So your veterinarian says they want to run a 'senior blood work panel:' €why and what does that include?

Senior blood work includes a CBC, Profile, and Thyroid.

CBC: Complete Blood Count: This checks the red blood cell and white blood cell counts, as well as the different types of white blood cells (abnormal levels of a type of white blood cell can indicate a problem).  Cell counts allow doctors to look for infection and anemia.

Profile: Chemistry Panel/Organ Function Tests: The profile is probably the most important blood test we can run on senior pets.  Profiles monitor organ function-Liver, Kindeys, Pancreas, as well as the Heart (checks electrolytes).  Kidney and Liver disease are common in older pets.  In fact, Kidney Disease is among the top diagnoses for senior cats (rivals thyroid disease).  While senior pets cannot '˜regain organ function,' what function they do have can be maintained when diagnosed and managed early, typically with diet and supplements.

Thyroid: It's very common for older dogs to have a low thyroid, while older cats may have a high thyroid.  Pets with thyroid disease are usually maintained on medication.  For cats, there is also a prescription diet that can be used in place of medication to treat high thyroid.

Even apparently healthy senior pets should have blood work run at least yearly.  By monitoring blood values on a yearly, or sometimes more frequent, basis, your veterinarian can watch for trends.  These trends can help spot a problem before it becomes a problem.  As said in a previous post, kidney disease is a prime example.  As the values, although normal, start climbing, we can prescribe a diet change and/or a supplement to help slow the progression of kidney function loss.

All doctors, human and veterinarians, prefer to catch problems as early as possible.  When pets present critically ill with severely high thyroid, kidney failure, or liver failure, it's extremely difficult, if not impossible at times, to regain a good quality of life for that pet.

Also recommended for senior pets is glaucoma screening, blood pressure monitoring, and urine tests.  If the veterinarian detects a heart murmur, he/she may recommend radiographs and/or an ECG.  Many problems can be treated/maintained, but only if they are caught early.

Schedule your pet'™s senior preventative care exam and lab screenings today!