“But I don’t see worms in the poop” is common when discussing the risk of intestinal parasites. Worms actually love to stay inside the intestinal tract where there is food, warmth, and safety. Some parasites can be seen in the stool once the infection is severe. Others can not be seen with the naked eye.

Fecal tests detect the eggs of worms and also other contagious organisms. We also offer advanced testing to detect the presence of parasites before eggs are shed. We recommend at least twice a year testing since parasites are everywhere and can infect people too. All it takes is a small fresh stool sample and our lab tests do the rest.

Common intestinal parasites:

Hookworms

Roundworms

Tapeworms

Whipworms

Coccidia

Giardia

What is lurking on the inside of the body may not show on the outside. Blood tests give us a look at blood cells, metabolic systems, and organ enzymes. A Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC) and Chemistry are recommended at least yearly as part of early disease detection. It is always better to intervene as early as possible if an illness is present.

Blood Panels can detect:

Anemia

Immune Changes

Liver Disease

Kidney Disease

Metabolic Conditions

Diabetes

How often do you really see the urine of your pet? Urine changes can be subtle and do not always result in a behavior change. Routine urine analysis (U/A), especially for aging pets, is part of early disease detection of the urinary tract.

Urinalysis can detect:

Infection

Inflammation

Crystals

Kidney Changes

Can you imagine having living worms inside your heart?! Heartworm disease is a silent killer. Spread by mosquitoes, heartworms are very common in our area.

Annual testing for dogs is recommended to catch infections even if on preventative medication. After collecting a small sample of blood we conduct two tests. We check for the antigen of adult worms and microfilaria or babies.

Ticks are not only gross but can spread diseases. All it takes is one tick bite to transmit Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. Knowing exposure to these pathogens can help us keep your pup healthy.

Tick-Borne disease testing is usually combined with the annual heartworm test. Combining the tests, known as 4Dx testing, is quick, affordable, and only takes a small blood sample.

The combo test specifically for cats, detects the Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Both viruses are contagious between cats and attack the immune system causing sometimes fatal illnesses. We consider this screening test essential for kittens, cats with unknown health history, and high-risk life-styles. Think those rough and tough outdoor kitties. It only takes 10 minutes to get in-clinic results.