Laboratory Services

Blood tests/chemistries
Urinalysis
Fecal exams

We recommend and perform 4DX ( Heartworm, Lyme, Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis ) FeLV/FIV, and Heartworm only tests. We also have the capability of performing various blood chemistries on our in house lab analyzer.

Blood chemistries

Blood tests help doctors determine causes of illness accurately, safely and quickly. These tests also let us monitor the progress of medical treatments. The documents below list some common blood serum tests for cats and dogs which evaluate organ function, electrolyte status, hormone levels and more. They are important for evaluating older pets, pets with vomiting and diarrhea or toxin exposure, pets receiving long-term medications and health before anesthesia. These tests are sent overnight to Antech or Idexx diagnostic laboratories and the results are faxed back to us.

Superchem/CBC - canine panel

Superchem/CBC/T4/FeLV/FIV - feline panel

Urinalysis

In-hospital urinalyses are performed to provide information about the basic properties of a urine sample and aid in diagnosis.
First, we note the color and appearance of a sample. Next, we measure the pH and concentration, check for glucose, protein, the presence of blood and more. In addition, we centrifuge, or spin down the urine and view the sediment stained or unstained under the microscope. In the sediment we look for red blood cells, white blood cells, crystals, casts and bacteria.

Urine samples may be sent out to Antech diagnostic labs for a more in depth analysis or for culture to determine antibiotic sensitivity (need sterile sample).

If you think your pet may have an infection or if your veterinarian requests a urine sample there are a few ways to provide one:

"Free-catch" method (dogs) - Using a clean container from your house you catch a sample while your pet is urinating. It's best to drop the sample off for urinalysis right away, but if you can't you should put it in the refrigerator and drop it off as soon as possible.

Lab litter (cats) - Getting a urine sample from a cat at home can be challenging, but it isn't impossible. Lab litter is a small jar of inert pellets that can be used to replace kitty litter and collect a sample without affecting the results of a urinalysis. This method allows the cat to behave normally in its litter box and lets us get a urine sample non-invasely. Sometimes just using some shredded newspaper is okay as long as the newspaper doesn't absorb all the urine and enough is left in the bottom of the box for sampling. Most cats just need something to push around in the litter box so they can follow their routine. It can't hurt to try this method first, but if it doesn't work most veterinarians have Lab litter on hand.

Off the floor method - Sometimes a problem is only suspected when a pet begins to urinate in "strange" places, such as outside the litter box for cats or in the house for dogs. Th is provides an opportunity to collect a urine sample (oral syringe or something similar) and drop it off for analysis. This definitely isn't the preferred collection method but when all else fails, we take what we can get.

Cystocentesis - If you cannot obtain a urine sample from your pet or if they need a urine culture, then we will get a sample at the clinic. If your pet's bladder is full enough (morning is usually the best time), we can use a syringe to extract urine directly from the bladder. This method gives us a sterile urine sample quickly with the least discomfort for our patient.

Fecal exams

Fecal floatation exams are recommended at least annually to check for evidence of intestinal parasites in cats and dogs. We recommend fecal exams more frequently if you know your pet hunts and eats wild animals or if they eat the feces of other animals. It is important to keep in mind that some intestinal parasites are transmissible to humans, especially if you have small children. Transmission is typically fecal-oral and contaminated soil is a common source of infection (cover your sandboxes).

At WHVC we perform most fecal exams in-hospital. A fresh fecal sample is mixed with a Zinc Sulfate solution in a special collection/floatation container. Next, the container is filled to the top with the solution until the surface tension is the only thing keeping it from spilling over the sides. Then we place a microscope slide cover slip on top and set a timer for fifteen minutes. During this time, parasite eggs float upward in the Zinc Sulfate solution and attach to the cover slip. When the floatation is complete we carefully remove the cover slip, apply it to a slide and view it under the microscope to check for some common parasite eggs (not tapeworms).
A negative fecal exam doesn't mean that your pet doesn't have parasites, but that no eggs were seen in the sample. Sometimes multiple fecal exams need to be run to diagnose parasites that aren't shed in the feces continuously.

Internal Parasites

Dogs and cats can become hosts to many intestinal parasites and a few general statements apply to all parasitic infections:

• All deworming medicines are poisonous to some extent and should only be used as needed and under proper conditions.

• At this time there is not one dewormer that can eliminate all species of parasites.

• Diagnosis is usually made from a fresh stool sample (passed within 12 hours), or by seeing worms or segments (tapeworms) in stool.

• Most puppies and kittens are infected before birth and for this reason they will need deworming starting at six weeks of age. If hookworms are suspected, stools should be checked starting as early as two to three weeks of age.

