Diagnostics

Workup guides for lab testing, imaging decisions, staging, screening, and result interpretation across common small-animal problems.

Audience

Pet owners trying to understand the next test, and veterinary teams framing a diagnostic pathway.

Editorial Job

Show what each test can and cannot answer, and when referral or urgent care changes the plan.

52 articles in this category · showing 1–10.

Last updated 2026-06-03

Topic Map

Clinical Pathology19 Dermatology16 Vaccination & Infectious Disease15 Gastroenterology12 Diagnostic Imaging10 Canine Osteoarthritis8 Drug Safety & Toxicology8 Endocrinology8 Feline CKD6 Oncology5 Antibiotics & Anti-Infectives4 Cardiology3 Urology3 POCUS2

Companion animal beside veterinary diagnostic materials.

DiagnosticsJune 3, 2026 · 9 min read

Cat Tooth Resorption: Why Dental X-Rays Are Essential and What Treatment Looks Like

Feline tooth resorption affects up to two-thirds of cats over five. Covers Type 1 vs Type 2, why dental X-rays are essential, extraction vs crown amputation,…

Ran Chen#Dentistry

DiagnosticsJune 3, 2026 · 10 min read

Pancreatitis in Cats: Subtle Signs, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Feline pancreatitis is more common than believed and differs from dogs. Covers subtle signs, Spec fPL testing, triaditis, ultrasound, inpatient vs outpatient…

Ran Chen#Gastroenterology

DiagnosticsJune 2, 2026 · 11 min read

CCL Tear in Dogs: TPLO vs Lateral Suture Surgery and Recovery Decisions

How cranial cruciate ligament tears are diagnosed in dogs, when TPLO or lateral suture surgery is recommended, what conservative management looks like, and…

Ran Chen#Canine Osteoarthritis

DiagnosticsJune 2, 2026 · 11 min read

Tick-Borne Diseases in Dogs: Lyme, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis Testing and Diagnosis

What a positive tick-borne disease test means for your dog — Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis explained with CAPC 2026 risk data, testing logic,…

Ran Chen#Vaccination & Infectious Disease #Parasiticides

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 9 min read

Fish Buoyancy Disorder: Why Swim Bladder Disease Is a Symptom, Not a Diagnosis

When a fish floats, sinks, or swims upside-down, owners call it swim bladder disease. Here is what a veterinarian is actually trying to rule out — and why peas…

Ran Chen#Emergency & Critical Care #Gastroenterology

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 10 min read

Aquatic Turtle Shell Rot vs Normal Shedding: When to Worry

Flaking and soft spots on an aquatic turtle shell can be normal shedding — or shell rot, a bacterial or fungal infection reaching bone. How to tell the…

Ran Chen#Dermatology #Emergency & Critical Care #Nutrition

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 9 min read

Aquatic Turtle Swollen Eyes: Vitamin A Deficiency vs Other Causes

Turtle swollen eyes are often blamed on vitamin A, but bacterial infection, respiratory disease, and poor water quality produce identical signs. How to tell…

Ran Chen#Nutrition #Emergency & Critical Care #Clinical Pathology

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 10 min read

Backyard Chicken Egg Binding vs Vent Prolapse: Emergency Signs, Calcium Risks

Egg binding and cloacal prolapse are two distinct but related emergencies in backyard laying hens.

Ran Chen#Emergency & Critical Care #Nutrition #Gastroenterology

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 10 min read

Ball Python Not Eating: Normal Fasting, Husbandry Failure, Disease, and When to See a Vet

Ball pythons are famous for hunger strikes, but not every fast is harmless. How to tell normal seasonal fasting from husbandry errors and disease, and the red…

Ran Chen#Gastroenterology #Nutrition #Emergency & Critical Care

Bearded dragon beside UVB lighting setup and calcium supplement materials.

DiagnosticsMay 30, 2026 · 11 min read

Bearded Dragon Metabolic Bone Disease: UVB, Calcium, and Why Setup Errors Cause Most Cases

How UVB setup failures drive calcium deficiency in bearded dragons, what radiographs reveal, why early correction matters, and what recovery can and cannot fix.

Ran Chen#Nutrition #Diagnostic Imaging