Bloodwork, To Check or Not to Check
02/11/08

Almost 10 % of adult pets (2 – 7 years) who are normal on physical exam will have abnormal blood tests on routine panels. When your vet recommends routine testing for your four legged family member, you’ll have to decide whether this is a gamble you’re willing to take. Of course, the older a pet is, the more likely they are to have disease that can be detected with blood tests.

Apply this idea to your two legged family members. None of us want to take that chance with our children. That’s why your doctor routinely checks blood tests. Add to that the fact that our pets age much faster than we do. In relative terms, a dog will age roughly 7 years between annual health checks. A lot can change in that amount of time.

Any medical professional will tell you that early diagnosis and treatment of disease results in improved quality of life and extended survival time, generally speaking. Many diseases are not detectable on physical exam especially in the early stages when they are most treatable. For example, patients with early kidney failure may show almost no signs of the disease and a simple diet change may extend their life by as long as 2 years or more. As a practicing veterinarian of over 20 years I struggle with keeping veterinary costs down while providing the best care for my patients. Likewise, my clients struggle with where to draw the line for what care their pets receive. Ask your vet if there are discounts available for routine blood tests. Most will have something set up. It is in everyone’s interest to detect that disease so that it can be treated. Together, you may be able to develop a plan that both fits your budget and your Love for your pet.

And if your vet calls to tell you that the blood tests were normal, don’t feel like you’ve wasted the money. You can now be comforted that your pet is healthy and you’ve done everything reasonable to make sure of it.