Veterinary Diagnostic & Laboratory Services
Veterinarians use a variety of veterinary tools to diagnose disease, to monitor disease progression or response to therapy, and to screen for the presence of underlying disease in apparently healthy animals. At Blue Ravine Animal Hospital our veterinary diagnostic laboratory hosts a wide array of diagnostic tools to quickly assess your pet’s health and determine what therapy, if any, is required.
Blood Tests
Blood work is analyzed on our premises or at an accredited lab with rapid turnaround time. Read more about what a standard blood chemistry and complete blood count (CBC) means and may include. We offer many additional specialized tests, which may also be useful for the diagnosis of specific disease processes.
Urinalysis
A urinalysis evaluates the physical and chemical composition of the urine. A urinalysis can provide important diagnostic information about conditions of the urinary and genital tracts, as well as a number of systemic diseases, such as diabetes, liver disease, Cushing’s disease, and so on. The urinalysis is an important part of the diagnostic evaluation for many diseases and is also an important part of a thorough preventive medicine program.
Fecal Examinations
Pets are susceptible to many types of intestinal parasites, such as worms, Giardia, and coccidia. These parasites may infect an animal without causing symptoms and, therefore, may go undetected for long periods of time. In some cases, these parasites can be transferred to other pets or humans in your family. Annual fecal analysis allows us to accurately screen your pet for the most common intestinal parasites.
Digital Radiography—Pet X-ray
Our on-site modern digital veterinary X-ray equipment provides high quality radiographs to rapidly aid in the diagnosis of many disorders.
Pet Ultrasound Examinations
An important, non-invasive diagnostic tool, ultrasound allows us to see a real-time moving picture of your pet’s abdomen, chest, or heart. This is usually performed without the use of sedation or anesthesia. Often more exact and more comprehensive than an X-ray, an ultrasound is extremely useful in diagnosing diseases and health problems quickly and efficiently. We have a board-certified radiologist on call for ultrasound examinations.
Electrocardiograms (ECG)
We provide on-site ECG services as well as providing consultations with cardiology specialists (using either telemedicine or a local board-certified cardiologist).
Doppler Blood Pressure
Blood pressure screening is helpful in determining whether your pet is suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension) as well as in general wellness screening. Our blood pressure equipment is also used in anesthetic monitoring and to diagnostically evaluate a patient in shock.
Pet Glaucoma Screening (Tonometry)
Your pet’s vision and ophthalmic health is important. We provide glaucoma screening to help detect glaucoma before your pet’s vision falls into jeopardy.
Microscopic Examinations
Our in-house microscope allows us to quickly analyze samples such as skin scrapings, ear swabs, and aspirates of skin masses.
Your pet’s health is very important to us. Our modern veterinary laboratory promotes rapid and accurate pet diagnosis, which leads to the best possible treatment outcome for your pet. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.