Urinalysis & Fecal Exams
Urinalysis & Fecal Exams is a routine test that reports the physical and chemical properties of urine. It is used mainly to assess the health of the kidneys and urinary system, but it can also reveal problems in other organ systems, and is important for diagnosing metabolic disease such as diabetes mellitus. It is a valuable test in both healthy and sick animals and should be included in any comprehensive evaluation of a pet's health.
Fecal Exams - Fecal exams are typically recommended to be done annually. However, this can also depend on your dog’s lifestyle and overall health. We will generally recommend a fecal if your dog has diarrhea, bloody stool, is losing weight, scooting or you suspect a parasitic infection. For conditions such as giardia and coccidia infections, repeat fecals are sometimes recommended to determine if treatment was successful.
Fecal testing is also recommended to detect parasitic infections as well as viral or bacterial infections and to look for signs of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Why are fecal examinations required yearly?
Fecal material is examined both grossly and microscopically. Gross examination of feces involves looking at the texture, color, and presence of blood or adult worms. Microscopic examination allows us to see eggs of internal parasites such as roundworm or tapeworm. It is possible for dogs to carry these parasites without any clinical signs. It is especially important to run this test when there are clinical signs (diarrhea, bloated stomach), which can rule out parasites as being the cause. Unfortunately, due to the life cycle of some parasites, we can miss seeing evidence of them on fecal analysis. We strongly recommend regular deworming as a preventative for this reason, especially if your dog’s lifestyle puts them at a higher risk
If my dog’s urine test reveals a urinary tract infection, what can I do?
If your dog has been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection we may recommend further testing to determine the best choice of antibiotic. A simple urinary tract infection will likely respond to a broad-spectrum antibiotic, whereas a complicated urinary tract infection (due to bladder stones or tumors) will not resolve after a single treatment and will most likely require further diagnostics.
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