Penny and Hazel were poisoned
Yesterday Hazel and Penny went out for a walk from the rescue house. Unfortunately, during that time they came into contact with something toxic and ate it. Not long after, both started vomiting heavily.
We immediately brought them to the clinic. They received IV fluids and medication and initially seemed stable. Because they improved, I took both of them home for one night so they could rest in a familiar place.
During the night, Hazel continued vomiting repeatedly. At that point it was clear she needed closer monitoring, so I brought her back to the vet the next day. To better understand what was going on inside her body, we decided to run a full blood test including a CBC and biochemistry panel.
What the blood test shows
The results are overall reassuring. Most values are within the normal range, and there are no signs of organ damage. The only noticeable changes point toward inflammation and gastric irritation, which fits very well with what we observed clinically.
Below you’ll find a clear overview of Hazel’s values and what they actually mean.
Blood Test Overview
Biochemistry Panel
| Value | Result | Normal Range | What this value means |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLU (Glucose) | 98 mg/dL | 74–143 mg/dL | Blood sugar level. Normal values show Hazel is metabolically stable and not in shock. |
| CREA (Creatinine) | 1.4 mg/dL | 0.5–1.8 mg/dL | Kidney function marker. Normal results mean the kidneys are working properly. |
| BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) | 8 mg/dL | 7–27 mg/dL | Another kidney indicator. Normal values show no kidney stress or dehydration related damage. |
| BUN/CREA Ratio | 6 | — | Used to assess hydration and kidney balance. This value is not concerning. |
| TP (Total Protein) | 8.7 g/dL | 5.2–8.2 g/dL | Slightly elevated. Often seen with inflammation, stress, or gastric irritation. |
| ALB (Albumin) | 3.4 g/dL | 2.3–4.0 g/dL | Main blood protein. Normal levels indicate good liver function and no protein loss. |
| GLOB (Globulin) | 5.3 g/dL | 2.5–4.5 g/dL | Slightly elevated. Globulin increases when the immune system reacts to inflammation or toxins. |
| ALB/GLOB Ratio | 0.6 | — | Reflects the balance between proteins. Slight shift fits with inflammatory response. |
| ALT | 88 U/L | 10–125 U/L | Liver enzyme. Normal value means no liver damage from the toxin. |
| ALKP | 170 U/L | 23–212 U/L | Liver and bile marker. Normal result is very reassuring. |
Hematology (CBC – Complete Blood Count)
| Value | Result | Normal Range | What this value means |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC (Red Blood Cells) | 7.11 M/µL | 5.65–8.87 M/µL | Normal oxygen carrying capacity. No anemia or blood loss. |
| HCT (Hematocrit) | 47.7 % | 37.3–61.7 % | Percentage of red blood cells in blood. Normal hydration status. |
| HGB (Hemoglobin) | 20.0 g/dL | 13.1–20.5 g/dL | Oxygen transport protein. Normal. |
| MCV | 67.0 fL | 61.6–73.5 fL | Size of red blood cells. Normal. |
| MCH | 28.1 pg | 21.2–25.9 pg | Slightly elevated. Often linked to dehydration or vomiting. |
| MCHC | 41.9 g/dL | 32.0–37.9 g/dL | Slightly elevated. Common with dehydration or stress, not a disease by itself. |
| RDW | 17.9 % | 13.6–21.7 % | Variation in red blood cell size. Normal. |
| WBC (White Blood Cells) | 14.03 K/µL | 5.05–16.76 K/µL | Immune system cells. Normal range, no infection indicated. |
| NEU (Neutrophils) | 10.94 K/µL | 2.95–11.64 K/µL | Stress and inflammation responders. Upper normal, expected after toxin exposure. |
| LYM (Lymphocytes) | 2.06 K/µL | 1.05–5.10 K/µL | Immune regulation cells. Normal. |
| PLT (Platelets) | 196 K/µL | 148–484 K/µL | Blood clotting cells. Normal, no bleeding risk. |
| MPV | 15.3 fL | 8.7–13.2 fL | Platelet size. Mild elevation often seen with active platelet production. |
| PCT | 0.30 % | 0.14–0.46 % | Total platelet mass. Normal. |
Hazel’s blood work shows no kidney damage, no liver damage, no infection and no internal bleeding. The slightly elevated total protein and globulin values are most likely caused by inflammation in the stomach and digestive tract, which fits perfectly with her symptoms after ingesting a toxin.
The vet administered anti vomiting medication intravenously and is keeping Hazel under close observation. She is currently resting at the clinic and being monitored carefully.
Hazel is tired but stable. Vomiting was the main concern and is being actively managed. As soon as her stomach settles and she can keep food and water down, her outlook is very good.
Situations like this are frightening, but these results show that we caught it early and that her body is coping well.
Thank you for caring about Hazel and for supporting our rescue.