Elizabeth Animal Hospital | Our Diagnostic Services

Fecal Analysis and Tests

Because you can contract certain parasites from your pets, routine fecal parasite exams are highly recommended. All of these tests are particularly important when faced with chronic diarrhea. The results will help your pet receive the appropriate treatment.

Fecal Parasite Exam—direct and indirect

Parvo Test

Giardia Test


Elizabeth Animal Hospital In-House Laboratory
Laboratory testing is one of the most important diagnostic tools for both detecting and diagnosing illness in your pets. Technological advances have made possible an incredible inventory of in-house testing possibilities. Elizabeth Animal Hospital has extensive lab equipment and trained staff to provide results as quickly as available. We take every advantage of in-house technology and provide the best care that it makes possible.
Our in-house tests include:


Blood Tests
	•	Complete Blood Count	•	Electrolytes
	•	General Health Profile	•	Kidney Panel
	•	Pre-anesthetic Panel	•	Heartworm/Ehrlichia/Lyme Diseases
	•	NSAID Panels (for therapeutic drug monitoring)
	•	Feline leukemia (FeLV)/Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)


The Pre-Anesthetic Panel along with electrolytes and a complete blood count are recommended prior to routine surgery, such as spays and neuters. It provides safe anesthesia for your pets by screening for underlying diseases or illness.
The General Health Profile is the most comprehensive panel for use in establishing baselines, screening senior pets and evaluating sick animals. We recommend it be run on all clinically ill patients to help target the causes of common presenting signs.
Complete Blood Counts help screen for anemia, infection, and dehydration. Microscopic exam of a blood film is always performed along with the blood counts to look for blood cell abnormalities and blood parasites.
NSAID Panels (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and Kidney Panels are used for therapeutic drug monitoring and treatment monitoring.
We also use Idexx, an outside reference lab, for expanded testing. They offer daily pickup and very fast turnaround time for results. We include the cost of Idexx panels in all of our Dental Procedures and Orthopedic Surgeries.


Other
These are microscopic exams that involve careful sampling and interpretation by the veterinarians and trained staff at Elizabeth Animal Hospital.
	•	Urinalysis	•	Lump aspirates	•	Vaginal smears
	•	Skin scrapings	•	Ear swabs	•	Semen analysis

A cat-blood smear showing red blood cells and purple-stained white blood cells.


Ultrasound
Ultrasound for your pets can be used as a diagnostic tool by itself or in addition to X-rays. In the case of abdominal masses, we can use the ultrasound machine to get a closer look.
Ultrasound is also used to help in confirming pregnancy by locating the presence of follicles at around four weeks after breeding. It can be used near the delivery (whelping) date to determine heart rates and evaluate fetal stress and health.
Ultrasound can help in evaluating tendon and ligament injuries, and looking at the liver, spleen, kidneys and urinary bladder. When it is important to obtain a sterile urine sample, an ultrasound can be used to locate the urinary bladder and very accurately guide a special (cystocentesis) needle to obtain the sample.

Charlie (as in Chaplin) came into our hospital for a urinalysis and underwent a ultrasound-guided cystocentesis.


X-Rays
Radiographs or X-rays for your pet are used to diagnose a variety of bone and soft tissue conditions. We commonly take X-rays for animals exhibiting lameness or to evaluate arthritic conditions. In the case of an accident or acute injury, X-rays are obtained to look at bone fractures and soft tissue trauma. We have a new X-ray machine and processor that helps us get the best films for the most accurate diagnosis.
We also commonly use X-rays to look for thoracic (chest) and abdominal (stomach) abnormalities or masses. Dogs and cats with heart and lung conditions are screened on a regular basis to look for signs of progression of disease (e.g., congestive heart failure). If we find an abnormal mass during our physical exam, we will check X-rays to help diagnose the condition. In the case of an abdominal mass, we can use the ultrasound machine to get a closer look.
A frequent use of X-rays is to screen purebred dogs for hip and elbow dysplasia. The X-ray films are sent to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) and compared to the other dogs of the same breed. We see a large number of working and sporting dogs at Elizabeth Animal Hospital and perform OFA X-rays regularly for those breeds of dog. Dogs exhibiting abnormal films can then be removed from the breeding pool by spay or neuter. In this way, we try to reduce the incidence of these crippling conditions in dogs.
When an animal is suspected of having an intestinal obstruction, one of the most critical diagnostic tools is a barium study. The pet is given oral barium that shows up white on an X-ray. Multiple X-rays are taken over time to monitor the flow of barium through the digestive tract and locate the obstruction in the intestines. Then surgery is performed to remove the obstruction. You would be amazed at what has been taken out of the intestines of dogs and cats. Why would they swallow these foreign objects?

we have a state-of-the-art x-ray facility

Dr. Anderson (left) and Dr. Morris (right) are examining the X-ray of a dog's leg that was taken in our state-of-the-art facility by one of our highly-qualified certified veterinary technicians.