Although taking a thorough medical history and performing a physical exam are important parts of establishing a diagnosis, the use of laboratory diagnostics is crucial to confirm and fine-tune the diagnosis and establish the most appropriate treatment plan.
Common diagnostics I offer in my practice include:
- Blood, fecal, and urine testing
- Skin scrape, impression smear, and culture
- Fluorescein eye stain, Schirmer Tear Test, and eye/respiratory tract culture/PCR testing
If more advanced diagnostics are needed, such as radiographs (x-ray), ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI then I refer my patients to veterinary specialists at Los Angeles-area speciality practices.
I share and explain my diagnostic findings in the post-consultation email summary generated each time I see my patients so that my clients can take their time in reviewing the results and don't have to simply rely upon their recollection of a conversation when making medical decisions about their pets’ care.