Pet Diagnostic Services — In-House Diagnostics & Lab in Sacramento

Why In-house Diagnostics Matter

When your pet isn’t feeling well, timely answers make all the difference. At Del Paso Veterinary Clinic, our advanced in-house diagnostic capabilities allow us to identify problems quickly and begin treatment during the same visit — often with same-day results.

Having diagnostics performed at our in house laboratory reduces stress for pets, shortens wait times, and helps Dr. Khabra make confident medical decisions right away. As a trusted animal diagnostic clinic in Sacramento with over 80 years of experience, we understand the value of rapid, accurate veterinary diagnostics.

Same-day diagnostics mean:

• Faster treatment for your pet
• Less anxiety for pet owners
• Better outcomes through early intervention
• No waiting days for outside lab results
• Immediate answers during urgent care visits

Our In-house Diagnostic Services

Complete Bloodwork & Laboratory Testing

Our comprehensive in-house laboratory provides same-day results for essential diagnostic tests:

Complete Blood Count (CBC) Detects infections, anemia, dehydration, immune system disorders, and blood cell abnormalities.

What CBC Measures:

• Red blood cell count (anemia screening)
• White blood cell count (infection/inflammation)
• Platelet count (clotting ability)
• Hematocrit and hemoglobin levels
• White blood cell differential

Chemistry Panels Evaluates organ function including:

• Kidney function (BUN, creatinine)
• Liver enzymes and function (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT)
• Blood glucose (diabetes screening)
• Electrolyte balance (sodium, potassium, chloride)
• Protein levels (albumin, globulin)
• Pancreatic enzymes

Chemistry panels help diagnose:

• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Diabetes
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Malnutrition
• Organ dysfunction

Same-day results allow us to begin treatment immediately when your pet needs it most.

Parasite & Infectious Disease Testing

Heartworm Testing (Dogs) Annual screening for heartworm disease with immediate results. Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes and can be life-threatening if left untreated.

FeLV/FIV Testing (Cats)

• Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV): Immunosuppressive disease
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): Affects immune system

Why Testing Matters: Essential for cats with outdoor access, new kittens, cats from unknown backgrounds, or before introducing a new cat to your household.

Microscopy & Cytology

Ear Cytology Identifies ear infections, yeast, bacteria, and mites immediately using microscopic examination.

Common Findings:

• Bacterial infections (cocci, rods)
• Yeast infections (Malassezia)
• Ear mites
• Inflammatory cells

Skin Cytology & Scraping Diagnoses:

• Skin infections (bacterial, yeast)
• Mange mites (Demodex, Sarcoptes)
• Allergic dermatitis
• Inflammatory conditions
• Fungal infections

Benefits: Immediate diagnosis allows targeted treatment rather than guessing.

Digital Imaging

Digital X-Ray (Radiography) High-quality digital veterinary X-rays and digital radiography available on-site for:

• Fracture detection and bone evaluation
• Foreign body identification (objects your pet swallowed)
• Respiratory conditions (pneumonia, fluid, masses)
• Abdominal masses or obstructions
• Arthritis and joint disease
• Bladder stones
• Pregnancy confirmation
• Pre-surgical evaluation
• Heart size assessment

Immediate imaging means faster diagnosis of urgent conditions like foreign body obstruction or fractures.

Ultrasound Imaging Non-invasive ultrasound for:

• Abdominal organ evaluation (liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder)
• Cardiac assessment (heart function)
• Pregnancy monitoring and fetal counting
• Bladder and kidney imaging
• Mass characterization
• Fluid detection (ascites, effusions)
• Soft tissue evaluation

Ultrasound is especially useful for:

• Evaluating organs not visible on X-ray
• Detecting internal masses
• Assessing organ texture and size
• Guiding fine needle aspirates (if needed)

Pre-Surgical Bloodwork

Recommended before all surgical procedures to ensure your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia.

