Lab Services
Once the veterinarian has completed their examination of a sick patient, they may perform a variety of blood tests to further diagnose the patient’s overall health. Fourth Line Animal Hospital has an in-house laboratory, where they can complete a variety of blood tests. The in-house lab has become more reserved for emergency situations where the results are needed immediately. It is a more expensive route, so most blood samples are sent out to a third party lab. We also will use this in house lab equipment to perform pre-anesthetic bloodwork before preforming surgeries, This bloodwork will specifically be completed for more minor surgeries, such as spay and neuter procedures. This will reassure the veterinarian that all organs are functioning properly and that it is safe to put the animal under anesthetic.
Simple fecal tests are requested once per year at the time of vaccinations and are performed in-house to make sure your pet does not become a source of infection to your family. These fecal tests will test for any gastrointestinal parasites.
Heart worm testing is performed in the spring time starting in March. A simple blood test is required to detect an antigen of the heartworm that may be present in the heart. If your dog’s heartworm results are negative, they can then be started on heart worm preventative medication during the mosquito season. If your pet tests positive, then your pet should be treated first. This test is commonly combined with our wellness bloodwork testing, which gives the veterinarian an overall look at at a more in-depth diagnosis of the health of your pet!