Blood Tests for Pets: Their Importance

When sick, our pets are unable to communicate. Regular vet visits, deworming, and a balanced diet are essential for our pets, but these measures do not always reveal how their internal organs are doing. Of all medical tests, blood tests are the most diagnostic. They offer precise and timely information about the health of your pets.

What is the goal of a blood test on pets?

Your veterinarian or veterinary nurse frequently advises blood tests for your pet. Several factors dictate the need for such a blood test. In some situations, a disease diagnosis procedure is necessary. In contrast, in others, it might be an essential component of a routine health checkup to issue your pet a “warrant of fitness.”

Results from blood tests can greatly increase your veterinary team’s capacity to assist your furry family member. This is particularly crucial before your pet’s clinic procedure. To foresee potential problems they might need to address during anesthesia, the veterinary team must clearly understand your pet’s current state of health. You should check the website of your veterinarian for more information.

When a blood test is advised

A blood test may be advised during your pet’s yearly checkup with the veterinarian. The following circumstances may warrant a blood test recommendation from your veterinarian:

• Your initial visit to a veterinary clinic
• During a wellness checkup
• If your animal is sick,
• A vet surgeon may request a pre-anesthetic blood test before the procedure.
• Before starting a new medication
• During a senior health assessment.

What happens after the blood is drawn for the sample?

You can obtain a good sample from the jugular vein in the neck, which is also big enough to allow for quick blood collection. This is important because the blood starts to clot when exposed to air, which could impact the outcomes. When blood is taken from the jugular vein, most animals are also more at ease; however, if necessary, they can take a smaller sample from a vein in the leg. 

To avoid bruising, we apply pressure to the vein for about a minute after blood collection. When a patient is clumsy, this can be challenging. The blood is put into tubes that can be used for the necessary tests, most of which can be completed at a vet diagnostic laboratory. We send those samples to a different lab because some tests need more specialized tools.

How come a blood test is necessary?

Many conditions could necessitate a blood test for your pet. Blood tests are used to screen for disease or to identify breed-specific diseases, to identify potential issues before anesthesia, and to track the effects of particular drug therapies. The secret to spotting and treating health conditions early on is early detection through wellness blood testing. Blood tests are required because:

•  As your pet ages, more health issues tend to surface (similar to humans).
• Compared to humans, animals age more quickly. To identify any underlying medical conditions, every yearly blood test is equally crucial as ever.
• Similar to the value of blood tests for humans, the knowledge you learn about your pet’s health is priceless.

Conclusion

Your veterinarian can identify conditions like kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid disease, and diabetes through a blood test. Despite how grave they may sound, the conditions can be watched and treated if detected early enough. You can feel at ease knowing that the blood test results, in many cases, will reveal no health issues. Our veterinary teams use blood tests as a crucial monitoring and diagnostic tool to ensure