Does My Pet Need Annual Bloodwork?

Understanding Preventive Testing

Medically reviewed by Dr. Joey Gaines, Chief Veterinary Officer, Omaha Vets Group.

For most Omaha dogs and cats, yes. Annual bloodwork is one of the simplest ways to catch a health problem before your pet shows a single symptom, often while it's still easier and less costly to treat.

One of the questions our Omaha veterinary teams hear most: "My pet seems perfectly healthy. Do they really need bloodwork every year?" It's a fair question when your dog still races to the door and your cat hasn't missed a meal.

We asked Dr. Gaines, Chief Veterinary Officer of Omaha Vets Group, what annual bloodwork tells us, when your pet needs it, and how we make it fit into a busy schedule.

Why Does My Pet Need Bloodwork If They Seem Healthy?

Pets are experts at hiding illness. By the time a dog or cat looks sick, a disease has often been progressing quietly for a long time. This is especially true for cats, who instinctively mask pain and weakness.

A physical exam tells us a lot, but it can't see inside your pet's organs. Bloodwork fills that gap. It shows us how the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and blood cells function on the inside, even when everything looks normal on the outside.

Annual testing does three important things:

• Catches disease early. Kidney disease, liver problems, diabetes, thyroid disorders, and infections can show up in lab values before symptoms appear. Early detection usually means more treatment options and lower costs.
• Builds a baseline. Every pet has their own "normal." A healthy result this year becomes the yardstick we compare against next year.
• Reveals trends. A single value that's still in range but creeping upward year after year can be an early warning. We can only spot that pattern with consistent annual results.

All 8 Omaha Vets Group clinics share medical records, so your pet's lab history follows them across the network. Whether you visit Walnut Creek one year and Skyline the next, your veterinarian sees the full picture.

What Does a Pet Wellness Blood Panel Test For?

At Omaha Vets Group, our standard wellness panel is the Total Body Function with SDMA. It’s a comprehensive diagnostic panel that combines a full chemistry panel, a complete blood count, thyroid screening, and SDMA in one blood draw.

The SDMA test is one of the reasons we chose this panel. Kidney disease is one of the most common conditions we see in aging pets, particularly cats. SDMA can flag a decline in kidney function earlier than traditional kidney values, which gives us more time to act with diet changes, hydration support, or medication.

Learn more about pet bloodwork at Omaha Vets Group, including when your pet needs it and what to expect.

How Often Should My Dog or Cat Have Bloodwork?

Dr. Gaines puts it simply:

"We recommend it every year, every pet. At one year, it's an adult baseline. After that, we're monitoring for internal organ changes that we can catch before they're symptomatic." — Dr. Joey Gaines, Chief Veterinary Officer, Omaha Vets Group

Here's how bloodwork fits into your pet's life:

1. Before spay or neuter surgery. Pre-op bloodwork is required to make sure your pet is ready for anesthesia. For many pets, this is their very first panel.
2. At 1 year old. This panel becomes your pet's adult baseline, the healthy "normal" we compare against for the rest of their life.
3. Every year after that. Each year’s results are compared to that baseline, so small changes stand out early.
4. Before a dental cleaning or any other surgery. Bloodwork is required before anesthesia and must be from within the past 3 months.

Planning a dental cleaning? Doing bloodwork at the annual exam saves you a step when it’s time to book.

When Can Bloodwork Be Skipped?

For routine wellness checks, we only skip bloodwork if your pet already has current results from within the past year. If you choose to decline bloodwork during a routine wellness visit, that's your decision. We'll simply note it in your pet's record, and your veterinarian is always happy to revisit at the next visit.

What to Expect at Your Pet's Visit

We know your time is valuable, so we've built bloodwork into the visit you're already making.

1. It happens during the wellness exam. There's no separate appointment for the blood draw. Your veterinarian examines your pet, and our team collects the sample during the same visit. For the most accurate results, we recommend no food for 8 hours before blood is drawn. A morning appointment before breakfast makes that easy. If your pet takes medication or has diabetes, call us before fasting.
2. Nervous or fractious pets get extra support. We take a fear-free approach for pets who need it. If your veterinarian recommends it, your pet may be sent home with calming supplements and return for a smoother, less stressful blood draw.
3. Rechecks are quick and simple. If a value needs a second look and there are no other concerns, the recheck is usually a short technician appointment, not a full veterinary exam.

And with same-day and next-day appointments across all 8 clinics, it's easy to fit your pet's wellness visit into a busy week. Find the clinic nearest you.

What About the Cost?

Cost is the concern we hear most often, and it's an understandable one. Bloodwork is usually far less expensive than treating a disease that has advanced unnoticed. Catching a problem early often means simpler, less costly care.

Pet Prime® members get annual bloodwork included, along with exams, vaccines, and preventatives, for one predictable monthly or annual payment. Learn more about Pet Prime.

The Biggest Myth: "My Pet Looks Healthy, So They're Fine"

"I think the biggest myth is that if an animal appears healthy, they're fine. We often catch things on the exam or in lab work that show something is going on, and we need to address it before they get sick from it." — Dr. Joey Gaines, Chief Veterinary Officer, Omaha Vets Group

If you remember one thing from this post, make it this: looking healthy and being healthy aren't always the same. Annual bloodwork is how we tell the difference.

Schedule Your Pet's Wellness Exam

The best time to find a problem is before it becomes one. Book a wellness exam with bloodwork aat any of our 8 metro Omaha locations. Same-day or next-day appointments are available. Call 402-704-7304 or schedule online.