Wellness Screenings

At West Ridge Animal Hospital, we are proud to offer multiple health screening options for your pet. These tests are extremely valuable in establishing baseline values, and in detecting disease before symptoms occur. All of our health screening plans are non-invasive, and present minimal risk to the patient.

Normal test results give us peace of mind and information to track potential disease in the future. Diagnosing disease at an early stage may allow us to slow the progression of the disease, or even resolve it completely.

Our pets cannot tell us how they feel, so we must rely on testing to detect internal disease. In greater than 80% of cases, a disease is diagnosed when an animal had been “acting fine”, and then suddenly was “not feeling well”. It is very common for a disease to be in advanced stages at this point, leaving far fewer treatment options.


Basic Screening

• This screening program includes a CBC (complete blood count), blood chemistries, thyroid testing, urinalysis, blood pressure, and intra-ocular pressures

Testing in this panel assesses blood counts, immune function, kidney and liver function, thyroid levels, cholesterol and blood glucose levels. We also assess your pet’s blood pressure and screen for glaucoma during its senior wellness examination.

Advanced Screening

• This screening plan includes the tests run in the Basic Screening plan. It also includes digital radiographs of the chest, abdominal cavity, and extremities.

Many diseases such as cancer, organ disease, and joint degeneration can be identified through radiographs. We can check for abnormal growths, assess the relative sizes of internal organs, see stones in the bladder and kidneys, and check for abnormal fluid build up in the chest or abdomen. We also evaluate the joints and spine for arthritis and monitor for signs of intervertebral disc disease. All radiographs are reviewed by a board-certified radiologist to confirm our doctors’ findings.

Comprehensive Screening

• In addition to the tests run in the Basic and Advanced screening plans, this treatment plan also includes an abdominal ultrasound by a board-certified ultrasonographer.

An abdominal ultrasound evaluates the abdomen in two dimensions, enabling us to further investigate any abnormalities seen on radiographs. We can also detect small masses that may not be visible on radiographs. Lastly, with ultrasound technology, we can actually see the internal structure of many organs, allow us to better assess their function.
All of these health screening plans are non-invasive with minimal risk to the patient.

Please speak with one of our team members about wellness screening options for your pet.