Laboratory Services in Kendall, FL

Pre-surgical bloodwork checks organ function and overall health before anesthesia, since anesthesia puts extra demand on the liver and kidneys. If something unexpected shows up, we can adjust the anesthesia plan or delay the procedure, which is a much better outcome than discovering an issue mid-surgery.

For a stool sample, a small amount from a recent, fresh bowel movement in a clean container is enough — it doesn't need to be a large sample. For urine, catching a small amount mid-stream in a clean container works for most tests, though for certain results we may collect it directly at the clinic instead. We can walk you through it over the phone if you're not sure.

It depends on the condition, but pets managing something like diabetes, kidney disease, or thyroid issues typically need bloodwork every few months to make sure treatment is still on target. We'll set a specific schedule based on what's being managed rather than a generic timeline.

Most routine ones do — bloodwork, urinalysis, fecal exams, and heartworm testing are run in-house. More specialized tests, like certain biopsies or advanced panels, get sent to an outside lab and typically take a few days, which we'll tell you upfront if that applies to your pet's testing.

Yes, and that's a big part of why we recommend baseline bloodwork at routine wellness visits, especially for older pets. Kidney, liver, and thyroid values can shift well before a pet acts sick, and having an earlier baseline on file makes it much easier to tell what's actually new versus what's just that individual pet's normal.