Diagnostic Tests
If your pet is ill, we might need to do further tests to get to the bottom of the problem. We have a wide variety of tests we can perform in the practice, and are often able to get results the same day. Our experienced vets will piece together the information from the results of the tests to help come to a diagnosis.
Occasionally we will need to send off blood or other samples to an external lab, or get a specialist opinion on xrays we have taken, which can take a few days longer. In complex cases we may refer your pet to a specialist centre for additional tests such as a CT or MRI scan.
Blood testing
Blood tests can tell us a lot about how well your pet’s organs are functioning. We can run full haematology, biochemistry and electrolyes in each surgery, as well as several other types of blood test. We might advise blood testing if we think your pet might be anaemic, have liver or kidney disease, be diabetic, or have thyroid problems for example. We might also recommend blood testing prior to anaesthesia in some animals, particularly if they are older.
Taking a blood sample is usually straighforward - our vets and vet nurses will take their time and handle your dog or cat gently. It is performed with a small needle and most pets are really not bothered.
Urine testing
Urine testing can give us information on how well your pet’s kidneys are working, urinary infections and diabetes. We would need to check a urine sample if your pet is drinking more than usual, or in combination with blood tests to identify certain medical conditions. We also offer twice yearly urine testing for our Pet Health Club members which helps us pick up some conditions early.
Catching a urine sample is usually easy with a little patience! We have collecting pots for dogs and can advise on cat litter suitable for collecting a sample from cats. But if you can manage, a thoroughly washed jam jar will be just fine.
Radiography (xrays)
Xrays are taken to look for bone problems, chest and heart problems and to look inside the abdomen. We have digital xray in both surgeries, and can get high quality images very quickly to help us get to the bottom of a problem. Our vet nurses often take the xrays, which are then interpreted by the vets.
Most pets will need sedation or anaesthesia for xrays to be taken, as they need to be completely still. Xrays are also potentially dangerous for our staff, so we wear protective equipment and need to leave the room very briefly to take the xray. We can also take xrays during a procedure eg fracture repair, to check we have the bones aligned perfectly.
Ultrasonography
An ultrasound scan gives us different information from xrays, and is better suited to looking at soft tissue eg spleen, liver and kidneys. We use ultrasound most frequently to diagnose pregnancy and to identify pyometra (a serious womb infection). Fluid shows up black on ultrasound (compared to xrays where air shows up black).
Most animals will need either very light sedation or none at all for ultrasound - it is not dangerous and doesn’t matter if they move a little during the scan. We might use both xrays and ultrasound in combination with blood tests to diagnose abdominal conditions.
Electrocardiography (ECG)
Electrocardiography is used to investigate the rhythym of your pet’s heart. We might need to check the ECG if the heart rate is very fast, or particularly slow, or is irregular. Heart disease can certainly result in abnormalities on the ECG, but other medical conditions can also cause problems with heart rate and rhythym, which often resolve when the underlying condition is treated.
We often use an ECG (along with other equipment) to monitor patients under anaesthetic as many anaesthetic drugs can have a (temporary) effect in the heart.
Blood pressure measurement
Chronic high blood pressure - called hypertension - is most common in older cats. We see it most commonly in overweight or obese cats, but those with kidney, thyroid, and heart disease are very often affected too. An annual blood pressure measurement is included in our Pet Health Club for all cats over 8 years.
Several potentially life-threatening conditions in dogs and cats (such as pyometra, a bleeding abdominal mass or heart failure) can cause low blood pressure, so having the facility to take repeat measurements in very sick animals is ideal.
Blood pressure is also monitored during anaesthesia, as its often low during this time due to drug effects.
Microscopy
We have lots of uses for our microscope, including examination of blood smears, urine samples (often to look for crystals and bacteria), skin scrapes (to look for bacteria, yeasts, and mites), ear wax samples (to look for ear mites) and poo samples (to look for parasites and their eggs).
Our vets and veterinary nurses both undertake microscopy, and many times a diagnosis can be made immediately rather than having to send the sample to an external laboratory.
