Preparing for Your Pet’s Lab Visit
A quick guide to help you get the most accurate results from your pet’s testing.
🤔 Unsure which instructions apply? Contact us and we will guide you.
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- Lab Visit
Quick Reference Guide
Annual Bloodwork
- Fasting is ideal (OK if not fasted).
- DO NOT FAST if diabetic or pediatric (< 6 months)!
- Panels can include fecal/urine. Bring fresh fecal if possible (thimble size+). Try not to let pet urinate right before appointment.
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Heartworm Test
- No specific home preparation needed.
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Cushing’s Testing (LDDS/ACTH)
- Please fast unless instructed otherwise.
- Ensure proper medication timing (Vetoryl, insulin, etc) relative to blood sampling.
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Blood Glucose Curve
- Feed and give insulin at the usual time and dose.
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GI Blood Panel
- Must fast strictly for 8–12 hours.
- Add water okay to fasted 12 hours
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Ionized Calcium
- Fast before your appointment time.
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Phenobarbital Level
- No fasting or restrictive timing requirements.
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Canine Thyroid Monitoring
- Schedule precisely 4–6 hours after medication.
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Feline Thyroid Monitoring
- No prep needed but needs to be ON medication. Cannot test during a lapse.
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Spot Blood Glucose (on insulin)
- Schedule 6–8 hours after insulin administration.
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Vetoryl Monitoring
- Give medication accompanied with a small meal.
- Schedule clinic arrival 4–6 hours after dosing.
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Urinalysis
- First morning sample is helpful.
- No fasting required.
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Fructosamine
- No home fasting or setup required.
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Bile Acids Test
- Requires fasting.
- Timing and feeding metrics provided by our team.
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