Veterinary Services
Pet Diagnostic Testing
in Rolling Meadows, IL
Benefits of Diagnostic Testing
During a physical examination, our veterinarians can get a general idea of your pet’s health. It is, however, limited to the things we can see (hair coat, mucous membranes) or the things we can hear (heart and lung sounds). Many of the vital organs that keep a pet’s body running do not give outward signs until disease or illness is in advanced stages. Most of the diagnostic tests that are provided for your pet are the same tests provided by human doctors.
Annual Examination – For seemingly healthy pets, diagnostic tests can detect pre-existing conditions such as anemia or kidney function problems. Also, doing blood work on younger animals gives your veterinarian a baseline in which to monitor and track your pet’s health throughout their lives. Small changes can be significant in diagnosing and treating diseases later in life.
Sick Examinations – For older or sick animals, it is extremely important to run full panel blood screens, a urinalysis, and a fecal exam. Diagnostic tests are used to diagnose illness and disease, monitor organ degeneration, and monitor response to medication.
Pre-Surgical Blood Work – Blood work helps your veterinarian better understand organ function and allows the veterinarian to foresee problems before an animal is showing outward symptoms. Before surgery, it is important to ensure the pet’s internal organs are healthy and able to metabolize the anesthesia. Since many anesthetic and pre-anesthetic drugs are processed through the body’s organs, it is important to have blood work results in case adjustments need to be made in the anesthetic protocol for your pet. Failure to perform this testing may significantly affect the success of the anesthesia and the overall outcome of surgery.
Urinalysis – A urinalysis done in conjunction with a blood work panel gives the most accurate, well-rounded picture of your pet’s health. Urinalysis can also show signs of urinary tract problems, bladder stones, infection, diabetes, and early renal disease.
Fecal – A stool sample is examined for internal parasites. Many parasites cause weight loss, diarrhea, anemia, and loss of appetite. It is important for routine fecal examinations, as many of the parasites that can infect our pets can also be transmitted to humans.