Early Diagnosis and Treatment
01/12/06

Diagnostic procedures such as fecal parasite exams, heartworm tests, X-rays, blood tests, skin scrapings, ultrasound exams, etc, are critical tests your vet needs to insure your pets’ health and longevity. Almost without exception, early diagnosis of disease conditions improves the outcome of treatment.

When your pet is happy, active, and playful; normal in every outward respect, you may be tempted to skip such diagnostic procedures. However, a disease process is infinitely more treatable with early diagnosis. After all, as much as doctors like for you to believe that they have magic bullets that miraculously cure disease, the truth is that good treatments work within natural biologic processes to affect a cure. If those natural processes are compromised by disease then a cure may be less likely or, at best, more difficult to achieve. Secondly, a disease or condition may have very subtle outward signs in its early stages. Again, as much as doctors may want you to be impressed with their ability to diagnose conditions with only the benefit of a thorough physical exam, the truth is the diagnosis of the early stages of disease (when it is most treatable) is often only possible with specific diagnostic tests.

A good example of this principle is the case of mast cell tumors in dogs. These tumors will often arise on the skin as quite benign appearing little bumps. They may look and feel quite similar to other skin masses which are not dangerous or life threatening. By contrast, mast cell tumors are very dangerous and are the cause of death for thousands of pet animals every year. Wide surgical removal early in the course is, however, often curative. Mast cell tumors are easily diagnosed with a simple needle sample in the clinic while you wait.

So don’t feel foolish after having appropriate tests done at your vet’s office when they all come out normal. Just feel lucky!