Use of Lab Profiling in maintaining your pet's health
Often a simple physical exam leaves many unanswered questions. And laboratory profiling is invaluable in answering those questions. Veterinarians often order series of biochemical tests called "profiles" to better assess an animal's general health and identify any potential problems.
In general, blood profiles help evaluate several critical organ systems; e.g. the renal(kidney), hepatic(liver), digestive(pancreatic), or hemopoetic(blood and bone marrow) systems. Even a "normal" blood profile is invaluable in ruling out many conditions.
Routine lab profiles, especially for older pets, may reveal potential health threats before they become too serious to control. Early detection can help minimize the threat, or slow progression of the condition. Trust your pet's doctor to recommend all modes of diagnostic testing, including profiles, to best serve your pet's health care needs.
Proper nutrition is important in every animal life-stage, but it's especially vital for "older" pets. Consider these factors when choosing a diet for a geriatric pet:
Older animals often have marginal digestive function, and organs like the pancreas and liver may work less efficiently. So, diets should contain higher quality ingredients that digest more easily.
As pets age, their activity level often decreases, and calorie restriction becomes critical. Lower calorie diets help control obesity and its related problems.
Generally, older pets benefit from diets with slightly higher fiber content, which helps stimulate digestion. Fiber also helps add "filler" to a diet without adding calories.
Adequate vitamin and mineral levels help to control stress, contribute to the body's enzyme balance and aid general metabolism. In older pets balance of these compounds is more important than overall amounts.
As is often the case, more is not necessarily better. Not only too many calories, but too much fat contributes to poor health. Also, protein quality is much more important than quantity. Too much protein, or lower quality protein, creates waste, which must be metabolized and excreted by the already-fragile liver and kidneys.
"Doctor, my cat seems to throw up a lot." This common concern could just be the result of normal cat behavior. Almost all cats bring up undigested stomach content from time to time. Regurgitation is the term for this phenomenon, and frequently it is caused by swallowing hairballs, chewing on plants or over-eating. Although, other more serious conditions like food sensitivity, gastric reflux or gastric emptying disorders also may be the culprit.
Occasional regurgitation in an otherwise apparently health cat is probably not an emergency. If, however, your cat is experiencing such symptoms, we encourage you to discuss with the doctor: the approximate nature and frequency of the episodes, your cat's regular diet, and any unusual habits (like chewing plant leaves or fabrics, playing with insects, or string etc.)
Summer is great -- the beach, the lake, baseball games, picnics, The Fourth of July, and lots of other outdoor fun! But summer can pose special health risks to your pet. Be on the lookout for these potential dangers:
Be sure to see our section on seasonal pet health concerns for more on how to combat these and other summer health risks.