It is extremely rare for a specific set of symptoms to occur in only one disease, a term called pathognomic. We utilize a methodical and thorough scientific approach to help narrow down the possibilities. Signalment A pets age, breed, and sex can be an important aid in making a diagnosis, since most diseases have a prevalence towards a specific group. The signalment helps us narrow down possibilities, and gives us a potential list of likely problems.
Male cats get more urinary blockage problems than females.
Dalmations tend to get more bladder stones of a specific type than do most breeds. This information can be crucial to the diagnosis of certain diseases. You may notice the checklist of questions one of our nurses asks you concerning your pets appetite, activity level, etc. This is valuable information to us, especially since our pets cannot tell us where their problem is occurring. Our exam forms help us organize the information we obtain during history taking.