Total protein
Chemistry ·Also called: TP, total protein serum, serum protein
What it is
Total protein is the sum of albumin, made by the liver, and globulin, which includes antibodies and inflammatory proteins. Most reports print the total, the two components, and sometimes the albumin-to-globulin ratio.
Why your vet measures it
Because the two components can move in opposite directions, a normal total protein can hide a real problem — low albumin masked by high globulin is a classic example, seen in chronic inflammatory disease and in FIP in cats.
What a high result can mean
- Dehydration, concentrating everything in the blood
- Chronic inflammation or infection raising globulin
- Multiple myeloma or another antibody-producing tumour
What a low result can mean
- Loss of protein through the gut, the kidneys, or a large wound or burn
- Liver failure, which reduces albumin production
- Blood loss
- Over-hydration, which dilutes the sample
Questions worth asking your vet
- Which part is abnormal — the albumin, the globulin, or both?
- What is the albumin-to-globulin ratio?
- Could dehydration account for this?
Related terms
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