Diagnostic Services
Digital Radiology
Radiographs are one of the most important diagnostic tools in veterinary medicine. They allow us to view the shape, size and location of organs inside your pet's body. Radiographs are extremely helpful for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical conditions. X-rays are useful for examining your pet's bones, lungs, heart, abdomen, oral cavity and other areas of the body. An x-ray can detect a fractured bone, tumor, heart problem and locate an obstruction or foreign body in your pet's stomach or intestine. X-rays and Ultrasound are often utilized together for an even more accurate diagnosis.
Noank-Mystic Veterinary Hospital is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital x-ray machine. There are numerous advantages to digital radiology. Radiographs can be displayed on a computer monitor, which allows us to gain a better view of your pet's organs. The result is that diagnosing a wide range of medical conditions is now faster and can be done far more accurately than with a standard x-ray machine. Digital x-rays can also be saved to a disk and given to you as part of your pet's home medical record. If a second opinion or additional diagnosis is needed, images can be quickly shared via email to specialists.
Compared to traditional radiographs, your pet's time on the X-ray table is reduced because fewer x-rays need to be taken. Digital X-rays also eliminate the need to use toxic chemicals in the film development process, decreasing the risk of exposure to our staff and the environment.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a pain-free, totally non-invasive technique that uses high-frequency soundwaves to produce a real-time moving image of your pet's internal organs. It allows us a look at your pet's internal organs, chest and abdomen without surgery or sedation. Ultrasound is used for a wide range of diagnostic procedures. It is particularly useful in viewing your pet's abdominal organs and performing pregnancy evaluations. We perform in-house abdominal ultrasounds guided needle aspirates and biopsies.
In most cases, an ultrasound procedure is relatively brief and your pet is able to go home the very same day. Most importantly, though, an ultrasound helps us make an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition and provide effective treatment recommendations.
Other diagnostic tests we offer include:
- Hematology and chemistry screening
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Blood glucose monitoring
- ECG monitoring for arrhythmias
- Blood clotting tests
- Echocardiograms
In-House Lab
One of the most important aspects of any preventive medicine regimen is the ability to analyze how well your pet's internal organs and processes are functioning. For example, are the kidneys and liver doing their jobs at removing waste from the blood stream? Does your pet have internal parasites?
This is why we maintain an in-house laboratory and regularly test your pet during wellness exams or when we suspect your pet may have a health issue.
With state-of-the-art Abaxis technology, we are able to offer a wide range of diagnostic tests including avian and exotic profiles. We also perform pre-surgical and wellness blood testing. Generally, for the following tests, results are available within 15 minutes: fecal test, heartworm test, complete blood count, blood chemistry, blood clotting, microscopic examination of blood, electrolytes and urinalysis.
Endoscopy
Endoscopy, a minimally invasive diagnostic technique, is frequently employed to assess your pet's internal organ surfaces using a small, inserted tube. This procedure provides a detailed, magnified, full-color view of the specific area of concern, enabling accurate identification of the underlying causes behind symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain or swelling, loss of appetite, or respiratory issues in your pet. Additionally, endoscopy facilitates the collection of biopsy samples and the removal of foreign objects, small polyps, or tumors.
While anesthesia is necessary to ensure your pet's comfort and immobility during the endoscopic procedure, the recovery period is typically brief. Endoscopy offers several advantages over exploratory surgery, including the absence of surgical incisions, reduced anesthesia duration, minimized inflammation, decreased stress and discomfort, and an expedited return to normal functionality for your beloved pet. We carry a rigid endoscope that can be utilized for our smallest patients, including exotics.