What does fever of unknown origin mean? This is a term that is generally used to refer to a persistent fever of greater than 39.7 °C, for which the underlying cause is not readily evident. What might be the underlying cause of such a fever? Causes of fever are numerous. Possibilities … [Read more...]
Testing For Patients Who Have Diarrhea
December 9, 2011 by
What are the causes of diarrhea? Many different diseases and conditions may result in diarrhea. The frequency, urgency, and physical characteristics of the diarrhea, along with a history and other clinical signs that your pet is exhibiting may provide some clues to its cause. For example, … [Read more...]
Testing For Patients Who Are Urinating Inappropriately
December 9, 2011 by
My pet is urinating on the floor! What might be causing my pet to lose his house-training? The causes of inappropriate urination include diseases (infections, tumors) affecting the kidneys, bladder and genital tract, endocrine diseases such as diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, Cushing's … [Read more...]
Testing For Patients Who Are Sneezing Or Have Nasal Discharge
December 9, 2011 by
What are the causes of nasal discharge and sneezing? Although these two clinical signs may not always appear together, both are associated with disorders affecting the nasal cavity and/or nasal sinuses. While occasional sneezing is perfectly normal, repeated bouts of vigorous sneezing may indicate … [Read more...]
Testing For Increased Thirst And Urination
December 9, 2011 by
What are the causes of increased thirst and urination? These clinical signs are non-specific and can be caused by many different diseases or conditions. Usually it is the production of excess, dilute urine that results in a compensatory increase in water consumption, but occasionally the condition … [Read more...]
Early Renal Disease Testing (Erd) Microalbuminuria In Dogs
December 9, 2011 by
What is microalbuminuria? Albumin is an important protein that is found in blood, but is not normally present in the urine of healthy pets. Microalbuminuria refers to the presence of small amounts of albumin in urine (“micro” = small amount, “uria” = present in urine). Finding small amounts … [Read more...]
Early Renal Disease Testing (Erd) Microalbuminuria In Cats
December 9, 2011 by
What is microalbuminuria? Albumin is an important protein that is found in the blood stream but is not normally present in the urine of healthy pets. Microalbuminuria refers to the presence of small amounts of albumin in urine (“micro” = small amount, “uria” = present in urine). Finding … [Read more...]
The Dna-Pcr Test
December 9, 2011 by
What is DNA? Sometimes called the “blue print of life”, DNA is a complex protein that carries the genetic code of an organism. All common forms of life, such as viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals carry a complete copy of their own DNA in each of their cells. Many related organisms have … [Read more...]
Dexamethasone Suppression Tests
December 9, 2011 by
What is the dexamethasone suppression test used for? There are two tests that use dexamethasone (a synthetic cortisol) for diagnosing Cushing’s disease or Cushing’s syndrome-- a “LOW DOSE” and a “HIGH DOSE” test. The low dose dexamethasone suppression test can be used to screen for the … [Read more...]
Cytology – Fine Needle Aspiration
December 9, 2011 by
What is cytology? Cytology is the microscopic examination of cells that have been collected from the body. By examining the appearance of these cells, including their number, size, shape, color, internal characteristics, and how they fit together with their neighbors, it is often … [Read more...]
