What your pet leaves behind after elimination is something pet owners would rather ignore, but paying close attention is an essential part of keeping them healthy. Pet owners should be just as interested in their pet’s bowel habits as veterinarians, as they tell a lot about what might be happening inside. From hygiene to early detection of worms, taking a look instead of turning a blind eye could mean the difference between a healthy pet and an unwanted ailment.

Doggos. Need we say more? Probably not, but we will because, sigh—aren’t they just the best? Admit it - you even love their funky smells, including that stinky breath and those paws which inexplicably smell like Frito’s. As Author of tearjerker Marley & Me, John Grogan, says, “Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day.” Need a tissue? We get it.

Blood tests are an easy, safe, and relatively inexpensive way to peer inside your pets and find potential health problems. Analysis of the numbers and structure of blood cells is important in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and infection. These tests can help us identify a problem before clinical signs or symptoms appear. But what exactly are we looking for when we do a blood draw on dogs and cats?

When the current outbreak of novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, first came to light in December 2019, researchers indicated that animals were the likely source of the virus. So people are naturally asking, "Can my pet contract and transmit this virus?" That question has become even more valid after one dog - the pet of an infected owner in Hong Kong - recently tested "weak positive" for the virus.

We are so proud of pet owners who take such loving care of their family members. They buy good quality food, keep their dogs and cats clean and sheltered, and protect them from infectious diseases.