Blood, Urine Testing and X rays and other diagnostics

Diagnostic services are invaluable in both sick pets and as a part of the annual wellness program.

When your pet is sick, we have a wide range of diagnostic tools readily available. We provide laboratory services, diagnostic imaging, and microscopy.

Laboratory Services

We routinely use in-house blood analyzers for blood chemistry and complete blood counts. These are run in preventative exams, before surgeries, and in sick pets and emergencies where more information is needed than the physical exam can provide. We also monitor health through urinalysis, (common findings are bacterial infection, crystals/stones, and bladder cancer), and check for internal and external parasites that your pet may have.

We have many individual tests when a specific disease is suspected, (e.g. Parvo Virus, Feline Leukemia or Aids, Thyroid hormone level, Assays to monitor pets who must take long term medications like NSAIDS or Anti-Seizure medication, and diseases like Cushings, Addisons, or Diabetes.).

We also routinely use an outside reference lab for more than 200 tests including histo-pathology of biopsies and Culture and Sensitivity of bacterial diseases, which allow us to know exactly which antibiotic is the most effective for a specific pet.

Diagnostic Services including X-rays/ radiographs

Diagnostic imaging has given us great non-invasive tools to understand what is causing your pet’s disease. It is often indicated by results of blood work. Often successful treatment can be given based on the results. It also prevents unnecessary surgeries or confirms the need for surgeries.

Our digital X-Ray unit gives the greatest resolution and clarity that exists today! We can also manipulate the images which allows us to see detail, not previously possible. With this tool we can make faster and more accurate diagnoses for your pet. Some examples of conditions picked up are congestive heart disease, lung disease, intestinal obstruction, enlarged liver or spleen, bladder stones. The reduced radiation also means that your pet is exposed to much less radiation. Results are available the same day.

Our Ultrasound unit allows us another perspective that X-Ray. Some pathology is seen better with X-Ray and some with Ultrasound. Because of this they are often used together. Some conditions for which Ultrasound is well suited are masses or enlargements of organs, lymph nodes, prostate, as well as the architecture of the organs which often gives clues to the diagnosis. The severity of heart disease and heart murmurs can also be evaluated.

Microscopy Services

The microscope is still a valuable tool for many diagnoses. Most commonly we use it for cytology, either from ear samples, Fine Needle Aspirates of masses and lumps, impression smears of infected skin, fecal testing, blood slide evaluation, urine sediment analysis as well as a multitude of others.

Endocrine testing-these tests range from testing for hyperthyroidism in cats, diabetes in our furry friends to more intricate testing like Addisonian or Cushing.