When a pet is ill or injured, it’s necessary to determine the underlying cause of illness or evaluate the extent of the pet’s injury before administering any treatment. Many illnesses and other health problems in pets cause very similar symptoms, and this can make it difficult to diagnose let alone treat a pet based only on observation and physical examination.
When it comes to safely and effectively administering treatments to ill or injured pets, diagnostic testing is absolutely essential.
Why Does My Pet Need Diagnostic Tests?
There are a variety of reasons why our veterinarian might recommend diagnostic tests for your pet.
Diagnosing an Illness
We often use blood tests and urinalyses to test for specific contagious diseases in addition to evaluating your pet’s health and looking for signs that can indicate systemic illness. Ultrasound can also be useful in diagnosing illness.
Evaluating an Injury
We use diagnostic imaging such as digital x-rays and ultrasound to determine the extent of an injury and determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
Routine Health Screening
In puppies, kittens, senior pets, and pets living with chronic health conditions, we might recommend routine laboratory tests to screen your pet for the earliest signs of disease and/or to monitor their health. This ensures early detection of illness and prompt treatment, which also often means more effective treatment.
Parasite Screening
We perform fecal tests in-house to check pets for signs of intestinal parasites and run routine blood tests to screen pets for heartworm. Testing for heartworm is required before administering any heartworm preventatives to a pet.
Medication Administration and General Anesthesia
We typically run blood chemistry panels before administering certain medications to pets and before sedating pets with general anesthesia. This ensures your pet’s organs are functioning well and that your pet is healthy enough to receive these medications.
Pet Dentistry
Dental x-rays can be incredibly helpful in diagnosing oral health problems, like infections and cavities, that aren’t visible to the naked eye.
Learn More About Diagnostic Testing at Wesson Animal Clinic
At Wesson Animal Clinic, we have a complete suite of in-house diagnostics, including both laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging with digital x-rays and ultrasound. Our in-house diagnostics mean we’re often able to test, diagnose, and begin treating your pet on the same day, rather than needing to send samples to an outside lab and having to wait for the results.
To learn more about diagnostic testing and its importance in both treating sick pets, screening pets for early signs of disease, and safely administering medications, we welcome you to contact our office in Mobile today.
