Pet Lab Work

Blood work is often overlooked as an important part of healthcare. It is easy to forget how quickly our pets change with age. Even though our pets can maintain a youthful attitude, their bodies can go through drastic changes we might not even notice. Pets can be very good at hiding little inconsistencies and small changes which can have an impact on their overall health. Blood work is an important way to ensure our pets are staying healthy and getting the best care we can give.

Blood testing for cats and dogs helps us diagnose and treat a variety of health conditions. Routine blood work, along with a thorough physical exam, gives the veterinarian the most information about your pet’s health. Having this information helps us provide the best treatment and prevention recommendations possible. If your pet is being considered for surgery, we will need to run blood work. This helps us determine whether the pet is healthy enough to withstand a surgical procedure and what anesthesia would be best.

Why Blood Work Is Important for Dogs and Cats

Routine blood work that we may recommend for your pet includes:

  • Complete blood count (CBC) — A CBC evaluates your pet’s red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Abnormalities can indicate infection, anemia, and blood clotting problems.
  • Chemistry panel — A blood chemistry panel assesses your pet’s organ function, including their liver and kidneys.
  • Parasite screening — Dogs should be screened annually for heartworm disease and tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis.
  • Viral Screenings—FeLV and FIV tests for cats and parvo tests for dogs are essential in ruling out the causes of many symptoms.

We also recommend additional tests, such as more specific kidney function and thyroid testing, as pets age. We can perform many types of laboratory services in-house. For more specialized tests, we partner with a trusted outside laboratory. 

If you have questions about the kinds of lab work we provide, please call us at (617) 939-8172.

Artemis Veterinary - Blood Work