Early Clues, Better Outcomes Regular Blood Tests Can Add Years to Your Pet’s Life
Pets are superstars at hiding their illnesses. Their natural instincts discourage them from showing weakness or vulnerability to predators. As a result, ailing pets often keep their owners in the dark about how bad they’re feeling. Fortunately, humans have a highly effective tool for detecting illness. Annual blood tests can catch a pet’s hidden health problems early, when they are easier to treat. In some cases, running a regular blood panel can save your pet’s life by revealing potentially life-threatening conditions before it’s too late. Blood tests are best performed as part of an annual or semi-annual wellness check to establish a baseline and monitor changes in your pet’s well-being. A complete blood count, or CBC, can detect the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your pet’s bloodstream. These measurements are important early indicators of dehydration, infections, and anemia. While there is no reliable blood test for cancer in pets, we can detect potential signs of cancer . These tests reveal clues of infection or other problems somewhere in the body. A high lymphocyte count, for example, could signal lymphoma or an infection. A biochemistry profile measures your pet’s levels of electrolytes and certain enzymes to see how well their organs are functioning. Other tests detect the presence of heartworms and other parasites, which can
be deadly if left untreated. We are seeing an increase
in infestations in our area, and blood tests are critical for detecting problems early. If you wait until symptoms show up, it may be too late.
Blood tests offer other valuable clues to your pet’s well-being. A thyroid panel can determine whether your dog or cat has hypothyroidism (too little production of the thyroid hormone) or hyperthyroidism (too much production). A gastrointestinal (GI) panel can detect diseases of the GI system, such as pancreatitis. Blood tests can also determine whether your pet is at high risk for certain genetic conditions or is allergic to specific substances. Taken together, the information we gain from running a blood panel can provide real peace of mind for pet owners, track changes in your pet’s health from year to year, and prevent emergencies caused by undetected health problems. We typically include them in our pet patients’ regular checkups to head off these heartaches later!
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