Wellness Testing and Senior Testing

A physical exam can tell us a great deal about a pet's health, nevertheless many subclinical or early disease processes may remain undetected. For this reason yearly blood testing and urinalysis can help us complete the picture of a pet's overall health. This is especially important for senior pets, certain breeds and for any animal undergoing an anesthetic.

Following is an explanation of some of the most common things we test for:

Hematology blood tests

Complete Blood Count ( CBC) is a hematology test that provides measurements of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The CBC is an important tool that can indicate anemia, leukemia, stress, inflammation, infection and blood clotting disorders.

Chemistry Blood tests:

Electrolytes ( Na +, K+, Cl+) : imbalances are critical in the evaluation of several diseases
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): Increased levels of this enzyme maybe a sign of liver disease
Albumin: Reduced levels of this protein may be an indication of chronic liver or kidney disease or parasitic infection
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) : Found in liver, bone , kidney and intestines, elevated levels of this enzyme may indicate organ disease.
Amylase: The pancreas produces and secretes amylase to aid in digestion. Elevated levels may indicate pancreatic or kidney disease.
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) : This enzyme offers a good indication of muscle and liver health.
Cholesterol: Elevation of cholesterol may be an indication of a variety of disorders including, hypothyroidism, liver and kidney disease.
Creatinine: Elevated levels of creatinine may indicate kidney disease or urinary obstruction.
Glucose: High levels of blood glucose may indicate diabetes or stress. Low levels may be signs of liver disease.
Bilirubin: Blood bilirubin levels are helpful in evaluating liver disease and certain anemias.
Total protein: total protein aids in diagnosis of many conditions including liver, kidney and gastrointestinal disease.
Blood Urea nitrogen (BUN): BUN is produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Testing for it helps detect liver and kidney abnormalities.
Thyroxine test (T4): T4 fluctuation may indicate thyroid disease or secondarily liver, kidney or metabolic abnormalities.

Urinalysis:

A urinalysis helps us evaluate kidney function, liver function as well as the health of the bladder and lower urinary tract