3 Tips For Preventing Discrepancies And Anomalies In Blood Test Results For Dogs

Early detection blood work can be particularly useful in identifying hidden health problems. Routine early detection blood work looks for heartworm, lyme diseases, and about 20 other conditions and diseases whereas senior early detection blood work tests for 40 different things. While blood work can be very telling, minor things can influence the accuracy of the blood test results. To prevent discrepancies and anomalies from appearing in the results, consider the following 3 tips.

Determine How Long Your Dog Needs to Fast For

Meal changes the chemical composition of the blood, so most veterinarians advise fasting your dog for anywhere from 8 to 12 hours prior to when the blood is drawn. Fat droplets known as lipemia appear after your dog has eaten, and lipemia can easily invade the bloodstream and contaminate the results. Fasting helps to clear lipemia and other unwanted compounds from the blood, so that a more accurate analysis can be performed. If fasting will be difficult for your dog, you'll need to speak to your veterinarian regarding whether there is anything else that you can do to prevent the chemical composition of the blood from changing. Your veterinary may advise feeding your dog a special diet.

Keep Your Dog Calm and Relaxed

When your dog is excited, their body will release different types of chemical compounds and hormones into their body and into their bloodstream. Elevated levels of these hormones and chemical compounds can result in an inaccurate analysis. As a result, try to keep your dog as calm and relaxed as possible. Book the appointment at a time when the clinic is less busy, and isolate your dog in a room for some time before getting blood drawn. You can try massaging your dog or petting it to help it relax. Be careful of your own body language. If you're excited or feeling anxious, the excitement and anxiety will spread to your dog as well.

Ensure Your Dog Is Properly Hydrated

Provide your dog with plenty of water before they get their blood drawn. Insufficient water can cause your dog to become dehydrated, which can lead to inaccurate and sketchy results. This is particularly true when the weather turns warm or hot. If you're going to be spending some time in the waiting room with your dog, bring a bowl of water for your dog.

Conclusion

Be prepared when your dog is getting its blood drawn. This can be a very scary time for them, so be by their side and give them plenty of praise. Ask your veterinarian ,such as Parkview Animal Hospital, whether there is anything else you can do to ensure that your dog's physical condition will not lead to inaccuracies or anomalies to appear in the results. You definitely don't want to put your dog through getting blood work done multiple times.