People schedule their annual physical because they understand preventive medicine’s importance for long-term health. Your pet requires the same proactive approach to care and should undergo regular wellness blood work testing. Blood work results help your veterinarian identify, diagnose, and treat your furry pal’s potential health conditions before they become serious, providing valuable information to help support your pet’s quality of life (QOL). Our Stanton Pet Hospital team explains why every pet needs wellness blood work, including pets who appear healthy. 

Blood work establishes your pet’s normal baseline

Each pet is unique, and normal values vary from one pet to another, regardless of age or breed. Your pet’s healthy blood work results provide a baseline against which future variations can be measured, ensuring potential issues are detected when diseases are in their early stages. 

Blood work helps monitor your pet’s chronic health conditions

For pets with chronic conditions, such as kidney disease, diabetes, or thyroid issues, regular blood work allows our team to monitor your pet’s disease progression and their treatments’ effectiveness: 

  • Medication effectiveness — Blood work can help determine if your pet’s current medication is effectively managing their condition. For example, a pet who receives medication to manage thyroid disease may need their hormone levels checked regularly to ensure that their medication is providing the correct hormone replacement amount. 
  • Treatment adjustments — As a chronic disease progresses, your pet’s treatment needs may evolve. Blood work provides information that can inform changes in medication or doses to ensure your pet remains comfortable.  
  • QOL assessment — Monitoring your furry pal’s chronic health conditions through blood work testing can help you make informed decisions to maintain and assess your pet’s QOL. 

Blood work provides early disease detection for pets 

Pets often don’t exhibit illness signs until their condition is advanced. Blood work is the most effective way to identify subtle changes in your pet’s health, often long before they are visibly sick. If our Stanton Pet Hospital team notes an unusual change in your pet’s blood work results, we can recommend further testing, ensuring we detect and diagnose diseases early. Early stage diseases are easier and more affordable to treat, and early detection increases your pet’s chances for a good outcome. Your pet’s blood work can reveal these major conditions:

  • Renal insufficiency (i.e., kidney failure)
  • Liver disease or injury
  • Pancreatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Thyroid disease
  • Endocrine disorders
  • Cancer
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Bone marrow dysfunction

Blood work provides a wealth of information about your pet’s health 

Wellness blood work consists of two parts—the chemistry panel and the complete blood count (CBC). The CBC evaluates the cellular portion of your pet’s blood, which includes red and white blood cells, and platelets. General chemistry values measure your pet’s organ health, including liver, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder, as well as electrolyte and blood sugar levels. As your pet ages, our team may recommend additional diagnostic testing, such as thyroid testing and a urinalysis to gain further insights. Together, these tests provide valuable information about your pet’s health status, including: 

  • Organ function — Blood tests assess major organs’ functionality. Elevated or decreased enzyme levels can indicate organ damage, disease, or dysfunction, prompting further investigation or treatment.
  • Electrolyte levels — Blood work can measure essential electrolyte levels such as potassium and sodium. An imbalance can point to conditions such as dehydration, kidney disease, or certain metabolic disorders.
  • Hormonal imbalances — Blood tests can detect abnormal hormone levels, indicating diabetes, hypothyroidism, or Cushing’s disease. 
  • Protein levels — Blood work can measure blood protein levels, which play a role in nutrition, clotting, and immune response. Abnormal levels can indicate malnutrition, liver disease, kidney disease, or chronic inflammation.
  • Infectious diseases — Specific blood tests can detect antibodies or antigens related to infectious diseases, such as Lyme or heartworm diseases, or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in cats.
  • Nutritional deficiencies — Blood work can reveal specific nutritional deficiencies, guiding dietary adjustments or supplementation.

Annual wellness blood work is an investment in your pet’s lifelong wellbeing and can save them from needless suffering, invasive and costly treatments, and an unnecessarily shortened life. Protect your pet by ensuring they receive high-quality veterinary care. Schedule your pet’s next wellness exam and blood work testing with our Stanton Pet Hospital team.