What are baseline diagnostic tests and how do they help my dog?

I would consider a baseline diagnostic test with a blood panel, checking their organ function, blood sugar, a complete blood cell count, and I’d look at all of the red and white cells. That's something that we recommend as a baseline, even in puppies. And then, depending on if they're on long-term medication, we might need to do that more frequently. That would be what I would consider a baseline. Depending on a puppy’s breed, we also sometimes recommend a baseline hip x-ray, looking for hip dysplasia or other orthopedic problems that might come up.

There are three. We want to do a full blood panel, which is just testing to see if we have any markers of any kind of disease or anything like that. We have our fecals, which mostly test for worms or Giardia, as well as a heartworm test, which will test to see if your dog has heartworms or Lyme disease.

Baseline diagnostic tests include blood work and urine testing. Blood work checks red and white blood cells, glucose levels, kidney function, electrolytes, protein levels, liver values, pancreatic function, and thyroid function. Urine tests help detect urinary tract infections, crystals, and other issues. Heartworm and tick-borne disease tests may also be performed during routine wellness exams to ensure the dog's overall health.

Baseline diagnostic tests include heartworm tests and fecal tests to check for intestinal parasites and heartworms. The physical exam helps detect external parasites like fleas and ticks. Ideally, blood work and urine tests should also be included as baseline tests to ensure your dog is healthy from the beginning. Identifying any congenital issues or health concerns early on can improve your dog's quality of life and overall well-being.

The baseline diagnostic tests conducted every year include a stool sample check for internal parasites, and a blood test for heartworm disease and tick-borne diseases.