Many pet owners know the importance of taking their pets to the veterinarian for regular checkups and ensuring they receive the necessary vaccinations to protect them from diseases. However, another essential pet health care diagnostic is annual wellness screening blood work. When you bring your pet to us for their yearly checkup, our Memorial Villages Animal Hospital team performs your furry pal’s annual screening blood test as part of their routine exam. These tests offer invaluable insight into your pet’s health and can help detect potential issues before they become serious.

Wellness screenings for pets

Wellness screening tests are essential to assessing your pet’s overall well-being. Our veterinarian tailors your pet’s tests based on your furry pal’s age, breed, overall health, risk factors, and physical exam findings. A wellness screening usually includes: 

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Chemistry panel
  • Fecal exam 
  • Parasite screening
  • Urinalysis 

Of these tests, the annual blood work is usually the first step in gathering valuable information about your pet’s general health. Annual blood work analyzes your pet’s internal organ health, such as the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, immune system functioning, hydration status, red and white blood cell production, platelets, enzymes, and proteins. As your pet ages, our veterinarian will perform additional diagnostic screening such as thyroid testing (T4). Each blood work panel focuses on your pet’s health and wellness, but all of them include: 

  • CBC — The CBC measures your pet’s white and red blood cell count and platelets and can detect anemia, dehydration, suppressed immune function, blood cancers, and infection. 
  • Blood chemistry analysis — Chemistries measure enzymes and proteins in your pet’s blood to analyze their organ health.  

But what if your pet seems entirely healthy? Is annual blood work necessary? Yes! Our Memorial Villages Animal Hospital team explains why, even for a seemingly healthy pet, annual blood work is essential.

Annual blood work catches early disease signs in pets

When you ensure that your four-legged friend has an annual wellness screening exam, your pet’s health history becomes detailed and informative. Yearly blood work can reveal underlying health issues that are just beginning and do not yet show external signs. Early disease detection allows our veterinarian to provide appropriate treatment before the problem becomes more serious. Annual blood work can detect many conditions long before they become problematic for your pet. Early treatment can allow us to prevent serious illnesses from progressing. 

Annual blood work in pets establishes a health baseline

Annual blood work is crucial for establishing your pet’s baseline health values for various blood parameters. By doing these routine tests, our team can track changes in your pet’s health over time. Each pet is unique and may have slightly elevated specific values that are completely benign. By understanding your pet’s health baseline, our veterinarian has a point of reference for future test results, allowing us to recognize an abnormality and identify potential health issues more effectively. And if the tests are “boring” and reveal that your pet is healthy, what a reason to celebrate! 

 Annual blood work reduces veterinary costs 

Annual blood work in pets plays a crucial role in reducing veterinary costs. By learning about disease signs early through yearly blood work, pet owners can avoid expensive treatments that may be necessary if a condition is left undiagnosed and allowed to progress. Early detection through annual blood work can lead to timely intervention and treatment, ultimately reducing the need for costly medical procedures, hospitalizations, and multiple therapies. Also, by knowing your furry pal’s health baseline values for various blood parameters, our veterinarian can track any changes in your pet’s health over time, allowing for earlier and often less costly interventions when abnormalities are detected. 

Annual blood work helps you make decisions about your pet’s care

A small dog sits on an examination table at a vet's office, held by a person in a blue shirt. Another person in a green uniform stands nearby holding a clipboard. The dog is looking at the camera with its tongue out.

Annual blood work plays a crucial role in allowing our Memorial Villages Animal Hospital team to tailor a pet’s preventive care based on the results. By analyzing the blood work results, we can identify potential health risks and take proactive measures to mitigate them. This tailored approach may involve specific dietary recommendations, lifestyle adjustments, or preventive medications to address any early disease signs. Ultimately, the ability to customize preventive care based on your pet’s blood work results contributes to their overall health and well-being.

Pet owners must prioritize their pets’ routine veterinary care, including annual blood work. Annual blood work can provide valuable insights into your pet’s health and well-being, allowing for early disease detection and treatment. Our Memorial Villages Animal Hospital team is ready to help ensure your pet’s long-term health and happiness. In September, we are offering a discount on wellness blood work. Schedule an appointment for your pet’s annual blood work.