A
pet that appears healthy can often be hiding symptoms of disease.
A physical exam is often not enough to diagnose your pet and additional
diagnostic tests may be required. Harmony Animal Hospital is equipped
with a complete, state-of-the art diagnostic laboratory with results
often available in a few minutes. We also work with several outside
laboratories should your pet require specialized testing.
Heartworm testing, complete blood counts, blood chemistry panels,
electrolytes, urinalysis and fecal examinations are some of the
many laboratory tests that we can perform at the hospital. Our sophisticated
laboratory equipment means that your pet's laboratory results are
quickly available so that we can provide fast, comprehensive treatment
for your pet.
Our extensive laboratory services provide information that is critical
to sick or injured pets allowing them to receive appropriate treatment
in a timely manner. We also process pre-anesthetic tests, which
are often necessary before your pet undergoes surgery, as well as
important wellness tests to be sure there is no underlying illness
and to set a baseline for future comparison when medical treatment
becomes necessary.
Translating
Lab Tests
We are
pleased to provide you with some information regarding blood testing.
We recommend blood testing before any anesthetic procedure, and
we also advise it for wellness screening on a yearly basis. Do not
hesitate to call or email the hospital if you have specific questions.
Many
technologies that help humans live longer, healthier lives are available
to your pet. By performing some basic blood tests, your veterinarian
can gather information concerning the health and well being of your
pet.
COMPLETE
BLOOD COUNT This
blood test actually consists of several tests that evaluate
the number and type of blood cells in the circulation. Cells
that are evaluated consist of white blood cells (WBC), red blood
cells (RBC), and platelets.
White
blood cells are important in helping the body fight
infection.
Red
blood cells are fundamental for carrying oxygen
to the body's tissues. The measurement of these cells can
indicate anemia, infection, leukemia, stress, and inflammation.
Platelets
are involved in the blood clotting process and if low (in
number) can indicate a bleeding disorder. The hematocrit
(HCT) provides information pertaining to the relative number
of red blood cells (RBC) in circulation. This test is used
to diagnose anemia and dehydration.
Microscopic
view of dog blood. Only red blood cells (RBC) are observed.
Microscopic
view of dog blood.
A neutrophil (type of white blood cell) is seen.
BLOOD
CHEMISTRY
These tests survey many of the organ systems of the body in
order to make sure they are working properly.
Albumin
(ALB) - Low levels indicates chronic liver or kidney
disease, intestinal disease, or intestinal parasites (hookworm).
Alanine
Aminotransferase (ALT) - Elevated with liver disease
or injury.
Alkaline
Phosphatase (ALKP) - Elevated levels can indicate
liver disease or Cushing's disease.
Amylase
(AMYL) - Elevated blood levels can indicate pancreatic
and / or kidney disease.
Blood
Urea Nitrogen (BUN) - Reflects kidney and liver
disease as well as dehydration.
Cholesterol
(CHOL) - Elevated levels are seen in many disorders.
Some include liver and kidney disease and hypothroidism.
Creatinine
(CREA) - Elevated levels can be due to kidney disease
or urinary tract obstruction.
Blood
Glucose (GLU) - High levels can indicate diabetes.
Low levels can indicate liver disease, infection or certain
tumors.
Total
Bilirubin (TBIL) - Levels of Bilirubin are useful
in diagnosing anemia and bile duct problems.
Total
Protein (TP) - This can detect many conditions.
Some include liver, kidney, and gasrointestinal diseases
as well as dehydration.
BLOOD
ELECTROLYTES
Electrolytes refer to salts and certain other chemical compounds
dissolved in the blood. For the body to function properly, proper
blood levels of these chemicals must be maintained. An abnormal
level of any one of these electrolytes, measured in the electrolyte
blood test, can indicate a variety of different medical conditions.
A
typical veterinary blood
chemistry analyzer
Calcium
(Ca) - Increased levels are seen with certain tumors
and kidney and parathyroiud gland disease.
Phosphorus
(PHOS) - Elevated levels can indicate kidney disease.
Sodium,
Potassium, Chloride - all should be within normal
levels. Vomiting, dehydration, and diarrhea can affect their
levels.
BLOOD
CLOTTING FUNCTION
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT)-
Blood coagulation screening test to check for bleeding disorders.
Important for pre-surgery screening to determine clotting
time and a patient's possible need for blood components
or other therapy.
Answering
Your Pet Health Concerns
One
of the best ways to catch and treat problems before they become
major is by laboratory testing. Performed either before a surgical
procedure or on a yearly basis for maintaining good health, is just
plain smart care. We call laboratory testing, including a complete
blood test (CBC), blood chemistry analysis, and urinalysis, “a
window into your pet’s body” to help us see the health
of the organ systems. Here are some answers to your common concerns.
1.
“ I can’t afford it.”
The cost for testing early is small compared to the high cost of
acute care for serious illness later.
2.
”My dog is fine; we just took him on a five-mile hike yesterday”
You can’t tell by looking, or by physical examination alone.
Animals
still can’t talk and they instinctively hide their ailments.
Caregivers
aren’t medical experts: sometimes it is difficult for a
caregiver to understand the difference between a thirsty, energetic
cat and a hyperthyroid case.
3.
“I’ve had cats for years. Gumdrop is only eight and
most of my cats live until they are at least seventeen. I don’t
think I need to start testing now.”
Recent advances in veterinary medicine will allow Gumdrop to live
even longer. Proactive, preventive health care may allow your
cats to live into their 20’s.
Pets
that show visible symptoms of kidney disease have already lost
75% of organ function. However, if the disease is diagnosed in
its early stages, the animal could live to their full life expectancy.
4.
“The prevalence on all of those illness is so low, it’s
highly unlikely that my pet will get one of those.”
While individual prevalence may be low, in total, your pet has
almost a 90% chance of getting one of them.
There
is no pet family history! Without knowing which illness(es) they
will develop, it is important to run a full panel of diagnostics
each year .
5.
“ My cat is ten; my last vet never brought this up before.”
With advances in veterinary medicine, it is now apparent that
preventive diagnostics coupled with proper nutrition and exercise
are extremely important to the health of your pet.
Many
of the illnesses that we currently treat as acute problems can
be prevented, if detected in the early stage This can increase
the life expectancy and quality of life for the pet.
With
the accessibility of accurate, affordable diagnostics, we feel
that it is important to incorporate annual diagnostics in our
recommendations.
6.
“My cat is an indoor cat, she’s fine”
Despite the fact that your cat is not exposed to germs from other
animals, there are many diseases that can occur regardless of
his or her indoor/outdoor status.
7.“I
did the testing for the past two years and he‘s always been
fine. I don ‘t see a need to test him this year. “
A
pet ages seven human years for each animal year. Can you imagine
if your annual physical exam was every seven years? A lot can
happen and change in that time. ..and remember Fluffy still can’t
talk.
8.
“My dog is only four, why does she really need this ?”
The
reason for today’s testing is preventive health care. Your
pet requires preventive care to catch diseases in their early
stages.
Without
a recent diagnostic history, we do not have a current record of
the health of your pet’s organ systems. Baseline blood work
will capture your pet’s current health status and allow
us to chart her progression as she matures.
