Even the most caring and observant pet owners are sometimes taken by surprise to find out that their dog or cat has a serious illness  — and that it may have been coming on for some time.

That’s why it is so great to see that more and more pet owners are practicing preventative medicine and being more proactive with their pet’s healthcare.

Knowing your pet’s “normal” baseline provides great information.  Like us, dogs and cats can have their own “normal” that may vary somewhat from all the normal parameters on a home urine test.  This could be due to a specific diet they are eating ( if the diet is higher in protein, you may find that a trace value for protein is their normal).

The baseline can also vary depending on a wide variety of pre-existing conditions or previous health problems the animal experienced.  Any deviations from the baseline reading becomes very significant and provide important information to the observant pet owner! This is also information your veterinarian will want to be aware of as well.