Veterinary Diagnostic Services

Ocular Tonometry

Ocular tonometry is the measurement of pressure within your pet's eyeball. The tonometer is the device used to measure this pressure. Glaucoma is the term that refers to increased pressure in the eyeball. It is an emergency situation, and if not treated immediately, can lead to blindness in your pet. In a healthy eye, an equilibrium exists between the amount of intraocular (within the eyeball) fluid produced and the amount of fluid removed. If fluid cannot be removed, pressure builds up within the eye. This elevated intraocular pressure (glaucoma) can cause permanent damage to the optic nerve, resulting in blindness. Maple Shade Animal Hospital in Dale City, VA is proud to offer your pet advanced ocular tonometry testing in order to prevent damage to the eye.

In-House Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

At Maple Shade Animal Hospital, your pet has access to an in-house diagnostic laboratory capable of performing numerous blood tests and other procedures. A general blood panel is an additional tool available to evaluate the function of the organs and systems mentioned above. It evaluates the liver, kidneys, immune system, hematopoietic (red and white blood cells) system, some hormonal systems, as well as the electrolyte balance. Blood work is very important to establish a baseline of normal health for your dog or cat; it also helps detect problems at an early stage.

Abnormal values are often uncovered even when the exam is normal or when you do not anticipate any problems with your pet, such as low thyroid, early-stage kidney or liver disease, heartworms or mild anemia.

Yearly fecal exams are also very important for your dog or cat because they can uncover parasites that may not be causing a problem yet. Left untreated, these parasites can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting, anemia or malnutrition in your pet. Some fecal parasites may even be transmissible to humans.