6d • Veterinary Medicine
What Are Blood Chemistries?
Blood chemistries are a group of lab values that help veterinarians understand how your pet’s internal organs are functioning.
Think of them as a snapshot of what’s happening inside the body, not a diagnosis by themselves.
They’re usually part of routine bloodwork during:
Wellness visits
Pre-anesthetic screening
Illness or injury
Monitoring chronic conditions
What Blood Chemistries Measure
Blood chemistries look at substances in the blood that reflect how organs are working, including:
Liver values → how the liver is processing and detoxifying
Kidney values → how well waste is being filtered
Blood sugar → energy balance and metabolism
Electrolytes → hydration and nerve/muscle function
Proteins → nutrition, inflammation, hydration status
Each value is a clue, not a verdict.
What Blood Chemistries Are NOT
Blood chemistries do not:
Always tell us exactly what disease is present
Give a yes/no diagnosis on their own
Replace a physical exam or medical history
They are one piece of the puzzle — an important one, but not the whole picture.
Why Vets Care About Blood Chemistries
Blood chemistries help vets:
Catch changes early
Establish a baseline for your pet
Monitor trends over time
Guide next steps or further testing
Make safer decisions (especially before anesthesia)
A mild change doesn’t always mean something is “wrong” — it often means “let’s look closer”.
Seeing values marked “high” or “low” can feel scary.
But:
Small changes can be temporary
Stress, fasting, hydration, or medications can affect results
trends over time matter more than one number
Abnormal doesn’t always mean urgent.
It means your vet is gathering information.
Helpful Way to Think About It
Blood chemistries are like the dashboard lights in a car:
They tell you something needs attention
They don’t tell you exactly what repair is needed
They help guide the next step
And catching things early is almost always a good thing.
💬 Community Reflection
Have you ever received bloodwork results and felt overwhelmed by the numbers?
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What Are Blood Chemistries?
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