Diagnostic Services

Digital Radiographs

Radiographs, or X-rays, are one of the most common and useful diagnostic tools in medicine. The team at Veterinary Medical Center use X-rays to examine your pet's bones, lungs, heart, abdomen, oral cavity and other areas, and for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical conditions. If we suspect your pet has a fractured bone, has swallowed a foreign object, or is suffering from a heart problem, an X-ray can tell us what we need to know.

To provide you with the highest-quality veterinary care for your pet, the veterinary team at Veterinary Medical Center has invested in a state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine. There are many important advantages to digital X-rays:

• They can be viewed immediately on a computer monitor.
• The clear, detailed images can be manipulated for a better view of your pet's bones and internal organs, leading to a faster, more accurate diagnosis.
• They take less time to process, which means less time for your pet on the X-ray table (and less stress), and less waiting time for you.
• No harsh chemicals are needed to develop the images, reducing potential harm to our staff and the environment.
• If a second opinion is necessary, digital X-rays can be sent by email to a specialist.

Advanced diagnostic capabilities are an extremely important part of veterinary medicine, in part because we can't simply ask our patients what is wrong. Our investment in digital X-ray technology reflects our commitment to offer you and your pet the best, most comprehensive healthcare available.

Endoscopy

Endoscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure commonly used to evaluate the interior surfaces of your pet's organs through a small tube inserted into his or her body. An endoscopic examination can often accurately diagnose what is causing your pet's vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling, loss of appetite or respiratory problems.

The endoscope is composed of a long thin tube, a light source, camera and viewing eyepiece. The tube contains two channels: one for forceps, snares or biopsy instruments to remove foreign objects, small polyps or tumors or collect biopsy samples; and one for air or water, which are used to better view the tissue or organ. We use a video capturing device to record procedures and show our findings to pet owners.

Although anesthesia is required to keep pets still during the endoscopic procedure, the recovery time is minimal. The benefits of endoscopy over exploratory surgery include no surgical incision, shortened anesthetic time, decreased inflammation, less stress and discomfort and an earlier return to normal function for your pet.

Accurate diagnosis of your pet's symptoms begins with our ability to put together as complete and accurate a picture of what is going on inside your pet's body as possible. For that reason, endoscopy is recommended when routine blood and urine tests and radiographs do not give us the complete diagnostic picture.

Our In-House Medical and Diagnostic Laboratory

When performing routine wellness examinations or diagnosing an illness, what our veterinarians can't see is as important, if not more important, than what they can see.

Because protecting your pet's health is our most important job, we have a complete in-house diagnostic laboratory that allows us to perform a wide range of tests on blood, urine, feces and sampled tissue. Without timely access to these precise test results, it would be difficult to make an accurate diagnosis or assessment of your pet's health. Test results can also help us in the early detection of diseases and other conditions affecting your pet's health and well-being.

For example, diagnostic testing can detect heartworm disease, Lyme disease, infections, feline leukemia, intestinal parasites, urinary tract infections, and many additional diseases and conditions that can go unnoticed in their early stages. Blood testing can show early evidence of diabetes, changes in liver or kidney function, or simply provide a baseline for future reference. Diagnostic laboratory testing is also completed prior to dental or surgical procedures that require general anesthesia.

Laboratory testing provides information about your pet's overall systemic health without the need for invasive and expensive procedures. Thanks to our in-house diagnostic laboratory, we can deliver your pet's test results quickly - often within a few minutes - minimizing the time you need to wait for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Below are short descriptions of the most common laboratory tests performed at our hospital:

Complete Blood Count (CBC) - CBC measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a sample of blood. The numbers of each type of cell provides information to help diagnose anemia, infections and leukemia. If your pet is undergoing treatment for a condition, a complete blood count can help your veterinarian monitor how your pet is responding to the treatment.

Blood-Chemistry Panel (Chem Profile) - A blood-chemistry panel measures electrolytes, enzymes and chemical elements of your pet's blood. Included in a chem profile are important components such as calcium and phosphorous levels, liver enzymes, glucose and total protein. These measurements help your veterinarian determine how your pet's organs, such as kidneys, pancreas and liver, are functioning. Blood-chemistry panels help diagnose and treat illness, as well as monitor your pet's response to treatment. A blood-chemistry panel is usually performed to screen for potential problems and risks before anesthesia is administered.

Fecal Examination (Fecal) - Your veterinarian may examine your pet's feces under a microscope for clues about many different kinds of diseases, including difficulties with digestion, internal bleeding and pancreas disorders. Most importantly, a fecal examination confirms the presence of intestinal parasites, including roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm and giardia. A fecal examination is part of your pet's complete wellness examination.

Urinalysis (UA) - Laboratory testing of your pet's urine can help detect the presence of specific substances that normally do not appear in urine, including protein, sugar, white blood cells or blood. Measuring the dilution or concentration of urine can also help your veterinarian diagnose illness. Urinalysis can be helpful in diagnosing urinary tract infections, diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems and other medical conditions.

Serum Chemistry - A serum chemistry profile is a panel of tests that provides a broad picture of your pet's general health. The results will confirm any abnormalities found during a physical exam and will also indicate any problems that might otherwise go undetected. The blood chemistry values measured include calcium, glucose, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, cholesterol, triglycerides, and total protein. A 12-hour fast is recommended prior to testing to assure the most accurate results.