An Invaluable Asset: Baseline Blood Work for Pets
When we suggest doing blood work on a healthy pet that has been brought to us for vaccinations and a wellness exam, we are often met with resistance from pet owners.
Animal Medical Hospital wants to assure you that our recommendations are always founded with your pet’s health and best interest at heart. We firmly believe that baseline blood work for pets, even healthy pets, is an important part of proactive pet care.
What Blood Tests Do
A simple blood sample can tell us so much about your pet. The valuable liquid holds all sorts of information about an animal’s overall health and well-being.
While there are a plethora of individual tests for lots of different diseases and health conditions, during routine wellness screening there are some common things that we evaluate. These can include:
- Red blood cell count
- White blood cell count
- Blood clotting parameters
- Kidney function
- Liver values
- Thyroid values
- Electrolyte levels
- Blood glucose
- Heartworm status
- Screening for infectious diseases
This valuable and very accessible information helps to tell us so much about your pet and aids us in providing the very best care possible.
The Importance of Baseline Blood Work for Pets
Obtaining wellness labs is an important part of pet ownership. Routine blood work for pets, even those who are outwardly healthy, allow us to:
- Screen for underlying conditions that may not be symptomatic yet
- Learn what your pet’s baseline blood values are and determine what normal is for your individual pet
- Diagnose and treat problems early in their process
- Be sure that it is safe as possible to perform elective procedures under anesthesia
- Choose the best and safest medications and anesthetics for your pet
Baseline blood work for pets is important for all ages. While we recommend starting annual wellness screening at your pet’s first adult appointment, it is increasingly important to keep close tabs on your pet’s labs as they age.
What tests are recommended can vary depending on your pet’s species, breed, age, and medical history. If you have questions about baseline blood work for your pet, don’t hesitate to ask! We are happy to discuss this important monitoring tool with you. Without it, we would be hard pressed to efficiently screen, diagnose, and treat our patients well.