One of the most common blood tests run in dogs is a complete blood count, also known as a full blood count. This blood count mainly focuses on determining the number and types of blood cells present in the blood. The cells that are looked at in a complete blood count are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Abnormal counts of any of these cells may be therefore indicative of various conditions.

White blood cells, also often referred to as leukocytes, act as a brave company of soldiers whose main goal is to defend the dog's body from viruses, bacteria or fungi. Their normal numbers in a dog according to Peteducation.com range between 6,000 and 17,000 per microliter.

Types of White Blood Cells

A differential white blood cell count may further go into depth and determine exactly what types of white blood cells are elevated. There are indeed several types of white blood cells such as neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes.