We've all heard that "one year of a dog's life is like 7 human years".  Although this statement isn't exactly true, our pets do age much faster than us. In terms of physical breakdown, a 7-year-old dog is similar to a 44-56 yr old human. A 7 year-old cat is similar to a 40-45 yr old human.

Your pet can't communicate verbally, though, and often may show no signs when something is wrong. Diseases such as kidney disease and liver disease may have no symptoms until advanced stages. Early detection of metabolic diseases such as diabetes is extremely important to protect your pet's health. All of these diseases are more easily treated in the early stages. With early detection and proper treatment, you can extend your pet's life span and improve the quality of life. Medical advancements enable us to diagnose potential diseases before they become a serious issue. With today's medical testing and technology, you can protect your pet's health like never before.

Several laboratory tests are available that can be performed to help diagnose these and other conditions. Some of the most common tests offered by our referral laboratory are:

Complete Blood Count- detects anemia, leukemia, infection and inflammation

Chemistry Profile- detects liver, kidney, pancreas, muscle and bone disorders

Fecal Exam- parasites such as worms, coccidia and giardia

Urinalysis- detects kidney disease, protein loss, & diabetes

Thyroid Function- hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism

FeLV/FIV- feline leukemia virus/feline AIDS virus (cats only)