Types of laboratory tests are considered the cornerstones of veterinary medicine. The importance of diagnostic tests cannot be overstated; that’s due to the inability of your pet to express his pain and suffering, which are the gateway to uncovering the hidden diagnosis that may afflict your pet.
It helps veterinarians detect diseases early, ensuring effective treatment and a quick recovery. Many tests help diagnose your pet’s health.
Where the samples are sent to a veterinary clinic containing the necessary equipment, diagnostic tests are the silent guards that protect your pet’s health. Here’s the article on what you need to know about the tests that can be performed in the following article:
Types of laboratory tests for pets
Blood tests (hematology).
Urinalysis.
Fecal testing.
Heartworm tests.
Radiography (X-rays).
Ultrasound.
Endoscopy.
Biopsy.
Electrocardiogram (ECG).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
PET/CT scans.
Tonometry.
Toxicology.
Serology.
Microbiology.
Histology.
1- Blood tests (hematology)
Blood tests are essential to routine diagnosis and help the veterinarian make the correct diagnosis and monitor your pet’s health condition.
Many tests include a complete blood count (CBC), thyroid function, liver function, electrolyte levels, and coagulation profile.
Older pets are similar to older humans, so dogs aged 8 or older. Cats aged 11 or older should undergo routine blood tests every six months to avoid faster health deterioration because they are more susceptible to contracting diseases. Use a small amount of blood, for these types of laboratory tests to collect more information about your pet’s health.
2- Urinalysis
Urine tests are essential to the routine examination when you visit your veterinarian, as they help evaluate kidney function, urinary tract infections, and urinary system problems. This requires a small amount of urine. But sometimes the veterinarian needs to obtain it through a needle directly from the bladder, called cystocentesis.
Normal urine is yellow and transparent; the color change is evidence of infection. The urine of most animals contains a slight smell of ammonia, and a strong smell of ammonia is evidence of a bacterial infection.
Large numbers of white blood cells are also evidence of infection; in the case of casts, there is evidence of kidney problems, which is an important test in these types of laboratory tests.
3- Fecal testing
Stool testing is essential to detecting what is hidden in your pet’s digestive system, where parasites like Guardia or worms may be present.
4- Heartworms tests
It’s considered one of the most deadly diseases. It is dangerous to a pet’s health; it has no symptoms, as it remains in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.
No symptoms will appear except when it becomes dangerous. These symptoms are:
Flatulence.
Cough.
Weight loss.
Exhaustion.
Breathing difficulty.
A blood test is done to detect the presence of antigens, which cannot be detected until after 5 months.
5- Radiography (X-Rays)
It is essential in types of laboratory tests, as they help veterinarians accurately diagnose your pet, such as
Fractures.
Bladder stones.
Tumors.
Pregnancy.
Enlarged organs.
Negligence or delay may lead to serious diseases or cancer. X-rays are performed without anesthesia if your pet is calm.
X-rays may be inaccurate in providing a detailed view of your pet’s organs, so MRI and ultrasound are used.
6- Ultrasound
It helped the veterinarians accurately view your pet’s organs without surgery. Used in many cases, including:
Heart.
Liver.
Kidney.
Intestine.
Stomach.
Pregnancy.
Tumor cases.
Complete pet to monitor the health of the fetuses.
This x-ray is considered one of the most important types of laboratory tests. However, there are instructions that your pet must follow before radiation exposure, such as refraining from eating or drinking for 8 to 12 hours.
Avoid urinating 3 to 6 hours before the x-ray, as when examining the urinary bladder, the x-ray is more accurate if the bladder is filled with urine.
7- Endoscopy
It helps examine the internal organs, as it’s used to diagnose problems in the digestive system further. A small tube equipped with a camera is inserted inside your pet through the mouth or rectum.
8- Biopsy
It involves taking a small sample from an organ that is growing abnormally and may be cancerous. The sample is examined, and this type of laboratory test is used to determine whether it’s a benign or malignant cancer.
9- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
A test for pets that suffer from heart disease is used to measure the electrical activity in the heart and helps veterinarians detect heartbeat strikes.
10- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
It helps evaluate neurological and orthopedic problems by accurately depicting the internal organs.
11- PET/CT scans
PET scan:
It detects cancer early, evaluates the effectiveness of treatment, measures heart health, and diagnoses neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
CT scan:
CT technology generates cross-sectional images of a region in types of laboratory tests. It’s used in emergencies to evaluate internal injuries quickly, and for examinations of the abdomen, it’s characterized by its accuracy and speed without surgery.
12- Tonometry
It is important to measure tension during intraocular pressure measurement, as early detection of eye disorders helps prevent pain and blindness, especially in cases of glaucoma resulting from high intraocular pressure.
13- Toxicology
Important sector in emergency poisoning cases. Veterinarians must quickly identify symptoms of poisoning to provide appropriate treatment. The symptoms of poisoning include:
Vomiting.
Seizures.
Lethargy.
14- Serology
That helps veterinarians identify infections, immune responses, and viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases. Common serological tests include ELISA.
15- Microbiology
Important sector in types of laboratory tests. It helps veterinarians identify and treat infections in your pets caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, which is essential for selecting suitable antibiotics.
16- Histology
Detect different types of tumors and infections. This analysis is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, which contributes to improving your pet’s health.
The laboratory is equipped by allocating sufficient space for consumables, including:
Blood sample tubes.
Refrigerator for samples that need to be kept at a low temperature.
Sinks for preparing samples are made of epoxy or stainless steel.
Types of laboratory tests include biochemistry devices, centrifuges, PCR machines, immunoassay machines, and incubators.
Culture media, Petri dishes, dental equipment, autoclaves, and ELISA.
The endoscope, fluorescent microscope, and diagnostic imaging equipment.
In conclusion, different types of laboratory tests in veterinary clinics are important in enhancing the care of pets. These tools help veterinarians accurately diagnose diseases.
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