When you bring your pet in for their annual exam, your veterinarian may recommend bloodwork and urinalysis (urine testing) as part of their wellness exam. Some pet owners might ask, “Is bloodwork and urine testing really necessary?” especially if their pet seems otherwise fine. The answer? Yes!
Our pets can’t tell us how they feel and often hide feelings of pain or discomfort. Testing seemingly healthy pets’ blood and urine during a wellness visit also provides baseline values to compare to as they age. With ongoing testing, a baseline allows veterinarians to detect changes and illness even before seeing visible signs of disease. It can also help us potentially catch concerning conditions early to help reverse or stop the progression.
Why Does My Pet Need Routine Diagnostics?
Routine bloodwork and urine testing, in combination with a physical exam, gives veterinarians a full picture of your pet’s overall health. Much like when your doctor performs tests during your annual physical checkup, pet bloodwork and urinalysis allows for early detection of some common diseases and helps monitor existing concerns.
If these diagnostic tests uncover any ailment, early detection creates the greatest chance for success in either curative treatment or management. In short, diagnosing disease early is key to helping keep your pet healthy.
When Is Bloodwork and Urine Testing Necessary?
There are a variety of reasons to perform bloodwork and/or urinalysis on a dog or cat; the four most common are:
1. Routine Diagnostics for Monitoring Health
For otherwise healthy pets, we recommend baseline testing in early adulthood and annually to keep track of things like your pet’s count of red blood cells and white blood cells.
Your local veterinary team can help guide you on the ideal time to begin including bloodwork and urine testing in your pet’s regular wellness schedule. As our pets enter their golden years, it’s even more important to test regularly to monitor their health with testing and catch health problems as early as possible.
2. Blood & Urine Tests Before Starting a New Medication
Your veterinarian may recommend bloodwork and/or urine testing before starting your pet on a new medication. Even if the medication is preventive, like heartworm prevention or allergy meds, diagnostic tests may be needed to help ensure the chosen therapy is the best fit for your pet.
By performing these tests prior to starting the medication, and then sequentially while on the prescription, your veterinarian can monitor for any adverse effects and adjust the treatment if necessary. Ask your vet about your pet’s medication and the recommended blood test interval as some drugs need to have testing checked very 3–6 months.
3. Presurgical Bloodwork and Urine Testing
Bloodwork is often required within 30 days before surgery or a procedure that uses anesthesia, like a pet dental cleaning. Presurgical blood testing ensures all your pet’s vital organs are working properly and that there are no disorders or diseases that could complicate the surgery and put your pet at an increased risk. Presurgical bloodwork also helps veterinarians select the safest dose of anesthesia, specifically tailored to your pet’s unique chemistry. It also allows us to treat and start medication for a possible condition to get it stabilized before anesthesia.
4. Diagnostic Tests for Illness Symptoms
If your pet is acting unusual, but is not showing identifiable signs of a specific illness, disease, or injury, lab testing is typically recommended during the sickness visit. Bloodwork and urinalysis (urine testing) can provide more information about what may be affecting sick pets internally and assist veterinarians in making a diagnosis as well as treatment plans. Based on initial blood test results, your veterinarian may recommend more specialized blood tests to gather more information.
What Can Bloodwork Show in My Pet?
The specific blood elements tested may vary based on the reason for the blood test and depend on your pet and their species, age, and breed. However, for all pets, blood test screenings will show your pet's kidney and liver function and blood counts among other things.
A Routine Blood Test for Pets Can Help Identify:
Heartworm
Lyme Disease
Blood Disorders
Addison’s Disease
Kidney Disease
Liver Disease
Pancreatic Cancer
Diabetes
Hyper-/Hypothyroidism
Immune Disorders
Hormonal Imbalances
Nutritional Deficiencies
Toxin Exposure
While this list is certainly not exhaustive, we hope this helps you visualize just how important annual bloodwork is for your pet!
Typical Presurgical Blood Tests for Pets Include:
Complete Blood Count (CBC) – Helps to identify any blood-related conditions, including immune deficiencies, clotting disorders, and anemia.
Blood Chemistry Panel – Tests for compounds that indicate whether certain organ functions are performing as they should, including the kidneys, pancreas, and liver.
Electrolyte Levels – Measures hydration and helps the veterinary team ensure the correct balance of electrolytes are given throughout a procedure.
What Can Urine Testing Show in My Pet?
In addition to routine or pre-procedural bloodwork, your veterinarian will typically recommend a urinalysis. Urine testing helps to further analyze your pet’s overall health, check kidney and liver function, identify potential infections or diseases of the urinary tract, and monitor glucose regulation. It can also show us your pet’s urinary pH and if they are developing any urinary crystals that can possibly pre-dispose them to infections and stones. Similar to bloodwork, the individual elements tested in your pet’s urine may vary based on your pet’s species, age, prior health conditions, and the purpose of the test.
Typical Routine Urine Tests for Pets Can Help Identify:
Bladder Infection
Bladder Stones
Cancer
Dehydration
Diabetes
Hemolytic Anemia
Kidney Disease
Kidney Infection
Ketosis
Liver Disease
Urinary Tract Infection
To gain a more complete picture of your pet’s overall health, identify a wider range of potential issues, and aid in forming a definitive diagnosis, it is important not to skip out on the urinalysis when your pet is getting their blood test. If it has been over a year since your pet’s last routine diagnostic tests, then it’s time to schedule a wellness exam with bloodwork and urinalysis!
Don’t forget—
Thrive Plus members get 10% routine diagnostic testing like blood and urine tests. It also helps to get pet insurance early just in case routine diagnostics detect an illness, as most plans do not cover pre-existing conditions (and insurance works with Thrive Plus too!).
