The emphasis in modern and progressive healthcare is in preventing illness concentrating instead on wellness. In this way we can extend the length and quality of your pet’s life.

Blood tests carried out in the clinic give immediate results and can assure you that your older pet’s systems are still functioning well or detect subclinical disease not found on physical examination, often finding disease at an earlier stage, making treatment less expensive and improving the chance of a good outcome.

The aim of a consultation for your sick pet is to determine the cause of the problem and instigate measures that will return your pet to full health. Often your cat may have vague signs, such as being off its food or just lying around and not its usual self, or your dog may be quieter than normal and not interested in getting out of its bed to go for a walk. Other times your pet may be obviously off colour and not only off its food, but also vomiting or having diarrhoea. Being lame, unable to jump up, growling and licking at a certain area and scratching at itself indicate discomfort, as do straining to urinate or pass faeces.

Experience and clinical ability allow us to recognise common problems and treat effectively, but sometimes blood tests and urinalysis will allow us to determine the cause of ill health and even detect sub clinical problems early and institute preventive regimes to prevent illness progressing or even curing specific problems with appropriate treatment.  Being able to perform many tests in the clinic saves valuable time and appropriate therapy can be initiated quickly to get your pet back on the road to recovery immediately.

Our in house analyser uses the latest technology for clinical biochemistry analysis of blood samples and can assess liver and kidney function, as well as electrolyte imbalances, blood glucose and blood protein levels. We also can measure thyroid hormone levels to diagnose thyroid disease and monitor progress with treatment.  Urinalysis involves collecting a urine sample and testing the urine concentration to determine how well the kidneys are functioning, especially if the animal is dehydrated, as well as detecting the presence of glucose, blood, protein and measuring the pH. Urine sediment can be examined to look for bacteria, crystals and other things, such as white blood cells.

Cytology is looking at cells under the microscope. Samples from growths are often taken with a needle and syringe and the cells spread thinly and stained on a microscope slide to check for cancerous changes. Samples can also be taken from ears and skin surfaces and checked for parasites, fungi, yeasts and bacteria under the microscope.

Haematology, the analysis of blood and its components, is done by specialist clinical pathologists at Gribbles Veterinary Pathology. Samples are sent away and results are usually available on the same day. Discussing the results with the Pathologist, including the presentation, history and results of any in house testing, allows an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition.