From pre-anesthetic (pre-surgery) blood work, General Health Profile, Screenings for specific disease or Cytology of the skin or ears – the Deerfoot Animal Clinic patient care team of veterinarians and technicians are able to perform the tests needed to detect and identify the source of the symptoms within minutes. Pets age much faster than people, especially larger breed dogs who are considered geriatric by the age of 6 (equivalent to age 42 in human years), small dogs by age 8-9 years, cats by age 7. They often show no sign of illness, but subtle changes in behavior can be indicators of concern. Annual and Senior Health Screenings offer a baseline blood panel for your pet, allowing doctors to monitor any change or elevations over the course of your pets life, detecting illness before it become severe or life threatening.

At what age do I need to start Annual Health Screening blood work?
At 2-3 years of age. Early detection through annual health screenings will provide a baseline to use as a point of reference for you and your doctor to monitor the health and organ function during the entire lifespan of your pet. Many diseases show no outward, physical symptoms, such as: cancer cells, kidney and liver disease and function, diabetes, anemia, genetic diseases, thyroid disease, diseases of the adrenal glands and infections. After the age of 7, blood work is highly recommended and is required for all surgery patients age 7 and up.