Why should I do bloodwork on my pet(s)?
If your dog or cat is sick, or exhibits symptoms/signs of diseases such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism, he or she may need to have blood drawn and submitted to the laboratory for analysis. Also, I recommend annual heartworm testing to make sure your dog does not have heartworm disease, a potentially fatal and difficult-to-treat disease that is easily prevented by testing and using monthly heartworm prevention (a very effective and relatively inexpensive medication). For “silver” pets (those 8 years of age or older), I do recommend senior screening bloodwork every year to make sure their organs/body systems are all in good working order, and that they do not need to be on a special prescription diet or medication to treat underlying diseases. Dogs and cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of disease, so routine screening bloodwork is a valuable tool in preventative medicine. If you want your pet to be able to live a long and healthy life, bloodwork may be needed from time to time.
