Even in young otherwise apparently healthy pets, blood work may be beneficial to determine a normal baseline for your pet or to provide early detection of underlying health conditions. Junior Health Profiles are often used to screen for general overall health of organs such as liver and kidneys, and include electrolytes, glucose and a complete blood count as well as the heartworm parasite in dogs. Some medications, including those used for anesthetic purposes are processed and eliminated from the body by the liver and/or kidneys. Decreased organ function can complicate or eliminate the body’s ability to process such medications which may endanger the health of your four legged friend. Health conditions such as diabetes and/or kidney failure may also be detected prior to your pet developing noticeable outward symptoms. Remember this is a snap shot of your pet’s health at that given date, so blood work should be completed on a minimum of an annual basis for continued monitoring. Consider the fact that one year of your life is equal to seven years of your pet’s life, so a sample taken one year ago from your pet would be like a sample taken seven years ago from yourself. In the event that results are returned with abnormal findings, your veterinarian may request additional tests to determine the cause. Annual laboratory tests can save your pet’s life!
Ask us at Animal Central for more information on the benefits of annual blood work for your pet or visit:
http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?art_key=ada7e50b-e2d1-4667-bb5e-7788617dd683
Dr. George Stroberg, DVM and Staff
