Susan E. Fielder

, DVM, MS, DACVP (Clinical Pathology), Oklahoma State University

Last full review/revision Oct 2015 | Content last modified Oct 2015

Topic Resources

Serum Biochemical Reference Ranges

Measure	Units	Dog	Cat	Cow	Horse	Pig	Sheep	Goat	Rabbit	Llama	Vietnamese Potbellied Pig	Ostrich


*In Conventional (USA) Units*
ALT	U/L	10–109	25–97			31–58	26–34	6–19	45–80	6–14	10.9–95.1
Amylase	U/L	226–1,063	550–1,458						200–400
Alk phos^a	U/L	1–114	0–45			118–395	68–387	93–387	12–96	41–92	27–160
AST	U/L	13–15	7–38	60–125	160–412	32–84	60–280	167–513	35–130	216–378	16–64	252–401
CK	U/L	52–368	69–214	0–350	60–330	2.4–22.5	8.1–12.9	0.8–8.9	140–372	17–101	212.5–2,851.5	1,655–4,246
GGT^a	U/L			6–17.4	6–32	10–60	20–52	20–56	0–7	7–29	14.5–56.2	0–1
LDH	U/L	0–236	58–120		112–456	380–634	238–440	123–392		88–487		869–2,047
SDH^a	U/L			4.3–15.3	1–8	1.0–5.8	5.8–27.9	14.0–23.6		1–17
Bicarbonate	mEq/L	17–24	17–24	20–30	24–30	18–27	20–25
Bilirubin	mg/dL	0–0.3	0–0.1	0–1.6	0–3.2	0–10.0	0.1–0.5	0–0.1	0–0.7	0–0.1	0.2–0.45
Calcium	mg/dL	9.1–11.7	8.7–11.7	8.0–11.4	10.2–13.4	7.1–11.6	11.5–12.8	8.9–11.7	11–14	8.0–10.3		10.0–18.4
Chloride	mEq/L	110–124	115–130	99–107	98–109	94–106	95–103	99–110.3		102–109	106–113	94–105
Cholesterol	mg/dL	135–278	71–156			36–54	52–76	80–130	10–80	35–113
Creatinine	mg/dL	0.5–1.7	0.9–2.2	0.5–2.2	0.4–2.2	1.0–2.7	1.2–1.9	1.0–1.8	0.5–2.5	1.1–2.5	1.0–2.3
Glucose	mg/dL	76–119	60–120	40–100	62–134	85–150	50–80	50–75	75–155	103–160	59.8–175.2	187–247
Magnesium	mg/dL	1.6–2.4	1.7–2.6	1.5–2.9	1.4–2.3	2.7–3.7	2.2–2.8	2.8–3.6		1.82–3.77
Phosphorus	mg/dL	2.9–5.3	3.0–6.1	5.6–8.0	1.5–4.7	5.3–9.6	5.0–7.3	4.2–9.1	4.0–6.5	3.1–10.8		4.0–6.8
Potassium	mEq/L	3.9–5.1	3.7–6.1	3.6–4.9	2.9–4.6	4.4–6.7	3.9–5.4	3.5–6.7	3.5–6.9	4.6–7.1	3.7–5.0	4.5–5.9
Protein	g/dL	5.4–7.5	6.0–7.9	6.7–7.5	5.6–7.6	7.9–8.9	6.0–7.9	6.4–7.0	5.4–7.5	5.8–7.5	6.6–8.9	4–5.4
Albumin	g/dL	2.3–3.1	2.8–3.9	2.5–3.8	2.6–4.1	1.9–3.9	2.4–3.0	2.7–3.9	2.7–5.0	3.6–4.8	3.6–5.0
Globulin	g/dL	2.7–4.4	2.6–5.1	3.0–3.5	2.6–4.0	5.3–6.4	3.5–5.7	2.7–4.1	1.5–2.7	1.6–2.9
Sodium	mEq/L	142–152	146–156	136–144	128–142	135–150	139–152	142–155	138–150	148–155	139–148.8	147–157
Urea nitrogen	mg/dL	8–28	19–34	10–25	11–27	10–30	8–20	10–20	20–45	12–34	4.2–15.1	1.4–2.2


*In SI Units*
Bicarbonate	mmol/L	17–24	17–24	20–30	24–30	18–27	20–25
Bilirubin	μmol/L	0–5.1	0–1.7	0–27.4	0–54.7	0–17.1	1.71–8.55	0–1.71	0–12	0–17.1	3.4–7.7
Calcium	mmol/L	2.3–2.9	2.2–2.9	2.0–2.8	2.5–3.3	1.78–2.9	2.88–3.2	2.23–2.93	2.7–3.5	2.2–2.58		2.5–4.6
Chloride	mmol/L	110–124	115–130	99–107	98–109	94–106	95–103	99–110.3		102–109	106–113	94–105
Cholesterol	mmol/L	3.5–7.2	1.8–4.0			0.93–1.40	1.35–1.97	2.07–3.37	0.3–2.1	0.91–2.93
Creatinine	μmol/L	44–150	80–194	44–194	35–194	141–239	106–168	88.4–159	44.2–221	97.2–221	88.4–203.3
Glucose	mmol/L	4.2–6.6	3.3–6.7	2.2–5.6	3.4–7.4	4.72–8.33	2.78–4.44	2.78–4.16	4.1–8.6	5.72–8.89	3.3–9.9	10.4–13.7
Magnesium	mmol/L	0.7–1.0	0.7–1.1	0.6–1.2	0.6–0.9	1.11–1.52	0.9–1.31	0.31–1.48		0.75–1.55
Phosphorus	mmol/L	0.9–1.7	1.0–2.0	1.8–2.6	0.5–1.5	1.71–3.10	1.62–2.36	1.4–2.9	1.3–2.1	1.0–3.49		1.3–2.2
Potassium	mmol/L	3.9–5.1	3.7–6.1	3.6–4.9	2.9–4.6	4.4–6.7	3.9–5.4	3.5–6.7	3.5–6.9	4.6–7.1	3.7–5.0	4.5–5.9
Protein	g/L	54–75	60–79	67–75	56–76	79–89	60–79	64–70	54–75	58–75	66–89	40–54
Albumin	g/L	23–31	28–39	25–38	26–41	19–39	24–30	27–39	27–50	36–48	36–50
Globulin	g/L	27–44	26–51	30–35	26–40	53–64	35–57	27–41	15–27	16–29
Sodium	mmol/L	142–152	146–156	136–144	128–142	135–150	139–152	142–155	138–150	148–155	139–148.8	147–157
Urea nitrogen	mmol urea/L	2.9–10.0	6.8–12.1	3.6–8.9	3.9–9.6	3.6–10.7	2.8–7.1	3.6–7.1	7.1–16.1	4.3–12.1	1.5–5.4	0.5–0.8
Data on various species compiled and adapted in part from multiple sources, including Latimer KS, Duncan & Prasse’s Veterinary Laboratory Medicine: Clinical Pathology, 5th Ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2011; and Kaneko JJ, Harvey JW, Bruss ML, Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals, 6th Ed., Academic Press, 2008. Reference ranges vary between laboratories. Values provided by the reference laboratory should be used.
^a Alk phos = alkaline phosphatase; GGT = gamma glutamyltransferase; SDH = sorbitol dehydrogenase

Merck and the Merck Veterinary Manual

Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world. The Merck Veterinary Manual was first published in 1955 as a service to the community. The legacy of this great resource continues as the Merck Veterinary Manual in the US and Canada and the MSD Manual outside of North America.

OTHER TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER

Test your knowledge

More Content

Serum Biochemical Reference Ranges