other changes would be significant, and this would not raise a flag for possible cancer in my mind. Red cell distribution width (RDW) gives an idea of the average size of a red blood cell and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCH) tells how much hemoglobin is present in each cell - these parameters are really only significant when there is also anemia or low hematocrit. If you have other concerns you should definitely follow up with your vet - it's always easiest for the doctor who has examined the animal and is familiar with the case to interpret lab results!

My dog's lab results are abnormal but not medically relevant. Is cancer a concern?

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