We have invested in multiple machines so we can perform tests in house and have results within minutes! This means we can diagnose conditions quickly and start treatment as soon as possible. We are also able to monitor long term conditions and medication levels. 

 

• Haematology – gives information on a pet’s blood cells. This can be useful as a screening test in many different situations, e.g., the white blood cell (WBC) count can indicate a response to infection and the haematocrit (HCT) can indicate the presence of anaemia.

 

• Biochemistry – is a blood test used to evaluate the functional capacity of several critical organs and systems, such as the liver and kidneys. It can be used to diagnose disorders such as diabetes, kidney disease and bile duct obstruction. 

 

• Electrolytes - an electrolyte test can help determine whether there is an electrolyte imbalance in the body. Electrolytes are salts and minerals, such as sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate, which are found in the blood. They can be affected by conditions such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and Addison’s disease. 

 

• Pre-op Bloods – this is a screening test that we can perform before your pet has an anaesthetic. Certain diseases are not detectable on routine examination, so this test helps us to check your pet’s liver and kidney function, look for anaemia (low red blood cells) and evidence of dehydration (high red blood cell count and high total protein levels). The result of this test may alter our treatment plan, for example delay surgery or add in intravenous fluid therapy. The test is usually performed on the morning of the procedure, our vet will call you if there are any abnormalities. 

 

• Thyroid – we can test Thyroxine (T4), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Cholesterol in dogs to diagnose hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) and T4 alone to diagnose hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in cats. 

 

• Phenobarbitol monitoring – we can check serum phenobarbital levels to check your pet is sitting within the therapeutic range. We can combine this with biochemistry to check for liver damage.  

 

• C-Reactive Protein - is a blood test marker for inflammation in the body. CRP is produced in the liver and its level is measured by testing the blood. It can be used for monitoring chronic inflammatory diseases such as immune mediated arthritis. 

 

• Pancreatitis – is inflammation of the pancreas, which causes pain and vomiting. Pancreatitis ranges from mild to very severe. Treatment involves nursing, pain relief, anti-sickness medication and intravenous fluid therapy. We can have the results of this test within 10 minutes so we can start treatment straight away. 

 

• Cortisol – we can measure your pet’s steroid level to diagnose Cushing’s and Addison’s disease. 

 

• Progesterone – we have invested in an in-house progesterone analyser so we can give you same day results for accurate breeding times. We can also use this test to determine the time of whelping so we can make safer decisions regarding the timing of caesarean sections. To protect breed health and welfare we require Bracycephalic breeds to have completed breed health testing before we perform progesterone tests for breeding.

 

• Urinalysis - is a routine test that reports the physical and chemical properties of urine. It is used mainly to assess the health of the kidneys and urinary system, but it can also reveal problems in other organ systems and is important for diagnosing metabolic disease such as diabetes mellitus. 

 

• Microscopy - helps to view samples that cannot be seen with the unaided eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). We use our microscope to analyse urine sediment, blood smears and skin scrapes for parasites such as demodex!

 

• External Lab – for any tests that we cannot perform in house we have a courier to collect our samples and take them to an external lab, we usually receive results within 3-10 days.