Fine Needle Aspirate

You recently found a bump on your pet, and your veterinarian is recommending that you do a Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA). We take your pet to the treatment area to obtain a fine needle aspirate, but what does that mean?

Fine Needle Aspirate

• The purpose of a fine needle aspirate is to identify the type of cells found within the mass and to rule out if they are benign or malignant.
• This test is noninvasive and is easily performed in the clinic and without sedation.
• A small needle is inserted into the lump and cells are gently sucked out of the growth.
• These cells are then evaluated under a microscope (cytology).
• The evaluation of the cells is often performed in the clinic, but there can be cases where a specialist in the field of cytology is needed. In that instance, the cells are sent to an outside laboratory for interpretation.

A fine needle aspirate is the first step we take to identify any lumps and bumps we find on your dog or cat. It is one of the tests we use to help us diagnose any health issues your pet may be experiencing.

Written by Marie Hearn