What is the purpose of annual labwork?
Blood work for sick and injured pets helps your veterinarian diagnose and treat their condition. Screening tests can help you and your pet by:
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Setting a baseline for your pet’s normal values
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Providing peace of mind that your pet is healthy
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Tracking changes in your pet’s values from year to year
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Helping find underlying health problems in the early stages
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Helping prevent veterinary emergencies caused by unknown underlying health conditions
Value of Labwork:
Immune System Review
The complete blood count, commonly called a CBC, is a routine blood test that is used in all stages of health and illness. It is a test that gives information about the different cell types in the blood and can indicate the presence of many types of disease.
The CBC provides information about the three types of cells found in blood:
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red blood cells (also called erythrocytes or red cells),
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white blood cells (also called leukocytes or white cells), and
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platelets (also called thrombocytes).
Biochemistry Review, Organ Health Screen
This screening test looks at the various chemicals present within your pet's blood to ascertain if his or her major organs are functioning as they should. Some of the things that a blood chemistry panel can detect include: metabolic diseases, liver function, kidney function, protein and glucose levels. Veterinarians use chemistry laboratory tests to diagnose disease, to monitor disease progression or response to therapy, and to screen for the presence of underlying disease in apparently healthy animals.
Thyroid Analysis
Veterinarians use clinical chemistry and other laboratory tests to diagnose disease, to monitor disease progression or response to therapy, and to screen for the presence of underlying disease in apparently healthy animals. High levels of thyroid hormone indicate an overproduction by the thyroid gland, which is often related to a thyroid tumor. Low levels indicate a poorly functioning thyroid gland, which is usually associated with immune system disorders.
Cardiac Health Review
Cardiac ProBNP is a hormone that can be measured in dogs and cats to assess heart health. This hormone is released by cardiac muscle cells when they are stretched or stressed, indicating underlying disease or change of the heart muscle function.
Urinalysis
Urinalysis is a routine test that reports the physical and chemical properties of urine. It is used to assess the health of the kidneys and urinary system, and can also reveal problems in other organ systems. It is important for diagnosing metabolic disease such as diabetes mellitus. Urinalysis is a valuable test in both healthy and sick animals and should be included in any comprehensive evaluation of a pets health. If there are changes in your pets’ urinary behaviors, a urinalysis can help identify the cause.
Fecal Parasite Screen
Routine fecal examinations are used to detect intestinal parasites in your dog or cat. These parasites may include worms (such as tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms) and microscopic parasites (such as Giardia or Coccidia). Some parasites can also be infectious to humans.
Heartworm, Erlichia, Lymes, and Anaplasman Screening
A 4DX test is a blood test for dogs that screens for four diseases:
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Heartworm: A parasite carried by mosquitoes that can enter a dog's bloodstream through a bite
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Ehrlichia: A bacterial infection transmitted by ticks
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Lyme: A bacterial infection transmitted by ticks
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Anaplasma: A bacterial infection transmitted by ticks
Feline Leukemia, Aids, and Heartworm Screening
The SNAP Feline Triple Test screens cats for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen, and feline heartworm (FHW) antigen. FeLV and FIV are both contagious viral diseases that can weaken a cat's immune system and can lead to cancer.