Pet Diagnostics for Dogs and Cats in Surrey
Pet diagnostics are the laboratory tests and imaging used to work out what is causing a dog or cat’s symptoms. Common tools include a complete blood count, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, faecal testing, digital radiography, and abdominal ultrasound. Results guide the care plan and provide a baseline for comparison at future visits.
Pet Diagnostics in Our In-House Laboratory in Surrey
Having our own laboratory on site changes how quickly we can act. A complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel together show red and white cells, organ function, blood sugar, and hydration, and for most patients those numbers are back within the appointment.
Urine and faecal testing
A urinalysis says a great deal about kidney function, urinary infection, and crystals, and a urine culture identifies exactly which bacteria are involved. Faecal testing checks for intestinal parasites that produce no outward signs.
Screening tests
Rapid in-clinic screening covers heartworm and tick-borne exposure, and feline screening for FeLV and FIV. Antibody titre testing is available where a client wants to check existing protection before a booster.
Digital X-Rays for Dogs and Cats in Surrey
Digital radiography shows bone, chest, and abdominal structures in seconds, with far less radiation than older film systems and an image we can enlarge on screen. It is how we assess fractures, joint changes, bladder stones, and the size of the heart and lungs.
X-rays are also the first step when a pet may have swallowed something it should not have, and the image often settles the question immediately. Not everything shows up, though. Cloth, plastic, and string are frequently invisible on radiographs, so a clear image does not always mean a clear abdomen, and ultrasound or a repeat view a few hours later may still be needed.
Ultrasound Imaging in Surrey
Ultrasound shows soft tissue in a way radiography cannot. An abdominal ultrasound lets us look at the structure of the liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, and intestinal wall in real time, which is particularly useful for pets with ongoing vomiting, weight loss, or abnormal blood results.
It is non-invasive and does not usually require anaesthesia, though some patients are given mild sedation simply so they can lie still and comfortably. Where a case points towards the heart, we arrange echocardiography through our specialist referral partners.
Cytology and Sampling in Surrey
Where there is a lump, a skin problem, or an ear issue, a sample usually tells us more than appearance ever could. A fine needle aspirate takes cells from a mass with a very fine needle, often without sedation, and cytology examines them under the microscope.
Skin and ear cytology shows whether yeast, bacteria, or mites are present, which directs the care plan precisely rather than by trial and error. Where a fuller answer is needed, a biopsy sample can be sent for laboratory analysis.
Pre-Anaesthetic Testing in Surrey
Before any patient goes under general anaesthesia, we recommend bloodwork. It is not a formality.
A pre-anaesthetic panel checks kidney and liver function, red cell count, protein levels, and blood sugar, because those are the systems that process anaesthetic agents and maintain blood pressure during a procedure. A result outside the expected range does not necessarily cancel anything. More often it changes the protocol, the fluid plan, or the monitoring, and occasionally it uncovers a condition nobody suspected in an animal booked for a routine dental.
In older patients we usually add a urinalysis, because early kidney change shows in urine before it shows in blood.
What Happens to a Sample After We Take It in Surrey
Most samples never leave the building. Blood panels, urinalysis, cytology, faecal testing, and rapid screening tests are run on our own equipment, which is why results are usually discussed with you during the same appointment.
Some samples do go out. Biopsies, histopathology, cultures that need time to grow, and specialised endocrine panels go to an external veterinary laboratory and typically take a few days. We call you with the result rather than waiting for you to chase it, and anything abnormal that needs acting on reaches you promptly rather than at your next visit.
Reading Results With You in Surrey
A page of numbers with a few values flagged in bold is not an answer, and it is not much comfort either.
We will go through what each relevant value measures, which of the flagged ones actually matter for your pet, and which are mildly out of range in a way that means very little on its own. Context does most of the work here: a result has to be read against your pet’s age, breed, history, and what you are seeing at home. We are glad to print a copy for you, and equally glad to forward results to another clinic or a specialist if you would like a second opinion.
Why Baseline Results Matter in Surrey
A single set of numbers tells us whether a value sits inside the normal range. Two sets, taken a year apart, tell us the direction a patient is moving in, which is far more useful. This is why we suggest annual blood work for senior pets even when nothing seems wrong, and why families across Surrey, including Newton, often find a kidney or thyroid change early enough to manage it well.
It also means a result near the edge of normal is interpretable rather than alarming. For an animal whose figures we already know, a small shift is information. For a first-time patient, the same figure tells us very little on its own.
Good to know
Questions Surrey Pet Owners Ask Us
How long do test results take?
When should my dog be tested for heartworm?
What is a titre test and does my pet need one?
Does my pet need to be sedated for an ultrasound?
Why do you want blood work when my pet seems healthy?
