Lab Work Animal hospital Boulder
You’ll often hear us offer routine lab work for dogs and cats, especially the seniors. When presented with the option of doing routine lab work, clients usually fall into one of three categories: 1) Yes, absolutely 2) Perhaps, what is the benefit, 3) No thanks, he/she seems to be doing well. With anything we offer, our goal is to make sure you understand the pros, the cons, and the cost. So, here’s the rundown on lab work and why it’s a good option for making sure your little darlings are in good shape.
The typical lab screening panels includes a CBC (complete blood count), a blood “chemistry panel,” thyroid screening, and a urinalysis (looking at urine). The CBC is primarily looking at red and white blood cell counts. Many diseases, acute and chronic, can be uncovered by abnormalities in CBC results.
Blood chemistry tests measure the amounts of certain chemicals in the bloodstream. They show how well certain organs are functioning and even a few abnormalities can be diagnostic for a variety of conditions.
Thyroid screening is pretty straight forward. We are checking thyroid hormone levels. Thyroid hormone plays a huge role in metabolism and the rate at which calories are being burned. Many cases of weight gain in dogs are due to low thyroid levels (hypothyroidism). For cats it’s the opposite. Cats will often have over-functioning thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism). These kiddos will be losing weight while at the same time becoming ravenous. Thyroid is something we can regulate and greatly improve quality of life.
A urinalysis is simply a urine test – just like when we go to the doctor and they give us the little cup to fill. We are looking for infection, blood, protein, glucose, crystals, etc. – basically a bunch of stuff that shouldn’t be there that may indicate something internally that we should investigate.
Again, we always like to give options. We’re never going to guilt you into doing something you are not comfortable with. I do however recommend routine lab work because it’s extremely valuable, and in many cases gives us the opportunity for early intervention which can make all the difference. Annual lab work for pets is analogous to us checking our lab work every 7 years. I’m over 40 now and my doc wants to look at mine every year. I’m not sure I’d be comfortable waiting much beyond that. Give us a call to discuss and we can schedule lab work without a veterinary visit. A vet will call you back with the results and we can make a game plan moving forward.
Lab Work Animal hospital Boulder | Rise Vet is Boulder’s new breed of veterinary care located in downtown Boulder. Call us today to make an appointment for your pet. We are located in the Ideal Market Plaza, right next to Sweet Cow Ice cream and are excited to open our doors to you and your pets. We serve pet lovers in Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Superior and surrounding Boulder County.