Annual Exam

Chris

Premium Member
Each of our Shelties gets an annual health exam -- Layla's in March, Bits' in April and Annie's in Soptember, as I recall. They get whatever shots they need, a fecal, and a basic going over. One thing we haven't done is an annual blood test. I was thinking of starting it at age five, but maybe I should start now.

Opinions, anyone? :confused2:
 
my oldest is only 2 so i have not done a blood test yet myself. i guess it couldnt hurt. wonder what they charge for something like that?
 
my oldest is 8 and the vet never suggested any blood tests :confused2: other than the yearly heart worm check. I wonder if she should get one done since she is 8.
 
Blood Test

On Auber's last annual exam visit (in January right after her 2nd birthday), the vet suggested full bloodwork as she had never had anything done before for a preventative health measure. It ran me approximately $80 and showed a high pH in one of her kidneys. Luckily, upon a urinalysis, we ruled out any kidney problems, but that would have been an early way to determine any problems she may have had.

I am grateful that I now know that she's in tip-top shape both externally and internally. That peace of mind was well worth the money.
 
Kia had full blood work when she was 6 months.

The vet I use will not spay / neuter any animal until they have Diagnostic Blood Profile, Electrolyte Panel with profile, Antech urine tests T760, T830.
I would think if you had this blood work done every other year.The cost of these tests alone are $112.00 :uhoh: This would not include the vet visit cost along with any shots that may be due. It's well worth the cost because that is how I found out that Kia had to have kidney and Bladder issues ruled out so they followed up with an Ultrasound of kidneys and bladder, uterus, tubes all A Okay !! So it was an additional $157.00 But to be placed at ease to know that it was just an enlarged or undersized urethra. Don't remember which. But it's fix was as simple as waiting for her first heat cycle which is occuring now and once the bleeding is stopped then 4 weeks later we can schedule the spay.:wink2:
 
Randy is 8 and has been getting yearly blood panels his entire life. My vet thinks it's good to have yearly measurements so if a lab value is creeping upwards we have a chance to catch it early. He also has twice yearly physical exams. My vet once told me that my dogs got strange things wrong with them. I told he that's because we always catch the little things with our yearly exams & blood work.
 
Callie gets blood work every year- mostly for thyroid. Happy last year at age 10 got the full workup (blood and other things) and only thing out of ordinary was he had small crystals starting to form in his urine. The vet said to give him cranberry pills and by the end of the month we'll know how that worked out.
 
If our Trinket had a blood panel done before her dental work she would probably still be with us

The vet who spayed her in November screwed up, the vet who did her dental work in February screwed up, the breeder screwed up, WE screwed up and it cost Trinkie pain suffering and utimately her life.

We will never forgive ourselves for that and will always ensure a blood work up is done once a year and before any surgery is done on our new girl.
 
I am so sorry for the loss of your Trinket

If our Trinket had a blood panel done before her dental work she would probably still be with us

The vet who spayed her in November screwed up, the vet who did her dental work in February screwed up, the breeder screwed up, WE screwed up and it cost Trinkie pain suffering and utimately her life.

We will never forgive ourselves for that and will always ensure a blood work up is done once a year and before any surgery is done on our new girl.

I think alot of us beat on ourselves with the what ifs. You did your best. Please don't blame yourself. I think quite a few of us our in your shoes. We trusted our vets as well and lost our loved ones. But now we know and it's terrible when you have to know as much if not more than the vet to know if our furkids are being treated properly.:eek2: Please accept my sympathy on your loss and I know you won't let that happen again but there are some things that are out of our controll.:uhoh: God bless your new pup and may he/she have a long happy life in it's new forever home.
 
Sadie had blood work done last year since she was having digestive problems. She was approx. 1 when it was done.

My parent's sheltie is seven now and had blood work done for the first time a few months ago, since it had never been done before. He also had his teeth cleaned recently and I think she recommended having blood work done before the dental cleaning since they anesthetize him.
 
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