Senior bloodwork, in English
What we look at, why we repeat it, and why one number is not a diagnosis.
I care more about the trend than a single printout. A creatinine that ticked up over two years is a different conversation than one high value after a skipped water bowl. We run senior labs to catch kidney, liver, thyroid, and marrow problems before the pet looks “sick enough.”
The usual panel
CBC — red cells (anemia), white cells (infection or inflammation), platelets (clotting).
Chemistry — BUN and creatinine (kidney), ALT and ALP (liver), glucose, proteins, electrolytes. Many of us add SDMA because it can move earlier than creatinine in some dogs and cats.
Urinalysis — concentration, protein, infection. A chemistry without urine is half a story, especially in cats.
T4 in older cats — hyperthyroidism is common and easy to miss if you only look at weight from across the room.
When we act
A mild bump plus a dilute urine, we talk diet, blood pressure, and a recheck, not a speech about failure. A big jump, or a pet who is drinking the bowl dry, we do not wait for the next annual. The sheet is a starting point. I will show you the numbers; I will not hide behind them.
Related: getting through the visit.