Dr. O here. I really hope that the rat and little dog that my dogs donated blood to don’t start barking and spinning in circles like whirling dirvishes!!
We don’t actually have to transfuse animals very often, but it happens. Most recently Dr. McCarthy’s dog Arlo donated blood to help a dog I did surgery on who had had substantial blood loss before surgery. He’s doing great, and I am really grateful that her large dog was in the hospital that day that we needed a donation.
As for us sending blood to the “Labradoratory” - otherwise known as the lab - this is something that we try to do every year for every pet. We also should run a stool exam (fecal) at least once a year, more often for pups and kittens under a year of age. Most GI parasites (worms) are not visible just by looking at poop - the lab that we send samples to not only uses a special test to concentrate parasite eggs and look for them under a microscope, they also use DNA testing to check for parasites. I’m pretty excited by this advanced technology and our ability to offer it at a reasonable cost, because “back in the old days” when I first started as a veterinarian, we had more limited options and probably missed a lot of parasite infections.
As part of our routine annual lab work that we do for dogs and cats, we also check a CBC (complete blood count) that looks for anemia, increases or decreases in infection fighting white blood cells and the distribution of types of white blood cells, and platelet (the clotting part of blood) count. The chemistry panel gives us some baseline values for liver and kidney function, as well as blood sugar, electrolytes, and important protein levels in the blood. For dogs, it includes a “4DX” - which tests for exposure to heartworms and 3 different tick-borne diseases (ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Lyme disease). If a dog tests positive for Lyme disease, it automatically triggers an additional test, the quantitative C6 (quant-C6) that helps us determine if there is an active Lyme infection, or if there are just leftover antibodies from a previously resolved Lyme infection. For cats, it includes a “feline triple test” - which tests for exposure to heartworms and exposure/infection to two different viral infections of cats, Feline Leukemia, and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). FeLeuk and FIV are retroviral infections that are similar to HIV in people, but humans don’t get the cat diseases and cats don’t get the human virus.. Cats who test positive may need additional testing to be sure of the results, and will need meticulous health care because they are more likely to get other diseases. The standard test for cats also includes a T4, which can help us catch cases of feline hyperthyroidism, a disease that is deadly if left untreated.
The good thing about our outside laboratory is that they actually do a good job of packaging up all these tests together into reasonably priced “health panels”. We have always known that a good history and regular physical exams are very important to catching early signs of disease. But these laboratory tests let us detect some diseases way earlier than we used to be able to - which gives us the ability to offer earlier treatment. Earlier treatment means healthier pets and happier owners - which makes all of us happy. Don’t be surprised at your next appointment if you are offered a “wellness panel” or a “health screen” - it’s just our way of trying to offer the best possible health care for your fuzzy family members. (And try to bring a stool sample with you when you come in!)
As our Practice Manager says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. It's just a thought. Y’all have a good day,
- Dr. O
