YOUR VETERINARIAN CAN GET A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PET'S HEALTH WITH JUST A FEW DROPS OF BLOOD - THANKS TO WELLNESS TESTING.

Wellness Testing is recommended for your dog or cat:

1.  FOR YOUNG & ADULT PETS to give individual baseline data that your veterinarian can use later, as a reference for faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatments.

2.  FOR GERIATRIC ANIMALS to monitor organ degeneration, check response to medication and detect diseases before symptoms appear.

3.  TEST RESULTS serve double duty by providing information before surgery or dental procedures, allowing for safer anesthesia.

There are two basic kinds of blood tests your veterinarian will typically use for your pet's wellness screen:  blood chemistry tests and hematology tests.

BLOOD CHEMISTRY TESTS provide an inside look at your pet's vital organs.  (See chart for specific test descriptions).  For example, checking chemistries produced by organs like the liver and kidneys helps a veterinarian determine whether those organs are functioning properly.

HEMATOLOGY TESTS (See chart for details) provide an inside look at the blood cells themselves.  Three reports are common:

          1.  the RED BLOOD CELL analysis, monitoring the cells responsible for carrying
          oxygen throughout the body.

          2.  the WHITE BLOOD CELL analysis, checking on the bodys' primary means of
          fighting infection, and

          3.  the PLATELET analysis, ensuring that the blood can clot sufficiently to stop
          bleeding when necessary.

Various combinations of these tests help your veterinarian chart your pet's long-term health and wellness.

ASK ABOUT WELLNESS TESTING FOR YOUR PET TODAY!

ALBUMIN (ALB)     Produced by the liver, reduced levels of this protein can point to chronic liver or kidney disease, or parasitic infections such as hookworms.

ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE (ALT)     Levels of this enzyme become elevated with liver disease.

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (ALKP)     An enzyme produced by the biliary tract (liver).  elevated levels can indicate liver disease or Cushing's Syndrome.

AMYLASE (AMYL)     The pancreas produces and secretes amylase to aid in digestion.  Elevated blood levels can indicate pancreatic and/or kidney disease.

BLOOD UREA NITROGEN (BUN)     BUN is produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys.  Testing for it helps to detect liver and kidney abnormalities.

CALCIUM (CA 2+)     Increased levels of this mineral can be an indicator of certain types of tumors, or parathyroid or kidney disease.

CHOLESTEROL (CHOL)     Elevated levels of cholesterol are seen in a variety of isorders including hypothyroidism and diseases of the liver or kidney.

CREATININE (CREA)     Creatinine is a by-product of muscle metabolism and is excreted by the kidneys.  Elevated levels can indicate kidney disease or urinary obstruction.

BLOOD GLUCOSE (CLU)     High levels can help in diagnosing diabetes and can indicate stress - especially in cats.  Low levels can indicate liver disease.

PHOSPHORUS (PHOS)     Can be an indicator of kidney disease when elevated.

TOTAL BILIRUBIN (TBIL)     A component of bile, bilirubin is secreted by the liver into the intestinal tract.  Blood bilirubin levels are useful in diagnosing problems in the bile ducts.

TOTAL PROTEIN (TP)     The level of TP can suggest a variety of conditions including dehydration and diseased of the liver, kidney or gastrointestinal tract.

ELECTROLYTES (Sodium, Potassium, Chloride)     The balance of these chemicals is vital to your pet's health.  Abnormal levels can be life threatening.  Electrolyte tests are important in evaluating vomiting, diarrhea and cardiac symptoms.

A variety of tests analyze and measure individual blood cells:

HEMATOCRIT (HCT)  or  PACKED CELL VOLUME (PCV)     Provides information on the amount of red blood cells present in the blood.  This test is used to diagnose anemia.

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)     A more complete panel of tests, a CBC provides detailed information on red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.  These tests can indicate the presence of inflammation, stress or an inability to fight infection.  Low platelets can indicate a potentially serious problem such as bleeding during or after surgery.

MORPHOLOGOC INSPECTION     Looking at the cells through a microscope can provide information on the type of anemia or inflammation, or other insight into abnormalities.

Source:  IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Publication 1996 09-60324-01

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