Get an Annual Blood Panel to Monitor Your Senior Dog's Health

Proper medical care is just as important for your pet as it is for you. Since dogs age must faster than we do, age related problems can creep up quickly. As your dog ages, make sure you talk with your vet about his medical needs. One thing you vet will likely recommend is an annual blood panel. An annual blood panel is blood work done on a yearly basis that can help your vet spot health troubles early. The tests done can diagnose common problems, such as cancer, kidney disease and hormonal issues. These things often occur as a dog ages, so even if your dog has always been healthy, you can’t be guaranteed that he or she will never have a health problem.

It is also important to understand that even if nothing is found in the tests, just having the baseline results will prove valuable in the years to come. It will show your vet your dog’s normal results, so if, in the future, the results come back different, the vet will know that something is going on. In addition to testing for possible diseases and disorders, a blood screening will allow the vet to monitor any current issues your dog may have. If your dog is on medication, the blood can be tested to ensure it isn’t having any negative effect on your dog. Also, the levels of the medication can be checked to ensure your dog is getting the proper amount. When a blood panel is done, your vet may have various tests ran on it. One of these is the complete blood count (CBC), which tells the number of red and white blood cells, along with the number of platelets and hemoglobin levels. The CBC can alert the doctor to any illness and is especially useful for early diagnosis of cancer. The vet may also test liver enzymes, glucose and protein levels. Elevated liver enzymes can be a sign of many different issues, such as cancer and liver disease. Glucose tests alert the vet of diabetes, and testing protein levels can indicate problems with dehydration and infection, among other things.

As the name states, this blood work only needs to be done once a year. Younger dogs don’t usually need as frequent monitoring, but once your dog begins to age, problems become more common. It is your chance to catch them early before they are beyond being able to be treated or are causing your dog discomfort and pain. To learn more about dog blood panels, please visit this website www.evergreenvetclinic.com of a dog vet in San Jose.