Each day at Bell County Animal Clinic, we see pets from the Tri-State area that are not their usual playful selves, and cannot verbally express what pain or problems they may be experiencing. When it comes to diagnosing a pet’s illness, veterinarians rely on various lab and blood tests to tell us if your furry family member may have an issue that cannot be seen from the outside. These include:

Blood chemistries
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Electrolyte and thyroid testing
fecal and urine analysis

Blood chemistries indicate how well your pet’s liver, kidney and pancreas function in your pet. A CBC can show us red and white cells as well as platelet counts and indicate certain infections, cancers and the blood’s ability to clot. Electrolyte levels determine whether an animal is dehydrated.

Thyroid testing can indicate a number of diseases including Cushing’s and Addison’s disease. Fecal testing can reveal intestinal parasites that cannot be seen from the outside, and which may be spread to humans. Finally, urinalysis lets our doctors know if any infections are present and can help confirm diabetes.

Having in-house access to these diagnostic tools means you get results faster so treatment can begin right away if needed. To schedule an appointment for testing for your pet, call us at 606-248-4243.