Diagnostic Services

Our hospital offers a full in-house laboratory, as well as digital radiography and ultrasonography to help quickly diagnose your pet.

Laboratory Testing

Kings Highway Animal Clinic has a complete in-house laboratory, utilizing state of the art diagnostic equipment that is capable of obtaining vital information about your pet's health within minutes. Because animals generally cannot tell the veterinarian what may be wrong with them, bloodwork is often essential to understanding what might be going on beneath the surface.

With the help of our outside reference laboratory, we are also able to offer advanced diagnostic testing not available in-clinic for more complex illnesses and diagnoses.

In-House Testing

Early Detection Testing

​As our pets begin to age, age-specific testing can help detect disease early to keep your pet healthy. Routine testing can help detect illnesses before your pet begins showing symptoms, which leads to early treatment and can help prolong your pet's life.

Kings Highway Animal Clinic offers early detection blood panels that combine multiple tests to provide a comprehensive overview of your pet's health. Check out our Preventive Care Plans to learn more!

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Provides detailed information about various blood cells and platelets, and can reveal issues with hydration, anemia, bone marrow or immune system disorders, as well as infection and inflammation

Blood Chemistry

Chem panels test for various proteins and enzymes in the bloodstream that can indicate healthy or unhealthy organ function such as liver function and kidney function. Electrolytes can also be tested to check for dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can affect your pet's heart, nerve and other organ function.

Thyroid diseases and adrenal disorders can also be diagnosed and monitored with in-house chemistry testing.

Heartworm Testing

A heartworm test is a simple blood test that only requires a small blood sample from your pet. Heartworm testing should be performed annually, even when your pet is on prevention, to make sure the prevention program is working.

Urinalysis

  • A complete urinalysis consists of 3 parts:​
  • checking the color, turbidity, and the concentration of the urine
  • chemical analysis checking pH and for the presence of blood, protein, glucose and ketones
  • sediment analysis checking for the present of white blood cells, bacteria, and crystals

Fecal Testing

Fecal testing is used to identify intestinal parasite eggs such as hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, coccidia and giardia. We also routinely send out fecals to our outside reference laboratory, where they perform a more thorough check than we can typically perform in-clinic using advanced testing.

Cytology

Cytology is a study of cells under a microscope, used to identify bacteria and yeast in a particular sample, such as ears or skin. We use this regularly to help decide the most effective course of treatment for your pet.

Tick-borne Disease Testing

Ticks carry a host of harmful diseases that can affect your pet. A simple blood test can screen for:
  • Lyme Disease
  • Ehrlichia
  • Anaplasma

Radiology (X-Rays)

Kings Highway Animal Clinic offers high quality digital radiography. Digital radiography produces images that are clearer than traditional film radiographs. Digital radiography produces images within seconds, minimizing the stress on the patient while taking radiographs.

Digital radiographs also give us the ability to quickly and easily share images with other veterinarians. For complex cases, radiographs can be easily shared with surgeons or specialists.

What can be seen with x-rays?

X-rays are a useful tool to help diagnose many different conditions in pets, such as:
  • Possible broken bones
  • Joint conditions
  • Foreign objects
  • Tumors
  • Heart conditions
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Urinary issues

Ultrasonography

Why does my pet need an ultrasound?

Veterinary ultrasound is a useful tool in diagnosing and detecting illness in your pet. Ultrasound is a non-invasive, painless way to image your pet's internal organs without surgery. During an ultrasound, the veterinarian or ultrasonographer will examine internal organs for size, shape, texture and blood supply. Ultrasound is often used in combination with other diagnostics such as bloodwork and radiographs (xrays) to get a clear picture of your pet's organ function.

Some common reasons why your veterinarian may request an ultrasound exam of your pet include:
  • Abnormal bloodwork
  • Evaluate cardiac function (echocardiogram)
  • Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
  • Chronic weight loss
  • Urinary issues
  • Pregnancy
  • Cancer staging

In addition to having our own ultrasound unit in-hospital, we also utilize a mobile ultrasound consultation service called SonoVet.