Diagnostics

When your pet isn’t feeling well, every second counts. We’re here to find the issue quickly using the latest technology and diagnostic tools. Once we have the answer, we’ll provide you with the best course of treatment and get to work as quickly as possible.

In-house laboratory:

Each of our facilities features full laboratory services for in-house pet diagnostics, which allows us to get answers much quicker than sending samples out and waiting for results. We perform tests on complete blood count (CBC), chemistry, cytology, fecal and urinalysis. We also test pre-anesthesia and already sick pets in-house to ensure quick diagnosis and treatment. For exploratory surgery and biopsies, we use endoscopic equipment at our Geneva location, which allows for a minimally invasive procedure.

We’re able to see what’s below the surface.

When your pet isn’t feeling well, it’s not always easy to see what’s ailing them. Using ultrasound and radiology technology, we’re able to see below the surface and get a look inside your pet’s body.

Full digital radiography provides the finest quality films with higher resolution for a more complete, quick and accurate diagnosis. Our direct digital radiology system also allows clients to be able to have a copy of images to share with friends and family.

Ultrasounds are a powerful diagnostic tool. This is a non-invasive procedure that can help our doctors figure out the cause of some of your pet’s ailments. It allows us to look at specific organs or regions to properly provide a diagnosis.

Typical reasons we may use either of these are:

• Cardiac issues
• Foreign body location
• Assess fluid buildup
• Abdominal problems
• Broken bonesIn-House Laboratory

Testing provided in the hospital includes:

• Albumin (ALB): This is a serum protein that helps evaluate hydration, hemorrhage and intestinal, liver and kidney disease.
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALKP): Elevations in this test may indicate liver damage, Cushing’s disease or active bone growth in a young cat. This test is especially significant in cats.
• Alanine aminotansferase (ALT): This test may determine active liver damage, but does not indicate the cause.
• Amylase (AMYL): Elevations in this test indicate pancreatitis or kidney disease.
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST): Increases in this test may indicate liver, heart or skeletal muscle damage.
• Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): This test determines kidney function. An increased level is called azotemia and can be caused by kidney, liver and heart disease as well as urethral obstruction, shock or dehydration.
• Calcium (Ca): Changes in the normal level of this test can indicate a variety of diseases. Tumors, hyperparathyroidism, kidney disease, and low albumin are just a few of the conditions that alter serum calcium.
• Cholesterol (CHOL): This test is used to supplement diagnosis of hypothyroidism, liver disease, Cushing’s disease and diabetes mellitus.
• Chloride (Cl): Chloride is an electrolyte that is typically lost with symptoms like vomiting or illnesses such as Addison’s disease. Elevations often indicate dehydration.
• Coristol (CORT): Cortisol is a hormone that is measured in tests for Cushing’s disease (the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test) and Addison’s disease (ACTH stimulation test).
• Creatinine (CREA): This test reveals kidney function and helps distinguish between kidney and non-kidney causes of elevated BUN.
• Gamma Glutamy transferase (GGT): This is an enzyme that indicates liver disease or corticosteroid excess.
• Globulin (GLOB): This is a blood protein that often increases with chronic inflammation and certain disease states.
• Glucose (GLU): Glucose is a blood sugar. Elevated levels may indicate diabetes mellitus. Low levels can cause collapse, seizures or coma.
• Potassium (K): This is an electrolyte typically lost with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or excessive urination. Increased levels may indicate kidney failure, Addison’s disease, dehydration or urethral obstruction.  High levels can lead to cardiac arrest.
• Lipase (LIP): Lipase is an enzyme that may indicate pancreatitis.
• Sodium (Na): Sodium is an electrolyte often lost with signs vomiting, diarrhea, kidney disease and Addison’s disease. This test helps indicate hydration status.
• Phosphorus (PHOS): Elevations in this test are often associated with kidney disease, hyperthyroidism and bleeding disorders.
• Total bilirubin (TBIL): Elevations in this test may indicate liver or hemolytic disease. This test helps identify bile duct problems and certain types of anemia.
• Total protein: This test indicates hydration status and provides additional information about the liver, kidneys and infectious diseases.
• Thyroxine (T4): Thyroxine is a thyroid hormone. High levels indicate hyperthyroidism in cats.

While we do offer an extensive range of on-site testing, it is possible that your pet may need laboratory work beyond our scope. For those cases, we are happy to send blood work or other testing to an outside lab that will send results back to us.