Today we will look at some tests we can run to screen for
certain diseases in our senior pets. As our furry friends age they may start to
have issues with some of their organs functioning as well as they did when they
were younger. For this reason many veterinarians recommend screening blood work
on senior pets at least once a year. Even if they are not showing any signs of
illness or having any issues at home it is a good idea to screen for certain
diseases that are more common as pets age. While many of these conditions can
affect younger animals they are more typical of an older patient. We will focus
on a few of the changes that can be seen and what they could indicate
One of the main items that will be noted on the blood panel
are two kidney values. The first is the Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) the second is
creatinine. While there are several reasons that these can be elevated, one of
the main reasons in older pets is kidney disease. In order to see an elevation
in these values a patient has generally lost 75% of their kidney function.
Sometimes screening urine at the same time as blood work may catch kidney
disease sooner. The urine will become less concentrated in kidney disease and
typically can indicate loss of kidney function when only 67% of the kidney
function has been lost. If caught early there is a better chance of managing
kidney disease for much longer than in later stages of the condition. Currently
in pets it is very rare for dialysis or kidney transplants to be an option as
it is in people. Early detection is the best defense we have especially in cats
as kidney disease is EXTREMELY common in older kitties.
Two more values that are usually screened are Alanine
Aminotransferase (ALT) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP). These two usually give
us a good indication of liver function. The liver is extremely important in
filtering out toxins and waste in the body if it is not functioning appropriate
patients can become very ill. There are a
LOT
of different reasons for liver values to be elevated and additional testing may
be required. These tests could be x-rays, further blood testing for other
conditions, or an ultrasound. Again if detected early there are many options
for out pets!
Another important component of many screening tests is
glucose. As animals age they are more prone to Type II Diabetes, this is
especially true if they are overweight. Screening for this condition can
hopefully prevent the need for life long treatment if caught before it becomes
a problem.
While these highlight only a few of the conditions that can
be screened for with regular blood work they are important ones. There are many
more options and many more benefits to screening when your pet seems healthy
rather than sick. This gives the veterinarian a better understanding of what is
normal for YOUR pet as each one is different. Although it may help give us an
idea of what could be going on internally, blood work does not always give us a
definitive answer and additional testing, such as x-rays, further blood work or
ultrasound may need to be pursued to identify problems. Working with your
veterinarian is extremely important to ensure your pet continues to live a
happy, healthy and hopefully very long life.
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