Color and transparency are determined from visual observation of the sample. Normal urine is straw yellow to amber in color. Abnormal colors include bright yellow, brown, black (gray), red, and green. These pigments may result from medications, dietary sources, or diseases.
limulus amebocyte lysate test. limulus amebocyte lysate test. LAL test. A test used to detect minute quantities of bacterial endotoxins and to test for pyrogens in various materials; it is also used to detect septicemia due to gram-negative bacteria. Limulus amebocyte lysate is formed from the lysed circulating amebocytes of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).
Respiratory ailments are relatively common in dogs and other animals. Many diseases are diagnosed by blood tests, radiographs (X-rays) or ultrasound, but some diseases escape diagnosis and need additional tests. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a test in which fluid samples from the bronchus and alveoli (air sacs) are obtained in dogs. These fluid samples are then submitted for analysis to help determine the underlying cause of illness.