If your pet is on prescription medication you might be wondering why periodic blood work and/or monitoring has to occur. Monitoring helps ensure lasting effectiveness and safety. We can catch adverse reactions sooner. Regular monitoring can guide us as we evaluate your pet for any side effects, potential complications and/or interactions with other drugs. If needed, we can make adjustments to keep your pet comfortable and to properly treat his/her condition. It may help us unmask hidden diseases. By testing your pet, we may uncover a hidden ailment or condition that requires attention or alters our recommended course of treatment. We can establish a baseline picture of your pet's health. When we know what's "normal" for your pet, we can determine when changes in your pet indicate areas of concern. This helps us evaluate the treatment plan and make adjustments as necessary. It can help us keep an eye on your pet's pre-existing conditions. Pets with certain conditions may respond differently to medications. By monitoring a pet with a chronic or notable health condition, we can watch for implications of the new medication and make adjustments if necessary. It helps us prescribe the proper medication. Every pet is different and may react differently to medications. We want to make sure your pet's medication is right for its age, size, breed and physical condition.
Hidden Health Problems-We may screen for some of the following conditions in determining your pet's health status.
LiverTests can indicate:
- Liver disease
- Cushing's syndrome
- Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
KidneyTests can indicate:
- Kidney disease
- Renal failure
- Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
Urinalysis and urine protein:creatinine ratio are used to better evaluate:
- Kidney function
- Kidney infection
PancreasTests can indicate:
- Pancreatitis
- Diabetes mellitus
- Abnormalities resulting from long-term medications
BloodCBC/Hematocrit are used to screen for:
- Infection
- Leukemia
- Anemia (low red blood cells)
TeethDental exams uncover mouth infections, which can cause problems with vital organs.
ThyroidTests can indicate hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
HeartTests can indicate heartworm disease.
Generally, if your pet is on medications for any of the following conditions monitoring is required:
- Arthritis
- Heart Disease
- Allergies
- Epilepsy/Seizure
- Hypothyroid/Hyperthyroid
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