Bloodwork: Why Even Young and Healthy Pets Benefit
When you bring a sick pet to the veterinarian, you expect us to do some diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of their illness. Did you know, though, that healthy pets sometimes need diagnostic testing, like bloodwork, too?
That’s right! Sometimes, we recommend running a blood test on healthy pets for the following reasons.
6 Reasons Why We Might Recommend a Blood Test for Your Healthy Pet
1. Establish a Baseline of Health
Testing a sample of your pet’s blood when they’re healthy and normal helps us establish a baseline of what your pet’s blood counts and organ function look like when they’re healthy. As a result, we’re better able to identify slight changes that could indicate developing problems.
2. Check for Parasites
We use a blood test to screen your pets for signs of parasites like heartworms. It’s essential to test dogs for heartworm infection before administering a heartworm parasite preventative because giving a heartworm preventative to a dog that has already been infected could be fatal.
3. Check Organ Function Before Surgery
A blood test helps us determine whether a pet is healthy enough to undergo general anesthesia before surgery or a pet dental cleaning.
4. Check Organ Function Before Prescribing Medication
Certain medications can be hard on a pet’s organs, so it’s essential to ensure that they’re healthy before we write a prescription.
5. Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Disease
Routine bloodwork for healthy pets helps us detect the earliest signs of disease. Early diagnosis leads to more effective treatment and helps us prevent your pets from getting seriously ill.
6. Ongoing Disease and Medication Management
Otherwise healthy pets that are living with chronic diseases require regular bloodwork to ensure that their medication is effective and their disease is safely managed.
Complete Wellness and Preventative Care for Pets in Wisconsin
We recommend that healthy adult pets visit the veterinarian at least once a year for a physical examination, vaccine boosters, and all the wellness and preventative care they need to stay healthy and happy. Senior pets, pets living with chronic diseases, puppies, and kittens typically need to visit the veterinary clinic a little more frequently. Our veterinarians can help you determine the schedule that’s right for your pet.
To learn more about bloodwork or to schedule your pet’s next wellness appointment, we welcome you to contact Animal Wellness Center today.
