Preventative care is an important form of medicine. Wellness screenings, checking for potential problems in your pet, can be helpful in detecting disease before it presents any noticeable symptoms. Blood work is an important diagnostic tool for Veterinarians. By having your pet’s blood tested with each yearly preventative exam and identifying problems early there is a greater potential of reducing damage to your pet’s system and reducing veterinary costs. The result being a greater chance of your pet living a longer, healthier life. As your pet gets older, the chance of them developing an age-related illness increases. Some common problems older pets face are kidney, heart, and liver disease; tumors and cancers; diabetes; and thyroid imbalance. Blood tests look at kidney, liver and other organ functions, as well as do a complete count of the red and white blood cells, and platelets, proteins, and electrolytes. In older pets, tests might also include a urinalysis, which can identify problems in the kidneys and urinary system, and identify metabolic disease. Other blood tests look for specific diseases, such as heartworm for dogs, and FIV for cats. We recommend having a blood test done with your pet’s yearly preventative exam, especially for pets over 7, when the risk of age-related illness begins to increase. idexx/pubwebresources/pdf/en_us/smallanimal/education/client-education/testing-uncover-feline.pdf idexx/pubwebresources/pdf/en_us/smallanimal/education/client-education/testing-uncover-hidden-canine.pdf
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 23:38:18 +0000
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