Pathology

Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of waiting for results. When it’s an emergency, when we have a concerned pet-parent, we need answers and we need them promptly. That’s why the hospital has a fully equipped, modern laboratory on site. Only occasionally, when specialist testing is required, will a sample need to be sent to an external laboratory for testing.

Blood Testing

Blood can be collected from multiple sites on your pet. The most common site of blood collection is the jugular vein in the neck – surprisingly many pets are quite tolerating of having blood drawn from this area. If for some reason this area is inaccessible, blood can also be sampled from the cephalic vein on the arm, or the saphenous vein on the leg. Our pathology suite is able to perform a huge variety of tests, from basic blood counts through to hormone assays. For the most part, results are usually available in less than 30 minutes. This means that we get answers quickly to get your pet the support and treatment they need.

Urine Testing

Sometimes, we are able to use urine that has been caught during the walk, however other times we may have to collect a sterile sample. This involves clipping the fur on the tummy, and under ultrasound guidance, introducing a fine needle through the body wall directly into the bladder. Sometimes there are a lot of golden solutions to be found in a humble jar of wee. We will often test a patient’s urine looking for infection, signs of diabetes and sand crystals. All of these can be performed on-site, and within 10 minutes of urine being collected.

Tissue Testing

Does your pet have a rash? Does your pet have a lump? Does your pet have fluid on their chest? These are some examples of times that your veterinarian will be interested in testing your pet’s cells. We collect a sample from the area of interest, apply special stains and your clinician will examine the samples under the microscope. The results available in minutes, meaning we can quickly move to the next phase of therapy.

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