PetCare Animal Hospital is committed to providing our clients access to the top diagnostic laboratories in the country to ensure that their pets wellness status or illnesses are diagnosed correctly. New medical diagnostics are constantly being discovered while existing ones are continually being improved; therefore, we are always assessing and incorporating the latest innovations in diagnostic testing.
Here are a few of the more common diagnostic tests we perform:
1. Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A Complete Blood Count shows a complete picture of all of the cells that circulate in the blood. This test helps diagnose anemia, infections, and leukemia among other disorders. It is an important screening test for your pet’s annual wellness examination.
2. Blood Chemistries and Profiles
The results of Blood Chemistries and Profiles reveal the health of all the major organs in the patient’s body (including the heart, liver, and kidneys) in addition to detecting hormonal abnormalities that may be present. This is also recommended as part of your pet’s annual wellness examination to ascertain the general health of your pet.
3. Urinalysis
Also known as Complete Urine Analysis, a Urinalysis is important in determining the health of your pet’s complete urinary system (including the kidneys and the urinary bladder). It aids in detecting urinary tract infections, which are very common and can remain undetected without proper testing. A urinalysis is also recommended as part of your pet’s annual wellness screening.
4. Heart Worm Testing
This test, performed annually, now tests for much more than just heart worms. Several important diseases transmitted by ticks, including Lyme Disease, are accurately detected using this latest technology.
5. Fecal Testing
Also performed annually, Fecal Testing detects the presence of parasitic worms as well as identifying other microscopic organisms that cause acute and chronic gastrointestinal problems.
6. Cytology
The microscopic examination of your pet’s skin, or “lumps and bumps”, is performed in our in-house laboratory by our doctors and trained staff. We also send cytology samples to specialized laboratories that have been determined to be the best in diagnosing particular diseases should the need arise.
7. Histopathology
The microscopic examination of your pet’s skin, “lumps or bumps”, or any abnormal tissue that has been biopsied or removed from your pet is sent to (and performed by) expert laboratories to identify the cause and severity of the suspected condition.
8. Bacterial Culture and Sensitivity
Bacterial Culture and Sensitivity testing is performed when an infection does not respond to current treatment or is suspected to be a more serious infection or chronic problem. The report identifies the bacteria that is causing the infection and tells us the best antibiotic to use to combat the infection. The laboratories that perform this service for us are staffed with experts in bacterial and fungal infections.
9. Surgical Procedures
Our Surgical Procedures suite is fully equipped with the latest in monitoring and life-saving systems for routine and specialty surgeries. At PetCare Animal Hospital, your pet’s safety and comfort is our top priority. Inside our state-of-the-art surgical suite, all animals under anesthesia are closely monitored with specialized equipment such as:
- Pulse Oximetry Measuring Oxygenation
- ECG Machines
- Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Temperature Probes
- Newly developed equipment to maintain body heat and most importantly,
- A surgical nurse evaluating these monitors and your pet during the entire surgery
Using state-of-the-art machines and monitoring devices, we can adjust the anesthesia based equipment readings to ensure your pet’s safety under our care.
Before surgery, pre-anesthetic blood screening is evaluated to give us a more complete picture of your pet’s internal health. This allows us to create the safest anesthetic protocol to meet your pet’s specific needs. Each patient has pre-medications tailored to each individual patient to ensure their safety and comfort. Surgical incisions are treated with a Class 4 K-Laser immediately after surgery to promote healing and decrease pain at the incision site. After your pet’s surgery, they are recovered individually and placed in our surgical recovery area, allowing us to continuously monitor them in a controlled environment.