Everyone knows regular vet visits are important to keeping your pet healthy, and part of their annual visits includes a routine blood test for pets of all types. Humans occasionally do bloodwork to check for diseases or ensure they are in good health; it’s no different for our furry friends. Your pet may not be the greatest fan in the moment, but you’ll be thankful you took their health so seriously!
Why is Preventive Pet Bloodwork Important?
If your pet is acting extra tired, abnormally irritable, or out of character in any other way, that’s a sign it’s time to get them checked out by your local veterinary team. However, that isn’t the only reason your pets need blood work done. One of the most crucial pet bloodwork benefits is early disease detection in pets, which is used as a way to keep up with pre-existing conditions.
Preventative Care
Not all growing illnesses are obvious, and preventative pet bloodwork is often done to detect potential diseases in asymptomatic pets. It also detects any vitamin deficiencies or mild ailments that could become a problem in the future without early detection.
Pre-Surgery Screening
If your pet needs surgery but you’re unsure how they will react to anesthesia, your vet will perform bloodwork before the procedure to determine if it is safe for your pet. Vets often perform these blood tests on the same day as the anesthesia to avoid extra discomfort from needles on a different day for your pet and reduce the number of vet trips needed.
Disease and Medication Management
Some medicines have side effects or affect your pets’ organs, which is one good reason bloodwork is essential to decide how well your pet is doing on these specific medications. Routine blood tests for pets also monitor known medical conditions, tracking them and determining if you and your vet need to change your pet’s treatment plan.
What do Blood “Panels” Search For?
There are two main blood panels your veterinarians will use that search for deficiencies or other issues in your pet’s body. They may check the Complete Blood Count (CBC), and Biochemistry, or Chem, panel to assess different “markers” in their blood.
CBC Panels
A CBC panel checks for red blood cells, which could indicate anemia, dehydration, or other blood-related illnesses. They then check for white blood cells, which signal infection or inflammation when they are high. Your vet counts the platelets, which are essential for clotting, to determine whether or not your animal has a bleeding disorder or autoimmune deficiency.
Biochemical Panels
These biochemical blood test panels determine more in-depth disorders, such as glucose or electrolyte levels that are crucial for diabetes detection, or nerve/muscle function. They often check for elevated liver enzymes, which may hint at inflammation or damage, and kidney values that detect kidney disease in advance. Your veterinarian may also suggest a thyroid test as part of senior pet bloodwork if your pet is exhibiting concerning behaviors such as excessive weight gain/loss or imbalanced eating habits.
Helping Your Pets Thrive
Part of early disease detection in pets is making their routine blood tests a priority. Your pet can greatly benefit from preventative care, and at Old Dominion Veterinary Clinic, we offer the best animal treatment for your pets. Give us a call to schedule the next set of preventative pet bloodwork!
