When your pet seems perfectly healthy, it’s easy to wonder: Do they really need bloodwork every year? The short answer is yes.
Blood tests give your vet a peek at what’s happening on the inside—things you’d never spot just by looking at your pet. And often, that early detection can mean faster treatment and better quality of life. In some cases, it could even save their life.
Why Is Bloodwork Important for Pets?
A single blood sample can reveal a lot. Your vet can check up on your pet’s organ functions, screen for infections, and even catch the early signs of kidney disease, diabetes, or thyroid problems.
Bloodwork becomes even more important as pets get older. Most age-related diseases don’t announce themselves with obvious symptoms—they usually creep in quietly. By the time your pet starts to look sick, it can be too late for simple treatments. Regular bloodwork gives your vet a chance to treat chronic conditions while they’re still manageable.
How Often Should I Get Bloodwork for My Dog or Cat?
For most healthy pets, once a year is enough. It usually happens during an annual wellness exam, so your vet can get a complete picture of your pet’s health in one visit.
If your pet is a senior or dealing with a chronic health condition, they may need blood screening more often, say every six months or so. Think of it like your own doctor visits. The older you get, the more closely your doctor keeps track of things like cholesterol or blood pressure. Even if you feel fine, the numbers tell a bigger story. Pets are the same way.
What to Do Before a Blood Test for Your Pet
Most of the time, there’s nothing you need to do to prepare. If your vet needs a fasting sample, your vet’s office will let you know so you can skip food for 8-12 hours before the appointment. This helps avoid skewed results from fats and sugars in the blood.
What helps most is keeping your pet calm. If you know think they might get nervous, try:
- A calm car ride ( no loud music or rushed energy)
- A favorite blanket or toy for comfort
- A walk or some playtime before you leave so they’ve burned off a little nervous energy
- Arriving a few minutes early to settle in before the appointment
And don’t forget the treats! While most clinics will give treats during or after the exam, having a favorite snack handy afterwards will help make the experience a little more positive.
A Note on Prevention
Since bloodwork often includes heartworm testing, it’s a good reminder that prevention is just as important as detection. Here in Texas, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are a year-round problem. Staying current with your pet’s parasite prevention treatments is one of the easiest ways to protect their long-term health.
Keeping Your Pets Healthy for Life
Bloodwork isn’t just a box to check off—it’s actually one of the most powerful tools we have to help keep pets healthy by detecting problems when they can still be treated. A small investment now that can save you a great deal money, stress, and worry later on.
If your pet is due for their annual exam, it’s the perfect time to include bloodwork. Schedule a visit with LazyPaw Animal Hospitals, and we’ll walk you through everything step by step. Because the more we know about what’s happening inside your pet, the more we can do to help them live a long, healthy life.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (09/03/25). Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels