Please call (805)466-3880 for an appointment or stop by if there is an emergency
At The Atascadero Pet Center, we have state-of-the-art in-house blood and urine testing equipment. Since animals can not verbalize their symptoms, blood and urine testing is extremely important in diagnosing your pets’ condition.
Blood testing is also recommended prior to undergoing anesthesia for surgery or dental procedures. Bloodwork helps identify any underlying health issues and assists the veterinarian in selection of appropriate anesthetic drugs for your pet.
Certain blood tests are only performed by an outside laboratory. For example, urine cultures, Phenobarbitol blood levels, and histopathology are not performed at Atascadero Pet Center. We primarily utilize two excellent outside laboratories: Idexx and Antech.
Here is a list of the many laboratory tests performed at The Atascadero Pet Center:
COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC)
A complete blood count (CBC) provides information on a patient’s red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The CBC is extremely important in diagnosing anemias, infections, cancers, inflammatory diseases, and immune disorders.
Albumin (ALB)
Albumin is a protein produced by the liver. Reduced albumin may indicate a gastrointestinal or renal loss of protein, or a failure to produce albumin by the liver.
Alananine Aminotransferase (ALT)
ALT is an enzyme inside liver cells. Increased ALT indicates damage to the liver.
Alkaline Phosphatse (ALKP)
ALKP is an enzyme associated with the liver and gall bladder. Increased ALKP may indicated liver disease or a metabolic disorder called Cushing’s Disease.
Amylase (AMY)
Amylase is an enzyme produced by the pancreas. Increased amylase levels can indicate pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, or kidney disease.
Bilirubin (BIL)
Bilirubin is a break-down product of hemoglobin and is excreted in the bile. Bilirubin can be elevated with liver disease, biliary disease, and some anemias.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
BUN is metabolic by-product produced by the liver and eliminated by the kidneys. Increased BUN can indicate dehydration or kidney disease. Decreased BUN may indicate liver failure.
Calcium (Ca2+)
Blood calcium may be decreased in unhealthy pregnant or post-partum animals. Blood calcium can be elevated with certain cancers.
Cholesterol (CHOL)
Blood cholesterol can be elevated with hypothyroidism and several other disorders.
Creatinine (CREAT)
Creatinine is produced from muscle metabolism and is excreted by the kidneys. Increased creatinine is associated with kidney failure and urethral obstruction.
Blood Glucose (BG)
An increased blood glucose is associated with diabetes. Decreased blood glucose is seen with severe infection (sepsis) and certain cancers.
Phosphorous (PHOS)
Phosphorous is a mineral which is excreted by the kidneys. Increased phosphorous is associated with kidney disease.
Total Protein (TP)
Increased total protein can indicated dehydration, certain cancers, or an inflammatory/infectious condition. Decreased total protein may be related to gastrointestinal, liver, or kidney disease.
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
ELECTROLYTES
Electrolytes include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl-). Electrolyte values must be checked if your pet has vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, metabolic disease, kidney disease, or heart problems. An electrolyte imbalance can be life-threatening.
URINALYSIS
The urinalysis test is an important diagnostic tool, as it allows veterinarians to check for many diseases. A urinalysis involves obtaining a urine sample from the animal (either by tapping the bladder with a needle and syringe, or “catching” a sample as it is voided from the animal). The urinalysis test checks for free sugar (a sign of diabetes), metabolites (associated with liver and kidney function), and acidification of the urine. Also, a urinalysis reflects the ability of the patient to concentrate urine; a poorly-concentrated urine may reflect kidney disease or a hormonal imbalance.
The urine is also centrifuged and checked for bacteria and cells that may indicate infection or cancer. Crystals in the urine can reflect the presence of bladder stones, or “Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder” (FLUTD).
CYTOLOGY
Cytology is the microscopic examination of cells. Cytology is very valuable for diagnosing tumors and cancers. Your veterinarian will insert a needle into the tumor and aspirate out a few cells, which will be placed on a microscope slide and stained. Certain tumors are very unusual, and must be diagnosed by a trained clinical pathologist at an outside laboratory.
Cytology can also be performed on any fluid or exudates produced by your pet. For example, cytology of discharge from the ear can tell your veterinarian if there is a bacterial or yeast ear infection.
SKIN SCRAPING
Skin scrapings are performed to diagnose mange. One mange mite (scabes) is highly contagious to other animals and people; the other mange mite (demodex) is not contagious.
FECAL
Fecal analysis is important in determining gastrointestinal parasitism and bacterial overgrowth. Please bring a small sample (“quarter-size”) in a plastic bag; the sample must be fresh (ideally within a few hours).
FUNGAL CULTURE
Fungal cultures are performed on any pet who has unexplained hair loss. The fungal culture checks for “ringworm”, a fungus that can also affect humans.
FELV/FIV TESTING
FeLV and FIV are two viruses transmitted amongst outdoor cats. Both viruses can lead to fatal diseases. It is very important to routinely test outdoor cats for FeLV and FIV; it is also important to test any new cat you have adopted. Most cats who are infected with FeLV and FIV live for several years symptom-free, and can infect other cats.
PARVO TEST
Parvo is a virus that affects the intestinal lining of dogs. Cats have a similar disease called panleukopenia. Pets will present severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. The Parvo Test is performed from a fecal sample.
GIARDIA TEST
Giardia is a flagellate protozoan. It is difficult to find the Giardia organism on fecal cytology. However, we now have an in-house ELISA test for Giardia. Giardia is considered contagious to other dogs; infected pets can also put people at risk.
HEARTWORM/ EHRLICHIA / LYME TEST
Yes, there is heartworm in San Luis Obispo county! We strongly recommend keeping dogs on heartworm preventative year-round. Dogs who have been off of heartworm preventative, or are newly adopted should be tested immediately for heartworm disease. Our heartworm test includes a test for Ehrlichia and Lyme, two bacteria that are transmitted by ticks.
MUCOSAL BLEEDING TIME
This is a test for von Willebrand’s disease. Von Willebrand’s Disease is an inherited deficiency in a clotting factor and also a platelet dysfunction. This disease causes a tendency to bleed easily. Certain breeds (i.e. Dobermans) have a higher prevalence of von Willebrand’s Disease, and should be tested prior to surgery.
BLOOD TYPING
All our blood donor dogs and cats are blood-typed. Similarly, any dog or cat receiving a blood transfusion will be blood typed first.
BLOOD TESTS FOR POISONING
Activated Prothrombin Time (APT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), and Activated Clotting Time (ACT)
These tests are to check for abnormal bleeding parameters. We commonly see dogs and cats poisoned by rodenticides (pesticides designed to kill rats, gophers, and mice); rodenticides cause prolonged clotting times, and the pet can bleed to death if not treated promptly!
Ethylene Glycol Test
Ethylene glycol is the toxic component of antifreeze. If a pet ingests antifreeze, our test can detect the toxin in the blood (within 12 hours). If the pet goes untreated, they will likely die of kidney failure within a few days.
