Pet owner will take their pet to the vet to have their health checked, diagnose or treat a condition. The vet might recommend specific tests or procedures to ensure that your pet’s health is good. Preventive testing is the term for it.
The use of preventive tests assists in establishing the baseline of your pet that you can later compare with the future trials to see if there are any changes. It can also help you identify issues before they become full-fledged issues or emergencies, allowing your pet to live a long, healthy, and problem-free life.
Additionally, when veterinarians conduct this type of test at the point-of-care, the results are typically accessible before leaving the vet’s office.
What is point-of-care-testing?
Point-of-care testing is a preventative or diagnostic test performed and analyzed when your pet receives treatment, for example, at a veterinarian clinic. This kind of test typically provides results more quickly than traditional laboratory tests, allowing you to receive an answer or diagnosis and determine the next steps (such as additional tests and hospitalization or recommendation for further care or treatment) in the same visit to your vet.
According to research, you could detect underlying health issues and illnesses earlier by keeping track of your pet’s health by conducting regular preventative tests. For instance, in a case, during the study of 1197 preventive visits to cats, one-quarter of cats showed unusual results associated with serious health issues.
Thus, many cats showed results that were irregular that required further examination. Therefore, the only way to detect illnesses before they get serious is to conduct preventive laboratory tests. You can look into this link if you are searching for a neurosurgeon for your pet.
Common Veterinary Point-of-Care Tests
The types of tests your veterinarian may suggest for your pet are determined by your pet’s breed, age, and lifestyle. These are the most frequently requested diagnostic, preventive testing, or monitors that may be administered and evaluated at the vet using tests at the point-of-care:
Blood tests for Chemistry
These tests may give you information on your pet’s pancreas, kidney, liver, thyroid, intestine, and other body organ systems.
The biochemistry test is a standard test that examines different aspects:
- Blood glucose (looking for indicators of diabetes, Addison’s Disease, or liver problems)
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
- Creatinine (both of which are principally indicators of kidney health and renal function)
- Levels of protein in the blood (where the abnormalities may indicate liver dysfunction, inflammation, or even cancerous conditions)
- And certain liver enzymes (which in the event of anomaly could indicate various issues within the liver).
And other specific tests for viral diseases (FeLV and FIV, which are two fatal feline viruses). Also, look for heartworms or check for tick-borne illnesses.
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Hematology tests
It is also known as the Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC). It is a test that examines red blood cells and white blood cells, and platelets, and it is the most commonly used Hematology test. It aids the vet team in detecting diseases like anemia and leukemia and bleeding issues, blood clotting, and potential infections.
Urine examinations
Urine tests can be performed together with chemical blood tests to search for proteins, blood glucose, glucose, or other irregularities in urine. Additionally, it provides the vet team with information about how your pet’s kidneys function and other concerns like bacteria present in urine (which could indicate urinary tract infection).
The Advantages of Point-of-Care Testing
The advantage of POCT is the quick access to test results. Additionally, it demonstrates diagnostic accuracy, robust quality management, immediately acting on results, and changing operational processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Your pet’s tests, like dog ultrasound, are available for you to access that same day.
- You’ll be at peace knowing you will be able to detect any untreated disease earlier.
- When they see the issue in the early stages, you will be able to handle it quickly and with less stress for your pet.
- It usually reduces the amount you’ll need to invest in controlling the situation and keeping it the same over time.
It allows your veterinarian team to detect possible diseases or other issues that could arise in the future should they occur. Furthermore, your vet can utilize proactive testing to track your pet’s health and overall health in the event of a health issue.