Pet Blood Test 101: The Importance of Regular Blood Work for Your Furry Friends

As pet owners, we all want our furry friends to look happy and healthy. But we can’t be with them 24/7 to monitor their health. When pets show obvious symptoms, their conditions have often reached severe stages. That’s why regular health check-ups, especially blood tests, are a must-have for every pet. By analysing your pet’s health metrics, your vet can identify potential diseases and their causes before symptoms become severe.

What do blood tests reveal?

Blood tests can provide much basic information and important physiological parameters of your pet, such as red and white blood cell count, kidney and liver function indices and electrolyte status, etc. Your vet will analyse these figures and your pet’s clinical symptoms to effectively detect underlying diseases. These items are often included in blood tests:

Complete blood count (CBC)

A medical device will be used to measure the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelet to evaluate whether the pet has anaemia, inflammation, low platelet count or other symptoms. The figures can also be used as a preliminary examination of potential parasitic infection, fatty liver disease, chronic kidney failure, tumour or other diseases, and an indirect examination of bone marrow.

Blood chemistry

Blood chemistry gives an insight into the pet’s electrolyte status, blood sugar level, total protein, cholesterol, organ function (liver, kidney and pancreas) and more, which helps determine the health status of the pet and spot any underlying diseases.

When should my pet receive a blood test?

Regular tests

Your pet is advised to receive a yearly health check-up, even if it seems totally healthy. As our furry friends experience physiological changes every year, receiving early blood tests helps obtain baseline values for later comparison to identify diseases as soon as possible.

Preanesthetic evaluation

If your pet has to undergo surgery due to health conditions or desexing, it is advised to receive a blood test before anaesthesia to ensure its safety.

Infectious disease screening

A blood test is advised before buying or adopting animals to identify any infectious diseases such as heartworm in dogs and feline immunodeficiency virus.

Regular blood tests help evaluate your beloved pet’s health condition and detect potential health risks. Act now and give your furry friend a happy and healthy life.

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