Any tests I can request for diet?

[javasmom]

I am going to take Chuck in to the vet in a few weeks to have her legs looked at (she seems to get stiff easily and will lightly limp after exercise) as a safety precaution. I am wondering if I can request any blood tests to see if there are any nutrients she is low on. I feed her a raw food diet and I try to feed as much of variety as I can, but she does usually get mostly chicken quarters and I wonder if I am under feeding red meats. Does anyone know of any tests I can request be done on her?

One more thing-you're going to take her to the vet in a few weeks?
Try getting her to the vet in a few days, not weeks. That leg needs to be looked at now.

[bett]

i would do the test for lyme's disease.

[Scout08]

One more thing-you're going to take her to the vet in a few weeks?
Try getting her to the vet in a few days, not weeks. That leg needs to be looked at now.

Need a paycheck first... One coming on Tuesday and another on Friday.

[pbc]

To answer your question - Animal Nutritional Technologies does something called a BAN panel. Cost is roughly $250. I believe their protocol is to test every three months. Typically this is something people request whose dogs are ill with a disease such as cancer.

[BigBrownDog]

Need a paycheck first... One coming on Tuesday and another on Friday.

In the meantime you need to rest her. No off leash activity and only potty walks. Nothing more than outside, pee/poop, back inside. Any further activity risks exacerbating the (possible) injury.

[Scout08]

Well, I took her in today and she had her leg/hips x-rayed. Nothing appeared problematic, the vet felt around her leg and said she wasn't finding any abnormalities in her muscles. She did prescribe tramadol and said to rest her for a few days and that there could be a possibility of soft tissue damage.
I am wandering if she might be sad that the dog we were fostering is no longer with us or if she has just been tired after how much she played the last week. I hope she isn't taking it too hard now that Baxter isn't with us.