Checking blood work on your pet, even if they appear healthy, can be very beneficial. We recommend blood work while your pet is healthy to establish a baseline, knowing this information can help in establishing what's normal for each individual and if they become ill, interpret changes.
Routine blood work is great for early detection of disease and can help identify and treat an issue early before it becomes a more serious problem. For example, approximately 75% of kidney function can be gone before showing in any physical symptoms. Being proactive in these situations can significantly increase your pet's lifespan.
The standard blood work profiles we offer consist of a CBC, Chemistry, Urinalysis, and Fecal test.
CBC stands for complete blood count, this looks at white cells, red cells, platelets, etc. and can give information in regards to hydration status, anemia, infection, clotting ability and immune system responses.
Chemistry looks at individual enzymes and substances in the blood to establish how internal organs are working (liver, kidneys, pancreas, thyroid) and if diseases are present.
A Urinalysis verifies pH and concentration in urine, along with checking for blood, bacteria, crystals, etc. This gives a more complete look at the renal system.
Fecal tests check for internal parasites that animals can pick up very easily from many different sources. We offer full fecal examinations that include a test for giardia and coccidia.
We have established discounted Junior and Senior screens with our laboratory so it is the best time to come in for blood work! We recommend blood work to be done every 2-3 years on pets under 8 years of age and annually over 8 years. It is important to check chemistry levels more frequently on animals who are on long term medications (thyroid, NSAIDs, steroids, incontinence medication, etc.)
