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When should my dog get his first blood tests: CBC, liver, kidney?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 7 months old

At what correct age we should done his first blood routine of Complete blood count , liver function and kidney function tests ?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on July 16th, 2017

Bloodwork is typically done around 6 months of age before anesthesia for a spay or neuter. There is no set time that it should be done. Typically, if a dog is ill or requires sedation/anesthesia, then bloodwork is done to diagnose or to make sure the pet can undergo anesthesia. Some owners choose to have bloodwork done yearly as part of the physical exam. If Bruno has never had bloodwork, you can have your vet do it if only to obtain a healthy/normal baseline for comparison in case Bruno ever gets sick.

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    Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 18th, 2017

    In a young dog we don't routinely do screening bloodwork unless a dog is going under anesthesia or is sick. However, if you want bloodwork done for your own piece of mind, your vet should be happy to draw blood for wellness screening. We do recommend this every 6 to 12 months in our senior pets.

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