Laboratory & Diagnostic Imaging

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Laboratory & Radiology services

At Millersburg Veterinary Hospital we have in-house laboratory equipment and radiological services.

Our in-house laboratory allows us to perform an array of point of care diagnostic tests. This ranges from simple laboratory tests to more complex diagnostic tools that help us in diagnosing and treating your pet.

Radiology is a diagnostic tool that we use to look inside the body in a completely non-invasive way. X-rays allow us to create images of all the body’s organs, giving us a view of the internal organs in your pet’s body that we otherwise could not see. It’s an important tool that helps us detect and prevent illness.

Better Understanding Your Pet’s Health

We depend on laboratory test results and diagnostic imaging to help us understand the status of your pet’s health. When your pet is sick, the results of laboratory tests can help us confirm the presence of some illnesses and rule out others. It’s also beneficial to run tests throughout your pet’s illness to track the course of the disease and the results of treatment.

When your pet is healthy, we want to run certain laboratory tests to establish your pets “baseline values.” Usually these tests include a complete blood count (CBC), a blood-chemistry panel, and a urinalysis. When your pet is sick, we can more easily determine if your pet’s laboratory test values are abnormal by comparing the baseline values to the current values.

Laboratory Tests

Preanesthetic laboratory tests help determine if your pets’ organs, such as kidney and liver, are functioning normally and to check for any signs of infection. Abnormalities, which can increase the risk of complications from general anesthesia, can then be corrected, or anesthetic plans can be adjusted accordingly. These tests may be recommended for pets of all ages, even for young, seemingly healthy dogs and cats.

We have laboratory equipment on site which provides us with test results within a few minutes. We also have the capabilities to submit laboratory test to outside laboratories for deeper comprehensive results in which reports are received within a day or so.

A recommendation for laboratory tests is based on your pets’ physical signs, breed, age, and sex. A few common tests are:

The CBC measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in a given sample of blood. The number and type of these cells gives us information to help diagnose anemia, infections, leukemia, and other blood disorders. The CBC can help us monitor your pet’s response to some treatments.

Blood-chemistry panels measure electrolytes, enzymes, and chemical elements. This information shows how various organs, such as the kidneys, pancreas, and liver, are functioning. The results of these tests help us formulate an accurate diagnosis, prescribe proper therapy, and monitor response to treatments.

We recommend running a yearly heartworm test as part of your annual wellness exam.

Heartworms are parasites that as adults live in the heart and the great vessels going to the lungs. The adult female heartworm produces offspring called “microfilaria,” which circulate in the infected pet’s blood. A mosquito feeds on the blood of a pet who has adult heartworms, ingesting microfilaria. The microfilaria undergoes a change that can only take place in a mosquito. The mosquito then takes another blood meal, injecting the changed microfilaria into this new dog (or cat, or human).

Highly effective heartworm preventative products are available for both dogs and cats. These medications are prescribed for pets who are not infected with heartworms or who have been successfully treated for heartworms in the past. All pets should be given heartworm preventative products year-round, regardless of geographical location.

We recommend a test to determine whether your cat has contracted feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukemia virus (FeLV). A blood sample is necessary to perform this test. All kittens should be tested initially, and adult cats should be tested anytime there is suspicion of one of these diseases.

Laboratory analysis of urine is a tool used to detect the presence and quantity of specific substances in urine. A measurement of the dilution or concentration of urine is helpful in evaluating the status of the kidneys. A urinalysis is used to assist in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections, diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems, and other conditions.

Since only round worms and tapeworms ae visible to the naked eye (and the pet may not be shedding these worms all the time), an examination of your pet’s feces with a microscope is important to check for the presence of internal parasites. Many of our pet’s parasites are zoonotic, meaning they cause problems in humans if they enter the human body. We recommend yearly fecal examinations at your pets annual wellness exam.

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