Immunology
We have established reference intervals for agarose gel electrophoresis and for immunoglobulin values in dogs and cats using the equipment and reagents in our laboratory. Other reference intervals provided with our reports have been provided by the manufacturer of the kits we use for these tests.
Serum Protein Electrophoresis Reference Intervals
These reference intervals were established using our serum protein electrophoresis equipment.
| Test | Units | Canine | Feline | Equine | Bovine | Alpaca |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albumin | g/dL | 3.0 - 3.9 | 2.4 - 3.8 | 2.4 - 4.2 | 2.6 - 3.9 | 2.9 - 4.0 |
| Total a1 | g/dL | 0.3 - 0.5 | 0.6 - 1.4 | 0.3 - 0.8 | 0.3 - 0.5 | 0.1 - 0.5 |
| Total a2 | g/dL | 0.3 - 0.5 | 0.8 - 1.6 | 0.7 - 1.3 | 0.8 - 1.3 | 0.3 - 0.7 |
| Total a | g/dL | 1.1 - 1.8 | 1.6 - 2.4 | 1.2 - 1.7 | 1.2 - 1.6 | 0.5 - 1.1 |
| Total b1 | g/dL | 0.3 - 0.8 | 0.3 - 0.6 | 0.2 - 1.1 | 0.6 - 1.0 | 0.4 - 1.0 |
| Total b2 | g/dL | 0.2 - 1.4 | 0.1 - 0.5 | 0.3 - 0.8 | 0.5 - 0.9 | 0.2 - 0.6 |
| Total b | g/dL | 0.8 - 1.8 | 0.4 - 1.0 | 0.7 - 1.6 | 1.2 - 1.8 | 0.9 - 1.6 |
| g | g/dL | 0.3 - 1.1 | 0.6 - 2.2 | 0.7 - 1.8 | 1.1 - 2.7 | 0.5 - 1.6 |
| Total globulin | g/dL | 2.6 - 4.2 | 3.4 - 5.1 | 2.8 - 4.7 | 3.8 - 5.7 | - |
| A:G | - | 0.5 - 1.1 | 0.5 - 1.2 | 0.6 - 1.1 | 0.5 - 1.0 | 0.8 - 1.8 |
Immunoglobulin Reference Intervals
These reference intervals were established in our laboratory using radial immunodiffusion kits obtained from Bethyl laboratories. Because kits from different manufacturers do not provide identical results (due to the use of different standards), our results cannot be directly compared to that from other laboratories. These ranges are only valid for dogs and cats > 1 year of age. Animals younger than this may very well have values below the reference intervals.
Please note that for canine IgA, when the reference interval was established, the lowest IgA standard provided by the kit was 35 mg/dL. Therefore, the lowest reportable value for IgA was 35 mg/dL. The lowest IgA standard with the kit has now changed to 33 mg/dL. Therefore, when we report IgA values of 33 mg/dL, they should be regarded as being equivalent to 35 mg/dL and are not compatible with IgA deficiency.
| Test | Units | Canine | Feline | Equine | Bovine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IgG | mg/dL | 670 - 1650 | 530 - 2000 | 984 - 1685 | 1700 - 2700 |
| IgM | mg/dL | 100 - 400 | 75 - 260 | 90 - 150 | - |
| IgA | mg/dL | 35 -270 | 25 - 200 | 67 - 239 | - |
