Laboratory
Laboratory tests are one of the most important diagnostic tools that can be used to detect or diagnose your pet’s illness or disease. In today’s technologic advanced world, we are able to offer in-house laboratory services, which allow us to obtain accurate results quickly so that we can start diagnosing and/or treating your pet’s symptoms as soon as possible. Our staff is highly trained, and they use the following IDEXX machines for laboratory diagnostics: Catalyst DX, Lasercyte and SNAPshot Dx.
We provide the following in-hospital tests:
Pre-Anesthetic Blood Panel or Chem 10
- The pre-anesthetic blood panel is necessary to perform before your pet undergoes anesthesia to screen for any underlying diseases or illnesses. We test for the following variables:
• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALKP) – ALKP is an enzyme present in multiple tissues such as the liver or bone. Elevated levels can indicate liver disease, Cushing’s syndrome or steroid therapy.
• Total Protein (TP) – The level of TP can indicate a variety of conditions including: dehydration, inflammation and diseases of the liver, kidney or intestine.
• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) – BUN is produced by the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Abnormally high levels can indicate kidney disease or dehydration while low levels can be associated with liver disease.
• Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – ALT is an enzyme that becomes elevated with liver cell injury.
• Creatinine (CREA) – Creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism and is excreted by the kidneys. Elevated levels can indicate kidney disease, urinary tract obstruction or dehydration.
• Blood Glucose (GLU) – High levels of GLU can indicate diabetes. In cats, high levels can also indicate stress, which can be a result of the trip to the veterinary hospital. Low levels of GLU can indicate liver disease, infection or certain tumors.
• Albumin (ALB)– ALB is a protein that is produced by the liver. Reduced levels of this protein can point to chronic liver, kidney, and inflammatory or intestinal disease.
Chem 17
– This panel is a little more extensive, but it is doctor/patient dependent. It includes the above tests as well as the following listed below (Dr./patient dependent):
• Cholesterol (CHOL) – Elevated levels of cholesterol are seen in a variety of disorders, including hypothyroidism and liver or kidney disease.
• Total Bilirubin (TBIL) – Bilirubin is a breakdown product of hemoglobin, as well as a component of bile. Blood bilirubin levels are useful in indicating liver disease and may help identify certain types of anemia.
• Amylase (AMYL) – AMYL is an enzyme produced by the pancreas. The pancreas secretes amylase to aid in digestion. Elevated levels in the blood can indicate pancreatic disease.
• Phosphorus (PHOS) – Elevated phosphorous can be an indicator of kidney disease.
• Calcium (Ca+) – Increased levels of calcium can be seen with diseases of the parathyroid gland and kidneys or as an indicator of certain types of tumors.
Because we are a full-house laboratory, we also offer the following tests:
• CBC
• General Health Panels
• Senior Panels
• Electrolyte Thyroid Panels
• NSAID Panels
• Kidney Panels
• Heartworm testing
• Fecal Analysis Tests
- Fecal Parasite Exam
- Parvo
- Giardia
• Other Tests
- UA
- Skin Scrapes
- Lump aspirates
- Ear swabs
- Vaginal Smears
- Semen Analysis
