The One Test That Could Help Your Pet Live Longer
When your pet seems healthy, it can be easy to assume everything is fine. However, many diseases begin long before obvious symptoms appear. That’s why annual bloodwork for dogs and cats is an important part of preventive veterinary care.
At Plantation Midtown Animal Hospital, we recommend routine wellness bloodwork for pets of all ages. These tests help us monitor your pet’s health, detect disease earlier, and provide you with peace of mind.
What Is Annual Bloodwork for Pets?
Annual bloodwork is a group of laboratory tests that evaluates how your pet’s body is functioning. A wellness blood panel can provide important information about:
- Kidney function
- Liver function
- Blood sugar levels
- Hydration status
- Red and white blood cell counts
- Signs of infection or inflammation
- Thyroid function (when indicated)
Because pets age faster than people, health changes can occur quickly. Routine blood testing allows your veterinarian to identify problems before your pet appears sick.
Why Do Healthy Dogs and Cats Need Bloodwork?
Many pet owners ask, “If my pet feels fine, why do they need bloodwork?”
The answer is simple: pets cannot tell us when something is wrong.
Conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, liver disease, thyroid disorders, and certain infections may develop silently for months or even years before noticeable symptoms appear. Annual bloodwork helps us detect these problems sooner, when treatment is often easier, more effective, and less expensive.
Benefits of Annual Bloodwork for Pet Owners
Catch Health Problems Early
Early detection can make a significant difference in your pet’s quality of life and long-term health.
When diseases are found in their early stages, treatment may:
- Slow disease progression
- Improve quality of life
- Reduce complications
- Extend lifespan
Avoid Unexpected Veterinary Expenses
Emergency treatment is often more costly than preventive care. Routine wellness testing helps identify concerns before they become serious medical problems, potentially saving pet owners from unexpected expenses down the road.
Establish Your Pet’s Normal Baseline
Every dog and cat is different. Annual bloodwork allows us to establish normal values for your individual pet while they are healthy. If changes occur in the future, we can look back to compare results and recognize developing problems more quickly.
Gain Peace of Mind
Sometimes the best result is knowing your pet is healthy. Normal bloodwork provides reassurance that your pet’s internal health matches how good they appear on the outside.
Bloodwork Is Important for Puppies, Kittens, Adults, and Seniors
Young and Adult Pets
Even young pets benefit from annual wellness testing. Establishing baseline values early in life helps us monitor health changes as they age.
Senior Dogs and Cats
Senior pets have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, including kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, and liver disorders. Regular senior pet bloodwork helps us identify these conditions earlier, often before symptoms become obvious at home.
Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork
Annual bloodwork also plays an important role in veterinary surgery and dentistry.
Within 90 days of anesthesia for a surgical procedure or a professional dental cleaning, we require pre-anesthetic bloodwork to evaluate your pet’s overall health and identify any concerns that could affect anesthesia safety. These tests help us develop the safest anesthesia plan possible. If your pet needs a growth removed or is due for a dental cleaning, completing wellness bloodwork now can help prepare them for their procedure.
Stay tuned for our upcoming dental health blog, where we’ll discuss the importance of professional dental cleanings and how dental disease can affect your pet’s overall health.
Looking Ahead: Dental Savings Coming Soon
Good health starts with prevention. That’s why our bloodwork promotion is perfectly timed before our upcoming dental promotion.
Watch for special savings on professional dental cleanings during July and August. Completing your pet’s annual bloodwork now can help streamline the process and ensure they’re ready for a safe dental procedure.
Schedule Your Pet’s Bloodwork Today
Annual bloodwork is one of the most valuable tools we have for protecting your pet’s health. Whether you have a playful puppy, an active adult cat, or a beloved senior companion, routine wellness testing can help us catch problems early and keep your pet healthy for years to come.
Contact Plantation Midtown Animal Hospital today at (954) 473-8090 to schedule your pet’s routine bloodwork and take advantage of our June and July bloodwork savings.