Should my dog fast before a blood test at the vet's office today?

It really depends on the exact blood work that is being done. If it is just a routine CBC and Chemistry profile then he probably doesn't need to be fasted. If the blood-work is being done the same day as the procedure then he should be fasted because of the procedure. You should probably call your vet for specific instructions. I am sure it is worrisome to put your dog under anesthesia but the benefits of cleaning the teeth and extracting the diseased teeth outweighs the risks of the anesthesia. As long as he is healthy, the risk is minimal.

You should contact your vets office to confirm what tests were performed and the results. EPI testing is a very specific test requiring specialist machines and would not be included in a basic panel and is generally only added if symptoms suggestive and other causes are ruled out

Yes you can feed your dog normally if you are just taking him to the vet for a check up. If you are going to have a blood test, or a procedure that requires sedation or anaesthetic, then he should be starved but I think they would have informed you beforehand. Hope this helps, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Charlie. I would not feed him breakfast in the morning until after his blood is drawn. Samples can be too fatty if the blood is taken too soon after a meal. He can have water, but hold off on feeding him in the morning. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If that is what was recommended by your veterinarian who knows Bailey well, then yes fasting Bailey before her blood tests should not be an issue. Fasting is not necessarily contraindicated in dogs in kidney failure. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Frynse. Is she eating anything at all? For example, will she eat treats or people food, but just not her dog food? In this case, she could be getting picky and holding out for tastier treats. If she is not eating at all though, this is worrisome. She is a small dog and her blood sugar can drop too low of she goes extended periods without food. It is always a good idea to check blood work to ensure there is not an underlying disease causing her change in appetite. I hope this information helps!

Actually this is true in the case of kidneys. It take up to 75% of the nephrons to fail in kidneys before symptoms are seen of kidney disease. It's always good to have blood work done on any dog, even healthy ones. Because our dogs cannot tell us if they are feeling sick or not, these tests are needed to make sure everything is healthy. In addition, many dogs will show no sign of illness until they are extremely sick. You can't know for sure if your dog is healthy without these tests, so if your vet is recommending doing the blood work, I suggest going along with your vet's recommendation.