FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR PET OWNERS

The law mandates animal sample analysis in veterinary laboratories. Although human labs offer high-quality analysis for human samples, they lack specialization in processing animal samples.

Advantages of veterinary labs include:

• Specialized equipment for analyzing animal samples.
• Veterinary doctors who understand, validate, and interpret your results.
• Reference values tailored to each animal species (pregnancy, age).
• Diverse specific analyses for quality veterinary diagnostics.
• Results designed for veterinary medicine.

Example:

Microbiological analysis done in a human lab provides an antibiogram with antibiotics meant for human treatment. In contrast, a veterinary lab offers an antibiogram with medications designed for animal treatment.

The sampling procedure is crucial for accurate results, whether it’s a swab, urine, blood, or stool sample. Your veterinarian is the most qualified person for sampling. They can choose the appropriate container for sampling based on the analysis required. It’s crucial that the sample reaches us in the right container, quantity, and uncontaminated.

Note: Certain analyses may require repeated sampling.

Veterinary labs worldwide practice profile analysis for a reason. Individual analysis often doesn’t reveal the root cause, leading to additional individual tests, consuming more time and money. Experience shows that although profile analysis may seem costlier initially, it’s more cost-effective than individual tests.

Example:

Opting for a Comprehensive Profile offers your vet a clearer picture of your pet’s health due to additional parameters. Individual blood tests often lack sufficient values to resolve issues adequately.

No. Sample collection is performed by veterinary colleagues at clinics and stations. We facilitate sample transport from vets to the lab through [service] to minimize your visits, saving time and money. Additionally, this is the most reliable sample transport method. If you don’t have a vet, find the nearest one via the provided link. If you opt to bring the sample yourself, visit us on weekdays from 9 am to 9 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

Unlike humans, animals often can’t indicate health issues. It might take time before we notice a problem. Therefore, preventive care in veterinary medicine is crucial. It involves annual check-ups and biannual check-ups for seniors. For this purpose, we recommend our SmartLAB General or General+ profiles.

Ensuring the animal hasn’t been on antibiotic therapy for at least 7 days is crucial. Administering antibiotics independently can compromise analysis results and subsequent treatment. Certain disinfectants and creams contain antibiotics, which owners might not be aware of. Inform your vet about any recent treatments (creams, tablets). Avoid using disinfectants before sampling to ensure accurate results.

For accurate blood test results, refrain from feeding your pet for 12 hours and limit water intake for at least 2 hours before sampling. Ensure your pet doesn’t eat anything outdoors during the process. Some analyses might require avoiding strenuous activities before sampling. Your vet can explain this further.

Since parasites are expelled periodically, submit three consecutive stool samples for analysis. Minimize additional contents like grass or litter in the sample. Collect at least half of the designated container. Ensure the sample is placed in the appropriate container. Consult your vet for storing and labeling samples.

Urine is crucial for lab diagnostics. For accurate results, collect mid-stream urine in a sterile container available from pharmacies. The required amount for analysis is at least half of the sterile container. Sometimes, multiple samples might be necessary due to variations in sample quality. Your vet can collect urine using a catheter or directly from the bladder in a standing position (cystocentesis), providing the highest quality sample.

For reliable results of progesterone levels in dogs, use validated methods. Results are obtainable within 24 hours.

Between 7 to 10 days after bleeding onset, draw blood for progesterone analysis, repeating every 2-3 days until reaching the desired level (above 5 ng/ml). Ovulation occurs within 24-48 hours when the progesterone value reaches around 5 ng/ml, indicating the ideal time for mating/fertilization.