Labwork

We emphasize the importance of ordering labwork once a year for puppies & kittens, and adult dogs & cats, and then twice a year for senior pets. Lab tests give doctors the opportunity to see how your pet is doing internally – are the kidneys okay? How are the thyroid levels? Is the diet providing enough nutrients? These are all aspects of your pet’s wellness care that cannot be determined by a physical exam alone. The labs we recommend for preventative wellness care are:

• Heartworm Test
• Fecal Check Workups
• Bloodwork Tests
• Cardiac Workup
• Urine Analysis
• Urine Culture

Heartworm Test

We require a Heartworm Test be completed yearly to obtain any heartworm medication prescriptions. Heartworms are spread by mosquitos, and treatment for a heartworm positive pet can be very costly and time consuming. By performing a yearly heartworm screening, we can see if your pet needs treatment or whether you are doing a good job administering preventative heartworm medications. We recommend your pet stay on a heartworm medication year round since mosquitos are capable of surviving year-round in Georgia.

Fecal Check Workups

A Fecal Check Workup consist of two labs that check the fecal for issues. These tests will look for parasitic intestinal worms, such as hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. It also looks for protozoan parasites called giardia or coccidia. Lastly, it looks for bacterial overgrowths that may cause stomach issues and diarrhea. We recommend this be done at your first vet visit, and again once you have completed all puppy or kitten vaccines. We also recommend this test be completed yearly with adult & senior dogs and cats during the yearly exam. We recommend your pet be given a dose of a de-wormer as a preventative at the yearly exam.

Bloodwork Tests

Bloodwork is an essential key to wellness and diagnostic care for your pet. It will help the vet see any progression of internal medical issues that they cannot physically see in an exam alone. There are two primary bloodwork tests we do for preventative wellness care.

• Basic Screening Bloodwork Package (for pets under 5 years old): this test show Complete Blood Count (CBC), Thyroid levels, blah blah blah blah balha bl.

• Comprehensive Bloodwork & Urine Package (for pets over 6 years old): This contains all of the same items as the Basic Screening but has a urinalysis added on to the package.

We recommend bloodwork to be performed once a year as adults. The Basic Screening Bloodwork Package is sufficient while your pet is in the adolescent and adult stages. We recommend all senior dogs have a “Comprehensive Bloodwork & Urinary Screening Package” be performed twice a year along with a Cardiac Workup.

Cardiac Workup

This type of labwork consists of a series of tests that are performed to find issues pertaining to the heart. Add more info

Urinary Tests

Urinary issues are very common in pets aver 1 year old. It is important to test the urine regularly to rule out Urinary Tract Infactions (UTI) or crystallization in the urine – both cause undue stress and pain on your pet. There are two primary urinary tests we recommend for preventative and illness care:

• Urinalysis: This test looks for any crystallization or imbalance in the urine.
• Urine Culture: this test looks for any type of bacterial overgrowth issues, which would be the cause of a UTI

These tests are generally not needed yearly under the age of 7. These are great tests to rule out illnesses, but once your pet is considered a senior, it is important to do these tests yearly.

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