Blood Tests
Blood tests are an important diagnostic tool for veterinarians to evaluate the overall health of your dog and diagnose problems as they arise. Blood tests can also be used to monitor the response to treatment with previously diagnosed conditions, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, epilepsy, and many more. Southpointe Pet Hospital makes use of up-to-date, in-house diagnostics, as well as sending out more specialized testing to a commercial laboratory.
Why is it important to perform blood tests for dogs?
Blood testing allows veterinarians to investigate what is going on inside your pet’s body that can be hidden from a physical examination. Blood testing can also assess immune function, organ function and inflammation, as well as diagnose some conditions definitively. In other cases, it provides key information about where to look next, even if a definitive diagnosis is not achieved immediately from these tests. Routine blood testing outside of illness and injury can also be beneficial, as it provides a baseline for future comparison when your pet does run into trouble.
How do I interpret my dog’s blood test results?
It is your veterinarian’s job to interpret your dog’s blood test results for you and ensure that you understand what the results mean to you and your pet. If you are interested in seeing the results yourself, your veterinarian can send you a copy and go through the results with you while they are in front of you.