Some of the most common basic tests performed by a veterinarian, veterinary technician, or laboratory personnel are discussed below. Tests may be performed at your veterinarian’s clinic, or samples may be sent out to a laboratory.
When you have a health problem, your doctor may order blood tests, imaging, or other tests to help pinpoint the cause of the problem. When your pet has a health problem, your veterinarian will often order similar tests to determine the cause and seriousness of your pet’s condition. Depending on the tests needed and the facilities ava
Injury or death of a pet due to high-voltage electrical currents may be the result of lightning, fallen transmission wires, faulty electrical circuits, or chewing on an electrical cord. Lightning strike is seasonal and happens in areas where thunderstorms occur.
Wounds are cuts, tears, burns, breaks, or other damage to living tissue. Wounds are often classified as clean, contaminated, or infected. Clean wounds are those created under sterile conditions, such as surgical incisions. The number of bacteria present determine
A healthy animal lives in harmony with many microorganisms that establish themselves on or in the body. The microorganisms that usually live on or in a particular body site are called the resident flora (or microbiota). The resident flora at each site include sev
Several steps help protect animals against infection. Sometimes, antibiotics are administered to prevent an infection from developing. This preventive measure is called prophylaxis. Many healthy animals that undergo certain types of surgery, such as intestinal su
Many diseases, drugs, and other treatments can cause the body’s natural defenses to break down. Such a breakdown can lead to infections, even by microorganisms that normally live harmlessly on or in the body. For example, the risk of infection is greatly increase