Sick care for working canines requires transparent care and strong communication. It is our policy that handlers are kept with their canines whenever possible during the assessment and treatment process.
Urgent medical conditions and chronic illness can be very different in nature and expectations for working canines compared to pets. Aspire Veterinary Hospital is equipped with robust in house diagnostic and treatment capabilities to address a variety of urgent and chronic medical conditions for working canines and monitor return to work suitability. Conditions like gastrointestinal upset, ear or skin infections, certain eye conditions, lameness, or unexplained changes in behavior can impact performance but often don’t warrant transport to an emergency facility unless the condition is life threatening.
Emergency Care
Seek emergency care right away if your canine’s symptoms suggest a life-threatening condition or rapidly worsening illness. These include:
Trouble breathing
Collapse, unresponsiveness, or inability to stand
Seizures
Significant bleeding or major trauma
Suspected toxin ingestion
Severe vomiting or diarrhea with weakness
A swollen, painful abdomen
If you are reading this outside of our Hours of Operation and feel your dog needs emergency assistance, please reach out to one of the Emergency Hospitals listed below that we recommend for working canines.
VCA SouthPaws Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center
When your dog is sick, timely and accurate testing is essential. In many cases, we begin with in-house analyses to provide immediate answers and start treatment right away, while also sending samples to trusted reference laboratories to confirm the full scope of illness. This approach allows us to act quickly while ensuring nothing is overlooked in your dog’s diagnosis and care.
CBC Analysis
A Complete Blood Count (CBC) helps us evaluate for infections, inflammation, anemia, clotting disorders, and immune-related concerns. This test is often one of the first steps in narrowing down what’s wrong and guiding next steps in treatment.
Chemistry Analysis
For illness, we often run more extensive chemistry panels than those used in wellness visits—looking at the details of each body system rather than just broad summaries. These results can highlight imbalances linked to kidney disease, liver dysfunction, pancreatitis, and many other conditions, giving us a clear picture of how illness is affecting your dog.
Urine and Fecal Analysis
Urine and fecal (poop) testing give us insight into issues affecting the urinary tract and digestive system. These tests can detect infections, organ dysfunction, parasites, or metabolic disease, helping us clarify the cause of your dog’s symptoms.
In-House Cultures & Microscope Testing
Our digital microscope and in-house bacterial cultures are used to more clearly identify skin, ear, and lump issues. This digital imaging allows us to share these images with both you and other diagnostics professionals to come to a determination of what may be ailing your dog and how best to treat it.
Screenings for Common Illnesses
Some illnesses are so common that rapid tests have been developed to confirm them quickly. We carry these tests in-house for situations where there is strong suspicion of Parvovirus, Pancreatitis, Leptospirosis, or Lyme Disease. These screenings give fast results so the right treatment plan can begin without delay.
For routine monitoring and preventive care, explore our Wellness Diagnostics page to see how we keep your dog healthy year after year.
With both a standard table X-ray unit and a mobile X-ray system, we can adapt imaging to your dog’s specific needs. This flexibility means we can capture high-quality images even when dogs are uncomfortable, in pain, or difficult to position. X-rays can help us detect fractures, foreign objects, fluid around the lungs, or organ enlargement—conditions where prompt treatment can be imperative. Our unique mobile unit also allows us to creatively acquire images to reduce stress for working canines.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Ultrasound gives us real-time views of soft tissue structures, helping us detect masses, intestinal blockages, or fluid buildup. It is especially useful for guiding procedures such as fluid sampling or biopsies, allowing us to confirm a diagnosis quickly and accurately. Ultrasound helps us uncover the “why” behind many symptoms, from vomiting to changes in urination.
Dental X-Rays
Dental X-rays are critical when dogs show signs of oral pain, bad breath, or difficulty eating. These images are acquired as part of a dental procedure under anesthesia and allow us to diagnose problems like tooth root abscesses, fractured teeth, or bone loss that aren’t visible during an exam. By identifying the true source of discomfort, we can provide targeted treatment to restore health and relieve pain.
Collaboration with Specialists
All imaging studies can be reviewed by board-certified radiologists or other specialists, providing a second layer of expertise. This ensures no detail is missed and your dog’s treatment plan is based on the most accurate, comprehensive information available. We partner with mobile internal medicine specialists who can come to Aspire to perform very detailed abdominal ultrasounds for certain cases when needed.
