(540) 955-2171
Get directions

At-Home

Sample Collection & Drop-Off instructions

Collecting samples at home is a crucial part of your pet’s preventative and diagnostic care. To ensure our laboratory provides the most accurate results possible, we ask that you follow these standard veterinary best practices for collecting, storing, and delivering your pet’s samples.

If you have any questions or run into trouble, please give us a call at (540) 955-2171—we are always happy to help!

Fecal Sample Instructions

Routine fecal testing helps us check for intestinal parasites that can affect your pet’s health (and sometimes your human family, too).
  • Freshness is Key: Samples should be less than 24 hours old.
  • The Right Amount: You do not need to bring the entire bowel movement. A sample about the size of a sugar cube or a grape is plenty for our lab to process.
  • Storage: If you cannot bring the sample to the clinic immediately after collecting it, it must be kept cool. Please double-bag the sample and place it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze it or leave it in a hot car, as extreme temperatures destroy the microscopic evidence we are looking for.
  • Contamination: Try to collect a portion that is not covered in grass, gravel, or dirt. For cats, a little bit of cat litter stuck to the sample is completely fine.

Urine Sample Instructions

A urinalysis tells us vital information about your pet’s kidney function, hydration, and urinary tract health.
  • Use the Right Container: Please use the sterile collection cup provided by our clinic.
  • Catching the Sample (Dogs): Take your dog out on a short leash. Wait until they begin to urinate, and simply slip the cup into the urine stream to catch a “mid-stream” sample. You only need to collect about a tablespoon of liquid.
  • Catching the Sample (Cats): We can provide you with a special, non-absorbent plastic litter (like No-Sorb). Empty your cat’s litter box, clean it thoroughly, pour in the plastic pellets, and wait for them to use the box. You can then pour the pooled urine directly into the collection cup.
  • Timing & Storage: Urine degrades very quickly. Samples must be dropped off within 1 to 2 hours of collection for the most accurate diagnostic results. If there is a slight delay, refrigerate the sample immediately (but do not keep it longer than 4 hours).

Drop-Off Procedures

To ensure your pet’s sample is processed quickly and accurately, please follow these drop-off steps:
  1. Label Everything: Before you leave home, use a permanent marker to write your pet’s first name, your last name, and the exact time and date of collection on the outside of the cup or bag.
  2. Hand It to a Human: Please drop off samples during our normal business hours. Always hand the sample directly to one of our front desk receptionists so they can immediately log it into your pet’s medical record and alert the lab. Please never leave a sample outside the clinic doors or unattended on the counter.
  3. Wait for Results: We process many routine preventative samples right here in our in-house lab. Depending on the specific tests your veterinarian ordered, our team will give you a timeline for when you can expect a phone call with your pet’s results.

Unexpected Pet Emergency? We’re Here.

When your pet needs us most, we offer same-day urgent care at our everyday prices. Get your pet seen today with zero emergency fees.

Call for Same-Day Urgent Care