The truth is, many symptoms of illness actually cover a broad range of ailments, which all need different treatments for the most effective outcome.  Fever, lethargy, and inappetance are all common symptoms, and don't narrow down the list of potential problems, unfortunately.  When this is the case, a diagnostic work up is ​excellent for making a more informed decision for a care plan.

At Indian Creek, we offer cost-effective, in-house diagnostic tools to understand what is causing your pet's problem. Each case is different, but a very common diagnostic tool is a blood panel. Metabolic abnormalities of internal organs, infections, inflammation response and acute damage can all be detected with a blood workup. 
Urine and Fecal screenings can also be used to check for bacterial overgrowths and parasites. Urine can give many clues about renal and endocrine function. It is also the only way to confirm a urinary tract infection. All companion animals, including exotics, should have a fecal screen at least once yearly. 

X-Ray and Ultrasound are two ways we can visualize your pet's body internally. This can be beneficial for seeing bone abnormalities, organ size abnormality, growths and masses, abnormal internal tissue, foreign objects, and much more. We also have dental x-ray capability for oral abscesses, and other periodontal pathology. 

Cytology focuses on identification of microscopic offenders.
Common skin conditions can can present in many ways, from infestation of parasites such as fleas or mites, bacterial inbalances, or even fungal overgrowth. In order to properly treat any of these things, we must first be able to identify them. This usually requires some sort of sample taken from our patient, such as ear swabs, skin impressions, or hair follicles.
Once we have them identified, then we can confidently choose the appropriate medications to treat.  

In this profession we are truly Macgyvers. Besides our main diagnostic equipment, rather similar to human medicine, such as hematology machines, x-ray machines, and microscopes, we also use specialized devices for animals, to check their eyes and ears, blood pressure, special lights for certain skin conditions, and much more. Each case is different, and you can trust our veterinarians to tailor the appointment, the diagnostics, and the treatment, to you and your pet.