Why do cats need blood tests?
Keeping your cat in good health and preventing disease is essential to your kitty's longevity. While regular veterinary checkups can help ensure your feline companion lives a long, happy life, your vet will likely occasionally recommend lab work, including blood tests, for the following reasons:
- During semi-annual and annual routine checkups
- Pre-surgical testing to confirm your cat is healthy enough to undergo a procedure
- To help diagnose health conditions, or illnesses if your cat is displaying signs or experiencing abnormal symptoms that may indicate a problem
Blood tests assess your cat's blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, along with any other necessary tests like a urinalysis and fecal exam. These tests help your vet monitor your cat's health, establish baseline data, and diagnose symptoms of any illnesses.
With the results of these diagnostic tests, your vet can develop a custom treatment plan for your cat and begin treatment promptly. A typical blood test will include a complete blood count (CBC) and blood chemistry profile. Your veterinarian may also recommend testing for feline AIDS, feline leukemia, and thyroid hormone levels.
Each of these tests will reveal valuable insights into your cat's health.
Types of Blood Tests for Cats
Here are some specific blood tests your vet may conduct:
Complete Blood Count
This test measures your cat's white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. White blood cells help fight cancer, inflammation infection, and parasites. Each specific type of white blood cell reacts uniquely to any potential threat the immune system encounters.
Red blood cells (RBCs) transport iron and oxygen throughout the body. A CBC counts how many RBCs are in your cat's blood and measures how well they move oxygen based on hemoglobin levels (the protein that carries the oxygen) in the blood.
Platelets play an essential role in blood clotting. A shortage of platelets can lead to inadequate clotting, which can cause abnormal or excessive bleeding in your cat. A CBC test can also determine how many platelets are in your cat's blood.
The results of a CBC can tell your cat whether your cat may be anemic, fighting off infection or inflammation, or whether internal bleeding is an issue.
Blood Panel
These tests are done as part of a blood panel:
BUN & Creatinine
These two blood chemistries are routinely assessed as part of blood panels. A high BUN level can indicate dehydration, kidney dysfunction, or a problem with your cat's liver.
Creatinine levels are more strictly related to kidney function. High creatinine levels are a clue that your cat's kidneys are having difficulty eliminating creatinine from the body, and that kidney disease may be developing.
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) & Bilirubin
Routine blood panels also frequently feature blood chemistries such as ALT and bilirubin, which are mostly indicative of how healthy the liver is. If they are abnormally high, this can indicate dysfunction in the liver.
Electrolytes
Electrolyte levels, including chloride, potassium, and sodium, can reveal much about your cat's health, including hydration levels and organ function, especially in the kidneys. Imbalances in electrolytes can trigger a variety of symptoms, including muscle weakness and heart arrhythmias.
Blood Chemistry Profile
The blood chemistry profile checks the various compounds in your cat's bloodstream. This test reveals information about the functioning of your cat's kidneys, identifies any abnormalities in the renal systems, and detects dehydration or obstructions in your feline friend's body.
Your cat's liver is an important organ. If there are elevated values of chemicals that may indicate liver disease or abnormalities in other organs, they will be revealed with this diagnostic test.
A blood chemistry profile can also reveal abnormal levels of electrolytes in your cat's blood.
Such levels may be linked to conditions like gastrointestinal disease, seizures, and other illnesses.Blood protein levels are also critical to your cat's health, as some have a role in the function of the immune system, while others aid in clotting. A blood chemistry profile will tell your vet about total protein levels, globulin levels and albumin levels.
Thyroid Hormone Measurements
Thyroid hormones can be measured to determine whether your cat has hyperthyroidism. This common disease usually impacts middle-aged and senior cats and can result in elevated thyroid hormone levels in their bloodstream.
Feline AIDS and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) Testing
If your cat has not been tested before, if she is at a high risk of exposure, or if she is sick, your vet may also test her for feline leukemia and feline AIDS. This test can also be given if your cat has been exposed to another cat carrying either of these viruses. It's important to note that although retroviruses cause both viruses, they are distinct from one another.
Depending on the results your vet receives from these basic blood tests, they may recommend more specialized testing.
Your Cat's Blood Test Results, Explained
The results of blood tests for cats are essential to helping veterinarians diagnose and treat medical conditions both within the blood itself, as well as in organs such as the kidney and liver. When your cat is having a blood test done, various chemicals in the bloodstream are being analyzed. Some examples are:
- Cat blood tests can indicate a deficiency in albumin levels, which indicates a possible liver issue because albumin is produced in the liver, or intestinal or kidney issues as albumin can be lost if these are diseased.
- Blood tests for cats can detect abnormal hormonal-chemical responses to environmental and internal stimuli, which indicates a potential issue with the patient's endocrine system.
Once we've established a link, we can order any additional bloodwork or procedures needed to diagnose and treat your cat's condition. In this way, feline blood tests are extremely valuable tools in a veterinarian's toolbox for detecting, identifying, diagnosing, treating, and ultimately preventing illness or disease.
Our vets at Riverside Veterinary Hospital will always take the time to address any questions or concerns you may have about your cat's health, and the diagnostic testing and treatment we've recommended. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.