Additional laboratory tests for your dog
To insure optimal medical care, your vet can suggest additional tests. Here is a list of the possible tests your vet can suggest, (depending on the kind of malady he suspects)-
Endocrine testing
This test includes —
An ACTH stimulation test
A thyroid profile
Endocrine testing-
Endocrine testing consists of a series of blood tests that can be carried out at your local veterinary hospital. Both Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism are associated with bleeding or bruising. And here’s the surprising part, both are quite rampant amongst canines.
Endocrine testing can detect or rule out-
Hypothyroidism
Hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s disease
Protein electrophoresis Testing
This blood test helps to diagnose disorders in pets with elevated protein levels in general and globulins in particular. It also detects-
Multiple Myeloma
Chrlichiosis.
Platelet function tests
This test rules out plate function disorders and should be carried out on the relevant vistims
Von Willebrand’s Factor Assay
You should put your canine or pet through this blood test in order to find out whether or not your dog is suffering from Von Willebrand’s disease.
Tests to Track Nasal Discharge
Laboratory tests carried out on the blood and urine samples of your pet play an invaluable part in diagnosing the general condition of your pet or other animal; particularly before giving anesthesia. But these preliminary tests don’t pinpoint the actual reason behind the nasal discharge.
No access!
It is not easy for your vet to examine the nasal cavity. The disease may also be lurking undetected in the ‘turbinate’ passages. A tumor, fungal infection, or foreign matter can easily hide and get missed in these passages, even after vigilantly examining the nostrils.
Other probable causes for your pet’s leaky nose could be-
ü Nasal mites
ü Allergies that show an increase in some white blood cells
If these tests fall short of information for a proper diagnosis, then the nose may need to be further surgically explored.
Microscopic examination…
The nasal discharge may also be scrutinized by a microscope for bacteria and dead cells. But it does not always provide an answer and you may have to take a number of other tests to get at the root cause of the discharge.
These tests include: -
v Skull CT scans
v Biopsy through the nostrils
v X-rays of the skull
v You can looking into the nostrils of larger dogs with a flexible tube called a rhino scope
v Examining the back of the nose with a small mirror placed in the throat
v Flushing fluid through the nose
Skull X-rays and CT Scans Detect-
Damage to the turbinate bones in the nose can be detected by Skull x-rays and CT scans. Out of the two, a CT scan is far more capable of detecting damage before an x-ray can. Damage in the turbinate bones in the nose can be due to…
1. Fungal infection
When the turbinate bones show damage, the most likely cause is fungal infection or cancer. X-rays or CT’s can also detect the increase and spread of the fungus from the nasal passages into the air-filled sinus cavities.
2. Infection of tooth roots
An infection of the root of your dog’s tooth can also be detected by an X-ray and CT scan. This infection can result in the formation of a hole-(called an oral-nasal fistula)- from the top of the mouth and the nasal passages.
Getting cells for fungal culture
Your vet may try to forcibly flush fluid through the nose, or insert a plastic tube in to the nostril in order to collect cell samples, that can be evaluated under a microscope, for a fungal culture.
Blood tests for fungal infection
To find out whether or not your pet has been exposed to a fungus, you also have the option of taking a blood test from your dog. But these blood tests can prove difficult to analyze since uninfected pets can also prove ‘positive’ for fungal exposure.
Treating nasal disease
How you should deal with or treat health concerns in and around the nose of your dog depends on the kind of problem your canine is suffering from.
ü If the problem is nasal mites—then there are certain drugs that kill them.
ü Holes in the nasal passage that are due to infections at the root of a tooth can be treated by dental cleaning or by extracting the tooth.
ü Fungal infections in dogs are due to ‘Aspergillus’ and ‘Cryptococcus’ in cats. There are many anti-fungal drugs you can choose from, but the treatment is lengthy and can extend to many months. If you find your cat suffering from nasal fungal infection, get him/her tested for ‘feline leukemia virus.’
Treating nasal Tumors
It is difficult to treat Nasal tumors by removing them surgically. The next best bet is radiation therapy, as this can slow down the growth of nasal tumors.
A word of caution-you will need to look hard for venues that offer radiation therapy. Since it’s only available in large metropolitan areas with Veterinary Schools.
Nasal tumors do not get cured easily with anti-cancer drugs. What’s worse, nasal tumors, can grow in your pet’s brain. This can result in seizures or behavioral changes. Sometimes tumors can grow unchecked and even infiltrate your pet’s facial bones–resulting in facial distortions.