When we are diagnosing a problem with a client’s dog or when a dog needs surgery, blood tests for dogs give us information that is vital to determining what might be wrong or what treatment is needed. Here are some of the points we are looking for in blood tests:
- Proper functioning of liver and kidneys, used to determine a dog’s ability to tolerate surgery (along with other exam results)
- Detecting or ruling out congenital diseases in puppies
- Identifying dehydration, especially important if a dog has diarrhea or has not been eating or drinking well
- Detecting anemia, diabetes or organ failure
- Assessing an animal for infections of various types or abnormal responses to stress