Pet Diagnostics And Blood Work

A urinalysis is a test the vet does on your pet’s urine to understand internal organs’ health status like the bladder and kidney. It will help you know if your pet has kidney disease or bladder infection. Your pet may take a urinalysis alongside other tests like blood tests to understand the full status of your pet’s internal health. It is advisable to take a urinalysis test at least once a year.

The fecal exam uses your pet’s stool to test for the presence of parasites or internal disease. Some common parasites the vet looks for under the microscope include roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms. Your vet will also look at the color, mucus, presence of blood, and consistency of the stool. You need to take your dog for a fecal exam at least twice a year.

Your vet could also draw a little blood from your pet to test for various issues and conditions. There are two common blood work tests you need. They include:

• Heartworm Test: The vet will screen the blood for heartworms that they get from mosquito bites. They can cause fatalities among cats and dogs. You should get annual tests even if your pet has protection.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): The CBC test helps the vet to detect anemia, leukemia, possible infections, hydration level, illness, immune response, diabetes, and some cancers.

An x-ray test takes a picture of your pet’s internal organs and bones. It helps to check for broken bones, traumatic injury, or foreign objects. The x-ray can help the vet understand and administer the necessary treatment.

An ultrasound creates images of organs an X-ray cannot view, such as soft tissues and some internal organs. It creates images on an ultrasound machine by sending high-frequency sounds into your body.