Pre-surgical panels check:

• Liver and kidney function
• Red and white blood cell counts
• Blood sugar levels
• Electrolyte balance

Same-day results allow us to proceed with surgery safely or identify issues that need to be addressed first. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork is also essential before dental procedures performed under sedation.

Why Pre-Surgical Testing Matters:

• Detects hidden health problems
• Allows customization of anesthesia protocol
• Reduces surgical risk
• Provides baseline values for comparison

Conditions Commonly Diagnosed On-site

Our in-house diagnostics help Dr. Khabra quickly identify:

Gastrointestinal Illness

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Appetite loss
• Pancreatitis (via chemistry panel)
• Dehydration
• Intestinal obstruction (X-ray)

Infections & Inflammatory Conditions

• Ear infections (cytology)
• Skin infections (cytology)
• Upper respiratory infections
• Systemic infections (elevated white blood cells)
• Urinary tract infections (requires outside lab)

Kidney & Liver Disease

• Chronic kidney disease
• Acute kidney injury
• Liver dysfunction
• Hepatitis
• Toxin exposure

Blood Disorders

• Anemia (low red blood cells)
• Dehydration (elevated red blood cells)
• Immune system problems
• Clotting concerns (low platelets)

Metabolic Conditions

• Diabetes mellitus (high blood glucose)
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Electrolyte imbalances

Parasitic Diseases

• Heartworm disease (dogs)
• Feline Leukemia (cats)
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (cats)
• Ear mites
• Skin mites (mange)

Urgent & Emergency Concerns

• Toxin ingestion
• Trauma assessment (X-ray)
• Foreign body ingestion (X-ray)
• Severe dehydration
• Acute illness
• Pre-surgical emergencies
• Senior pet age-related screenings

Because results are available the same day, treatment can often begin during the same appointment.

The Diagnostic Process

Step 1: Examination & Assessment

Dr. Khabra examines your pet and discusses symptoms to determine which diagnostics are needed.

Step 2: Sample Collection

• Blood drawn from vein (quick, minimally stressful)
• Ear or skin samples gathered with cotton swab or tape
• X-rays or ultrasound performed (non-invasive, often no sedation needed)

Step 3: In-House Testing

Our laboratory processes samples immediately for same-day results.

Step 4: Results & Treatment Plan

Dr. Khabra reviews findings with you and recommends appropriate treatment based on results.

Step 5: Follow-Up Testing

For chronic conditions, follow-up bloodwork monitors treatment effectiveness and disease progression.

Outside Reference Laboratory Services

While our in-house capabilities cover most diagnostic needs, we also work with trusted outside reference laboratories for specialized testing:

• Urinalysis (sent to reference lab)
• Fecal examinations (parasite screening)
• Thyroid testing (T4, free T4, full thyroid panels)
• Advanced hormone testing (cortisol, ACTH stimulation, progesterone)
• Specialized infectious disease panels
• Toxicology screening
• Genetic testing
• Biopsy and histopathology
• Advanced cancer screening
• Coagulation profiles (clotting tests)
• Blood smear analysis with specialist review

These tests typically take 1-3 days for results, and Dr. Khabra will contact you as soon as they’re available.

Why Choose Del Paso For Diagnostics

Same-Day Results No waiting days or weeks for answers. Most in-house tests provide results within hours.

Comprehensive Capabilities Complete laboratory, digital X-ray, and ultrasound all available on-site.

Experienced Interpretation Dr. Khabra’s 18 years of experience means accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plans.

Immediate Treatment Same-day results allow treatment to begin right away, improving outcomes.

Reduced Stress Your pet doesn’t need to visit multiple locations for testing and treatment.

Urgent Care Ready In-house diagnostics are critical for same-day urgent care — what we’re known for in Sacramento.

Cost-Effective On-site testing often costs less than sending samples to outside labs.

Convenient Everything happens under one roof during a single visit.

Trusted Since 1940 Over 80 years of diagnostic expertise caring for Sacramento pets.