As a part of a complete pet preventive care plan, you will have access to regular blood work for your pet. But why is routine blood work so crucial to your pet’s overall health? In this blog, we are going to cover why blood work is a part of Wagmo’s pet wellness plans and why your vet will often recommend them regularly.

Why Is Pet Blood Work Beneficial?

Routine blood work is essential to measure your pet’s hormone, nutrition, and chemical levels. This is important because too many or too few of certain elements in the blood can indicate serious health conditions in your dog or cat. Some of the chemicals and elements a routine blood work for pets can measure include:

  • Complete red and white blood cell count
  • Platelet count
  • Hydration status
  • Digestive enzymes
  • Liver enzymes
  • Electrolytes
  • Endocrine hormones
  • Glucose
  • Proteins
  • And more.

Usually, urinalysis and fecal exams will also be conducted. These examinations together will provide the veterinarian with more pieces of the puzzle. It is helping them to diagnose better and treat your animal. Routine blood work is covered through Wagmo pet wellness plans to be done on a regular basis.

Reasons Your Veterinarian Might Recommend Bloodwork

When attending your regular vet visits, pet parents are covered for annual blood tests when you have a pet preventive care plan like Wagmo Wellness. These blood tests are carried out for several reasons, including:

Routine Care

Bloodwork is recommended and covered on an annual basis as a part of a pet preventive care plan. These blood tests are a great way to confirm that no illnesses or diseases are present in the blood. If there are any changes in organ function, platelet levels, protein levels, and more, a blood test will show signs that a vet will pick up on.

Illness Diagnosis

If your pet is acting off and is showing signs that they are sick, you should bring them to the vet. The veterinarian will likely recommend blood exams to rule out certain conditions and narrow  possibilities. This is why routine blood work is so necessary, as your vet will be able to compare the new bloodwork to the previous round. This is beneficial because it sets baseline values for the pet’s blood, helping the vet determine the severity of the current illness.

If your pet is experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should bring them to the vet for an examination and some blood work:

  • Fever
  • Lethargic
  • Losing weight
  • Losing fur
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Accidents in the house (out of character)
  • Random aggressive behavior
  • Itching
  • Not drinking or drinking excessively
  • Not eating

Pre-Procedure

If your pet is going under anesthesia or having a procedure done, your vet will likely recommend completing bloodwork. This is so the vet will recognize anything unusual showing up in the lab results. They do this to ensure your pet is healthy enough for specific procedures and certain medications. It can also give the veterinarian a better idea of how quickly a condition is progressing.

Senior-Pet Wellness Exams

As our pets age, they have higher chances of developing serious health conditions. Blood tests for senior animals help keep them healthy for longer as health concerns are dealt with right away. It would be best if you considered annual blood work exams at the latest after your dog turns eight and your cat turns ten.

Compared to pet insurance, the best thing about Wagmo pet wellness plans is that wellness coverage begins 24 hours after you sign up. Save money while getting a top-of-the-line pet preventive care plan for your pet. Wagmo Wellness helps to take the stress out of pet insurance.

When Should Your Pet Get Blood Work?

If you have a pet preventive care plan, like Wagmo pet wellness plans, bloodwork is covered yearly. This is important because every year, your veterinarian will compare the bloodwork and ensure that your pet is as healthy as can be. With routine blood work, you can often catch life-threatening diseases and illnesses before they cause too much damage.

Learn more about Wagmo Wellness pet preventive care plans and find the right coverage plan for you and your pet. Wagmo is here to help make pet insurance simple. With our flexible plans, speedy reimbursement, and top-tier customer service, we provide peace of mind to pet parents all across the country.