Quest. About Canine Blood Panals - Page 1

I know this is a VERY broad subject, but I am taking Danica (Samba z Elbu) in for a Complete Canine Blood Panal on Wed. and want to know what they are checking for. Answers can be broad as well, such as Infections, Defficiencys, answers like that, I don't need technical names unless you know them off hand. Thanks, and I need some good answers no later than Wed. at 10:00am EST. THANK YOU ALL!

OH!! While we are at it, what other tests should my vet run? Besides Bloodwork and Fecal Tests?

If you so wish, you may email me privatly at: blueskyek9@charter.net

There are sooo many different blood panels!   Basic ones usually check for problems in the liver/kidneys, diabetes, etc.  A CBC is usually run to check for infection, anemia, etc.  I would also recommend a heartworm check.  She is a little young yet to worry about thyroid-you could do a von willibrands factor although that is not that commen in GSD's.

Your vet can probably run what we call mini chem/CBC.  Or what they would use as their pre op on  young dog for surgery. 

This would include:

ALT - liver function

ALKP - liver function- can be elevated in a growing puppy or kitten

GLU - blood sugar

CREAT - kidney function

BUN - kidney function

TP - total protein

and maybe a couple of other tests.  Like a Urine Specific Gravity

She is young yet as VBK9 mentioned for a thyroid panel or von willibrands factor.

A fecal would be good to run too.

Is this something that your vet is suggesting or that you just want to do.  When we see new pups, aside from a couple of fecals, and unless the pup is sick or something we would not run any of these blood tests normally.  She's also a little young to test for heartworms as well.  I'm a paranoid mom and I like to get baselines on my guys, even though they are perfectly fine!

Thanks you two! This is something I wish to do by choice. I only had a fecal done with Naya, and everything was fine, I guess I'm just pretty paranoid. For the Thyroid, would I be able to submit that to the OFA? Or is she too young? I could check on the OFA website.

You're right, she's not sick, not in the slightest (except diherea, which is from the de-wormer I gave her) other than that, gums are pink, eyes are bright, fur and skin is good, she appears healthy.

Besides fecal, and POSSIBLY blood work, is there anything else I should have them check for? Thanks again

She can have an official OFA thryroid panel done at 12 months old.  She would need some sort of permanent ID.  ie:  tattoo or microchip.

Also, these panels can only be sent in by your vet.  The xrays we usually send those in ourselves, but the Thyroid panel gets sent in by the vet.  I work for a vet and they are pretty specific on their instructions when it comes to sending those in.

I wouldn't worry about ANYTHING else!

Thanks Rezkat5, for putting my mind at ease! She does have a tattoo, but I plan on Microchipping her too, though. I have some brand new (and YES, STERILE) HomeAgain microchip implanting kits, so I can do it myself, and they cost me probably 1/3 the price of what I'd pay at the vets office. That way, if she gets loose (I don't know how, I have a chain link AND 6ft. privacy fence, but accidents do happen) if a vet or pound pick her up, I have a chance of getting her back.

thanks again, I think I'll just have them do a fecal, thanks guys!

I always like to have the all the inforamtion on file from when they are well, so that when they get sick we can compare. It sure came in handy when my GSD was lacking calcuim and she seized.

1doggie2, are you talking about eclampsia?  I have seen that happen, very scary!