• Sometimes for a heavy parasitic infection, three or even four treatments may be necessary to eliminate the parasite.

The following is a description of common intestinal parasites that affect dogs and cats, their symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and human transmission.

Roundworms

This is a common worm of puppies and kittens but can be seen in any age dog or cat. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic exam of the feces or from a description of the worm if it is seen in the stool or in vomit. Treatment is an oral medication, usually Strongid, given at two-week intervals. Symptoms can vary from none to vomiting and diarrhea as well as abdominal swelling. Transmission to adult dogs and to cats is fecal-oral, usually by infected feces contaminating the yard. Prevention is accomplished by isolating your pet from infected feces of other animals, keeping the yard clean and for dogs using heartworm preventatives that also prevent roundworm infection. Transmission to humans is rare; young children can develop "visceral larval migrans" by eating dirt contaminated with feces (cover sandboxes!).

Hookworms

This is another common worm of puppies and kittens but is seen with equal frequency in adults. The adults live in the small intestine and suck blood from their host, which can cause a severe anemia. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic exam of your pet's stool. Treatment is an oral medication, an injection or both. This is repeated two weeks later. Symptoms may be absent or can include blood in the stool (dark, tar-colored stool) and diarrhea. Severe cases may need a transfusion and hospitalization. Transmission to adults occurs by larvae-infected feces contaminating the grass or soil. These larvae can be ingested or may even penetrate the skin and attempt to migrate to the small intestine, possibly ending up in the lungs. Prevention requires that the pet be kept away from contaminated areas and that dogs be kept on heartworm meds that include intestinal parasite protection. Hookworms can also be passed to unborn pups from their mother. Transmission to humans is uncommon but when it occurs it's usually in the form of skin lesions.

Whipworms

This worm only affects dogs. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic exam of the feces. Eggs from this parasite pass intermittently, however, so it may be necessary to check multiple fecals before a diagnosis is made. Treatment is an oral or injectable medication given at three-week intervals for several treatments, depending on the severity of the infection. Symptoms vary from none to a severe diarrhea, vomiting and marked weight loss. Some dogs require hospitalization for treatment of dehydration, malnutrition and infection. Dogs should be kept on a heartworm preventative that also protects them from intestinal parasites (Sentinel). There is no human transmission.

Tapeworms

This common worm affects both dogs and cats. Trans-mission occurs when your dog or cat ingests a flea. The intermediate form of the tapeworm is inside the flea's body and it then attaches to the intestine and begins to grow "segments". In about three weeks, these segments begin to pass in the stool. They are approximately ¼ to ½ an inch long, flat and white. After a short time exposed to the air, they dry up and look like a small, flat yellow seed or a piece of rice. Diagnosis is made from seeing these segments on the stool or on the pet's back end rather than a microscopic fecal exam. Treatment is either by oral tablets or by an injection. The tapeworm medication kills existing tapeworms but it does not prevent future infection. The only prevention is strict flea control. There is no direct transmission from dog or cat to a human.

Giardia

This is not a worm but a very tiny single-celled parasite called a protozoan that can live in the intestines of dogs, cats and humans. The organism lives in moist to wet areas and is most commonly seen in dogs coming out of kennel-type situations (shelters). Not all animals exhibit symptoms but they may include intermittent or continuous diarrhea, weight loss, depression and loss of appetite. Diagnosis is made from a very fresh fecal specimen collected at the clinic for the best results. A surprising number of animals are "occult", meaning that they are infected but are negative on these tests, even with multiple examinations. As a result, this parasite is often treated without a confirming diagnosis. Treatment is an oral medication administered at home, usually Flagyl. Prevention involves careful disposal of all fecal material and disinfecting contaminated areas with dilute chlorine bleach. Humans can become infected with Giardia so special care must be taken to wash hands and utensils.

Coccidia

This is also a protozoan parasite, most often seen in puppies, kittens and debilitated adults. Transmission occurs by ingesting the infective stage of the parasite, usually in contaminated soil. It then reproduces in the intestinal tract, causing no symptoms in mild cases and bloody diarrhea in severely affected pets. Diagnosis is made from a microscopic exam of a fresh stool sample and sometimes several samples need to be examined to visualize the oocysts and confirm infection. Treatment varies greatly. Animals showing no signs of illness are often not treated because a mild case is often self-limiting. Pets with diarrhea are treated at home with an oral medication. Severely affected animals may need hospitalization. Prevention involves disposal of all stools and cleaning the pet's living area. Human transmission is uncommon but possible.