Routine Blood Work For Pets
In 2021, many new pet parents will be visiting a veterinarian for the first time. During these visits, it is possible your pet's health care team will recommend routine blood work. This may come as a surprise, as it can seem counter intuitive to run tests on pets who are seemingly healthy, and in some cases, fairly young.
Routine blood work is instrumental in finding many cases of diabetes, kidney disease, Cushing's disease, liver problems, and many other conditions before the onset of clinical signs. This can save pets needless pain and discomfort, as well as arrest the progress of diseases before they become complicated and expensive to treat. In young dogs and cats, baseline blood work can allow your veterinarian to know which readings are normal for your specific pet at their peak of health. This allows your pet's health care team to see any future abnormal readings in a better context, and thus be better equipped to develop treatment plans which are better suited for your particular pet.
