[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

884.0. "what is a BAND in the blood test?" by HELIX::SKALTSIS (Deb) Wed May 10 1995 14:39

    A friend's cat had a complete blood test run Monday. The results came
    back with with "BAND" listed as 3 (normal is 0 -3).
    
    Does anyone know what the "Band" refers to? Are these immature red
    blood cells?
    
    Deb
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
884.1CPDW::REILLYWed May 10 1995 18:5114
    A band is an immature Neutrophil (which is one of the white blood
    cells).  The presence of bands typically means that there's an
    inflammatory response going on somewhere.  As long as it's within
    normal range, it's probably not serious.  
    
    The presence of bands can be serious if there are a high number of 
    immature cells without a proportional increase in the number of
    mature cells.  Did the rest of the CBC look ok?
    
    fyi - immature RBCs are called reticulocytes, and mature neutrophils
    are also called segs.
    
    Hope all is well,
    liz
884.2thanksHELIX::SKALTSISDebThu May 11 1995 10:0013
    thanks. The bands were at the high end of normal (the reading was 3,
    0-3 is considered normal) The rest of the cbc looked good, but I think
    that the white cells might have been high normal as well. The cat was
    vomiting pink fomy stuff, not hungry, dehydrated, diarreah and has lost
    a lot of weight. Xrays at Angell showed an inflamation of the digestive
    track, and initially thot it was either a "stomach flu" or an irritable
    bowel syndrome type of thing. I know that they ran a few more tests,
    but I'm not sure what. Anyhow, the Angell vet is going to speak to his
    regular vet today, and he is going to see his regular vet tonight. So, we
    will know the course of action after that.
    
    Thanks,
    Deb
884.3What does MONO mean?HELIX::SKALTSISDebThu May 11 1995 12:2726
    
    
    
    
    
    I just got mail with the blood count numberes typed in.
    
    Does anyone have any ideas?
    
    Thanks,
    Deb
    
Test            Results         Ref Range
WBC             33.5 H          2.5 - 23.4
HGB             12.8            9.5 - 15.0
HCT             40.0            27.0 - 43.0
PLT             CLUMPED         200 - 900

SEG             26.1 H          2.5 - 22.0
BAND            3.7  H          0 - 0
LYMPH           2.3             0.5 - 8.7
MONO            1.3 H           0.0 - 0.9

COMMENT         PLAT-GIANT

884.4Very normal...BandsSTAR::SROBERTSONThu May 11 1995 14:5316
As explained in an earlier reply, bands are immature white cells.  After seeing
the CBC, in human terms ;), kitty is fine, but does have a definite infection
somewhere (elevated WBCs to begin with).  Generally speaking, when you do have
an elevated WBC, it *could* also have elevated bands.  Just like there might be
an unusual increase in monos (monocytes).  If there is elevation in a certain
type of cell, that can help determine what the problem/infection is.

When I did 'difs' (differentials; part of the CBC), there were always bands,
retics, Eos and Basos.  The only time one really needs to be concerned is when
these immature cells (and other 'response' cells) are at an elevated level. 
Say, if 4 bands were found, no biggie, but if there were 20+, then there would
be cause to worry.

Hope all goes well...

Sandra
884.5HELIX::SKALTSISDebThu May 11 1995 14:595
    Thanks,
    
    I'll pass the information along.
    
    Deb