Health Screenings

Screening tests offer additional information and can identify potential problems earlier than a physical exam alone. Screening tests are considered a cornerstone of preventive veterinary care by veterinarians at Blackstone Animal Hospital due to their role in providing important and potentially life-saving health information.

von Willebrand's Disease

Determining if your dog has this condition before an emergency occurs can be the distinction between life and death. Just like hemophilia in humans, von Willebrand’s disease has the potential to cause life-threatening bleeding. Many dogs with this disease in their genetic makeup can go undetected until a minor surgery or small, superficial injury causes significant blood loss.

Blackstone Animal Hospital offers testing for this disease, which is a highly inheritable trait in certain breeds. As many as 50% of Dobermans are affected; other commonly affected breeds include German Shepherds, German Shorthaired and Wirehaired Pointers, Golden and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Poodles, Scottish and Manchester Terriers, and Shetland Sheepdogs. To ensure the health of your at-risk breed, testing your dog is recommended.

Some animals may not exhibit any symptoms of the disease, yet they can still be carriers of this genetic issue. Allowing these dogs to reproduce can result in the disease being passed on to their offspring. If you are a breeder, we strongly advise testing for von Willebrand’s disease before breeding your dogs. Please call us to schedule this test. 

Renal Dysplasia

Renal dysplasia is characterized by abnormal kidney development. Among the breeds commonly affected are Shih Tzus, Lhasa apsos, and soft-coated wheaten terriers. Dogs tend to become clinically ill before the age of one.

Many affected dogs will develop kidney failure as this genetic disease, unfortunately, has no cure. Management options are usually expensive and extremely limited in scope. Despite having normal kidney function, some dogs can still pass on the trait to their offspring if they are carriers of this disorder.

Testing for renal dysplasia can greatly reduce the chances of breeding this inherited problem in your dogs if you're a breeder. Please call us to schedule this test. 

Call us at (972) 668-0807 if you would like to schedule a health screening for your dog.