What Your Vet Means by “Routine Diagnostics”
When you go to the doctor, you likely know what to expect. A nurse or perhaps the doctor themself will take some measurements — maybe your height or weight — perhaps draw some blood, take your blood pressure, test your reflexes, and more.
It wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to you to go through the routine. After all, the doctor’s simply trying to make sure that everything is where it should be, and that nothing seems out of the ordinary when it comes to your baseline health or vital signs. It’s more or less the same situation when you bring your pet to a veterinarian’s office — the vet is going to check everything out, and if there’s something worth exploring a bit more, they’ll order some tests or dig a little deeper, so to speak.
That’s generally what we call “routine diagnostics,” and as the name suggests, they are diagnostic tests that are, well, routine.
Routine diagnostics at the vet
If your doctor thought that your blood pressure was high, they may order a routine diagnostic test, such as a blood test, to check out your cholesterol levels. Again, that’s not really out of the ordinary, and is a fairly common procedure or test.
It’s a similar dynamic at a veterinary office. If the vet thinks that there’s something going on with your dog or cat that’s worth exploring a little more, they’ll order some routine diagnostic tests. These could include, but are not limited to:
Lab tests (of many types)
Radiology
Ultrasounds
Echocardiograms
Blood tests
You likely wouldn’t be terribly concerned if a doctor orders one of these types of diagnostic tests. And you shouldn’t be. They’re common. It’s not necessarily a sign that anything is wrong, either. These tests are simply trying to get a look at what’s going on beneath the surface, either to identify an existing issue, or to get a sense of when or if something could become an issue. Remember, getting out ahead of health problems, both for people and pets, is the most effective way to treat just about anything.
Veterinary diagnostic strategies and more
There are myriad diagnostic tests, plans, and panels that are used by veterinarians across the world. Since each and every animal is different, too, what, if any, tests your dog or cat end up experiencing will be up to your individual veterinarian — only they can make an accurate call as to what might or might not be needed.
The big question for many pet owners, however, is this: Should you be worried about your pet if a veterinarian orders diagnostic tests?
While it’s completely understandable to be concerned about your pet’s health, you typically shouldn’t stress about it. Again, you wouldn’t worry too much about your doctor ordering a blood test, unless something was clearly and evidently wrong with your health. So, you shouldn’t lose sleep if a vet orders a blood test for your dog, either.
They’re called “routine” for a reason — they’re common, useful, and can help stave off health problems for pets in the future.
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