A question that often comes up is whether or not blood values can determine the nutritional needs of dogs. For the most part, the answer is 'No.' Blood work results are described as a 'snapshot' of your dog's blood values at the time the blood work is done, showing if infections, disease or other abnormalities may be present. It also indicates how the body is metabolizing certain values. For instance, if a blood work test shows high calcium, it does not mean that too much calcium is in the diet. Certain diseases or ailments can cause the body to metabolize calcium so that more is circulating in the blood, and does not apply to what is in the bones (where calcium is stored). http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/calcium/test.html High phosphorus levels doesn't mean the dog is getting too much phosphorus, but rather the body is having problems filtering it and it is staying in the blood. This may indicate renal problems, but it is important to look at the blood values for more clues. The same holds true for other blood work results. What blood work can do is help with diagnosis and discovery of certain conditions such as liver problems, renal issues, adrenal disorders such as Cushing's Disease or Addison's Disease, dehydration, infection, hypothyroidism, and diabetes, to mention a few. Some of these may require diet changes depending on the severity of the problem. |