Pet blood work and lab tests show how the organs, blood cells and urine are doing, and a vet orders them to find the cause of a symptom or to set a healthy baseline before problems start. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, at 5335 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28277, runs in-house laboratory testing for dogs and cats, so many results come back during the visit or soon after.
The doctor picks the tests that fit your pet's signs, age and history, and walks through the numbers with you. Petfolk Ballantyne is a vet in Ballantyne for dogs and cats.
Call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
What does each common pet lab test check?
Each test looks at a different part of the body.
Complete blood count (CBC). Red cells, white cells and platelets. Often ordered for weakness, pale gums, fever, bruising or infection.
Chemistry panel. Kidney and liver values, blood sugar, protein and electrolytes (body salts). Ordered for drinking and peeing more, weight loss, before anesthesia and at senior checkups.
Urinalysis. Urine concentration, crystals, protein, blood and signs of infection. Ordered for accidents in the house, straining or frequent litter box trips.
Thyroid level. The hormone that sets metabolism. Ordered for older cats losing weight while eating well, and dogs gaining weight and slowing down.
Tick-borne disease screen. Signs of infections spread by ticks. Ordered for lameness that shifts legs, fever or low platelets.
Heartworm test. Proteins from adult heartworms. Yearly for dogs and before starting prevention.
A CBC and a chemistry panel together give the broad view, and a urinalysis adds what the kidneys are actually producing.
Should a healthy pet get yearly blood work?
Yes, for many pets, and especially for seniors. Screening a healthy pet sets a baseline, so a kidney value that sits in the normal range but creeps up each year stands out before your pet looks unwell. Testing a sick pet works differently: the tests are chosen around the symptoms and read with the exam and often imaging. The senior pet care page explains why lab work sits near the top of a senior checkup.
How often does lab work happen at Petfolk Ballantyne?
At Petfolk Ballantyne, 52% of wellness visits included some kind of lab test between October 2025 and September 2026. Senior cats were about one and a half times as likely to get blood work at a wellness visit as younger adult cats (36% vs 24%), and 63% of visits for urinary problems included blood work. Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, 21% of sick visits included blood work in the same window.
Tick screens for south Charlotte dogs
Charlotte sits in the Piedmont, where the American dog tick is most abundant, according to NC State Extension. The lone star tick also feeds readily on dogs and is thought to be the main carrier of ehrlichiosis, an infection that can lower platelets, the cells that help blood clot.
In 2025, 1.04% of dogs tested in Mecklenburg County were positive for ehrlichiosis and 1.02% for anaplasmosis, according to Companion Animal Parasite Council data. For a dog that walks wooded edges along the McKee Road corridor, that is a good reason to ask about a tick screen. A positive result shows exposure, and the doctor decides whether more testing or treatment makes sense. The flea and tick prevention page covers what keeps ticks off in the first place.
How do I prepare my pet for blood work?
Ask about fasting when you book. Some tests, such as blood sugar or fat levels, read more clearly after a few hours without food. Water is usually fine.
Bring a fresh urine sample if asked. Collect it in a clean container within a few hours of the visit and keep it cool.
List every medication and supplement. Some change lab values.
Write down what you have noticed. How much water, how often outside, any change in appetite.
Gentle, fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so the blood draw is done with your pet settled and as calm as we can keep the room. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.
They ran lab test quickly and prescribed antibiotics right away. Tetiana N., Google review
When to skip lab work and go to a 24-hour hospital
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital now if your pet collapses, has pale or gray gums, is breathing hard at rest, or is a male cat straining with no urine. Those signs need treatment first and tests alongside it. Petfolk Ballantyne is not a 24-hour hospital.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, or see all veterinary services in Ballantyne.
Lab work questions from pet parents
On Ballantyne Commons Parkway