In-Network Veterinary Laboratory and Diagnostic Testing in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

Fast, Reliable Lab Results at Noah’s Ark Animal Clinics

When your pet is sick, waiting is the worst part. Waiting to know what is wrong. Waiting to know whether it is serious. Waiting on a result that has to travel to an outside facility and back before anyone can tell you what happens next.

The difference between 24 hour results and multi day turnaround is not just convenience. It changes what is medically possible.

In an emergency, it is decisive. A pet in crisis cannot wait two days for kidney values or a blood count. Rapid results let us stabilize and treat based on real information rather than best guesses.

Before anesthesia, it is a safety check. Pre-surgical bloodwork confirms your pet can safely process anesthetic drugs. Having those results in hand quickly means procedures stay on schedule and unexpected findings get caught before induction rather than after.

For chronic conditions, it is more affordable management. Pets on long term medication, or managing diabetes, thyroid disease, or kidney disease, need regular monitoring. Keeping those diagnostic tests in-house, allows us to offer them to you at a lower cost. 

For everyone, it means faster results more affordably.

Diagnostic Testing We Offer

Complete Blood Count
A CBC evaluates red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It helps us identify anemia, infection, inflammation, clotting problems, and can alert us of potential cancers. It is one of the most informative single tests in veterinary medicine.

Blood Chemistry Panel for Pets
Chemistry panels assess organ function and metabolic health, including kidney values, liver enzymes, blood glucose, protein levels, and electrolytes. These panels frequently reveal disease well before a pet shows outward symptoms, which is precisely why they are part of senior wellness screening.

Urinalysis for pets
Urine testing evaluates kidney function and concentrating ability, detects urinary tract infections, identifies crystals that contribute to bladder stones, and screens for diabetes. It provides information that bloodwork alone cannot.

Thyroid Testing for pets
Hypothyroidism in dogs and hyperthyroidism in cats are both common and both very treatable. Thyroid panels are often part of the workup for unexplained weight change, coat and skin problems, or shifts in energy and behavior.

Heartworm and Tick Borne Disease Testing
Annual heartworm testing is essential before starting or continuing preventive medication. Many of these tests also screen for tick transmitted diseases including Lyme, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis, all of which are relevant in our region.

Feline Leukemia and FIV Testing
Recommended for new cats and kittens, cats with outdoor access, and any cat showing unexplained illness. Knowing a cat’s status shapes both their care and how they are managed alongside other cats in the household.

Fecal Testing for pets
Intestinal parasites are common, easily transmitted, and some are contagious to people. Fecal analysis identifies roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, giardia, and other parasites so treatment can be targeted rather than guessed at.

Cytology
Microscopic evaluation of cells from skin, ears, masses, or fluid samples. Cytology is central to dermatology cases and to the initial assessment of lumps and growths.

Coagulation Testing
Clotting function testing is used before certain surgeries, in cases of suspected toxin exposure such as rodenticide ingestion, and when a pet shows unexplained bruising or bleeding.

Specialized and Referral Testing
When necessary, we refer diagnostic testing to an external, specialized lab. Culture and sensitivity testing, biopsy interpretation by a veterinary pathologist, advanced endocrine panels, and allergy testing are sent to university and commercial laboratories, and we manage the process and interpret the results with you.

We recommend diagnostics when the information we obtain from the tests will actually change how we treat your pet. Common situations include:

• Annual wellness screening, particularly for senior pets
• Before any procedure requiring anesthesia
• When a pet is showing symptoms of illness
• Monitoring pets on long term medications
• Managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, or thyroid disease
• Emergency and critical care situations
• Establishing a baseline for a healthy adult pet

That last point is important. Baseline values from a healthy year are genuinely useful later. Your individual pet has their own normal, and knowing it makes a future abnormal result far easier to interpret.

Understanding Your Pet’s Results

We will walk you through what we found in plain language. Not just which values fell outside the normal range, but what those values mean, whether they matter clinically, and what we recommend next.

Some results are straightforward. Others are one piece of a bigger picture, best understood alongside your pet’s exam, history, and sometimes additional testing. A single number that’s slightly off isn’t automatically a diagnosis, and we will tell you honestly when something warrants monitoring, versus when it needs action. Our team of veterinarians is here to partner with you, to answer any questions you may have, and to help you feel confident in your pets care plan.

Diagnostics That Fit Your Family’s Budget

For families looking for a smarter way to budget preventive care, our Pet WellPlans for dogs and cats bundle essential wellness services into an affordable monthly plan. Routine diagnostic screening is part of staying ahead of your pet’s health, and predictable monthly costs make that far easier to keep up with year after year.

Trusted Diagnostics Across Cincinnati, West Chester, and Northern Kentucky

Noah’s Ark Animal Clinics is proud to be AAHA Accredited, a distinction held by only a small percentage of veterinary practices in the United States, and has been named Best Veterinarian in Cincinnati by City Beat’s Best of Cincinnati in 2023, 2024, and 2025. With five locations in Colerain, Springdale, West Chester, Florence, and Ft. Wright, fast and dependable diagnostics are available close to home.

We are an independent, family owned practice that has served Cincinnati families for generations. When your pet needs answers, we are equipped to find them quickly, and more affordably.