Diagnostic Services
You can rest assured that your pet will receive the finest care at Indian Tree Animal Hospital where we have a comprehensive array of diagnostic tools ranging from an in-house laboratory for processing bloodwork and intestinal parasite exams, to modern, on-site imaging in the form of ultrasound and digital radiography. Additionally, we’ve formed relationships with some of the field’s finest reference laboratories for unique tests, such as biopsies and other analyses, and with board-certified specialists to assist in diagnosing issues in complicated cases.
At Indian Tree Animal Hospital, our veterinarians routinely collaborate on cases as well, sharing knowledge and experience to ensure that your pet is properly diagnosed the first time and receives appropriate treatment as quickly as possible to quickly resolve whatever health issue they may be afflicted with.
Finally, if your pet is displaying unhealthy symptoms, we encourage you to call our offices promptly to schedule an appointment. While searching for diagnoses on the internet may seem convenient, we too often come across dogs and cats who have suffered needlessly and have had their recoveries delayed because their owner incorrectly self-diagnosed using information they found online. The experience and tools at a veterinarian’s disposal are much more likely to lead to an accurate diagnosis than the conflicting and sometimes incorrect information found on various websites.
In-House Laboratory
At Indian Tree Animal Hospital, the in-house diagnostic supports our doctors and staff in diagnosing a pet’s health condition accurately and with expedience. One of the biggest challenges in veterinary care is that our dogs and cats cannot talk. They cannot verbalize what hurts where and many animals instinctively hide ailments. To overcome this obstacle, veterinarians employ a range of lab tests and blood work to pinpoint the root cause of pain or disease that is indiscernible to the naked eye.
For sick pets, quick and confident diagnosis is key to successful and timely recovery. For pets that appear to be healthy, the veterinarians at Indian Tree Animal Hospital recommend annual blood work be done to confirm the absence of disease. Routine blood work helps our clinical team to keep your pet at optimal health through each lifestage.
Your veterinarian will always discuss recommended diagnostic tests with you first. Common lab tests and blood work performed at our in-house diagnostic laboratory include Complete Blood Count (CBC), Blood Chemistry Panel, Urinalysis, Thyroid Testing, Electrolytes Testing, Fecal Exams, and Skin Scraping.
The veterinarians at Indian Tree Animal Hospital routinely collaborate on cases, sharing knowledge and experience to ensure that your pet is properly diagnosed the first time and receives appropriate treatment as quickly as possible to quickly resolve whatever health issue they may be afflicted with.
Importantly, if your pet is displaying unhealthy symptoms, we encourage you to call our practice promptly to schedule an appointment. While searching for diagnoses on the internet may seem convenient, we too often come across dogs and cats who have suffered needlessly and have had their recoveries delayed because their owner incorrectly self-diagnosed using information they found online. The experience and tools at a veterinarian’s disposal are much more likely to lead to an accurate diagnosis than the conflicting and sometimes incorrect information found on various websites.
For rare and advanced cases, we’ve formed relationships with some of the field’s finest reference laboratories for unique diagnostic tests, such as biopsies and other analyses, and with board-certified specialists to assist in diagnosing issues in complicated cases.
Digital Radiography
The clinical team at Indian Tree Animal Hospital is highly trained to diagnose the health and condition of bones and organs using digital radiography. More commonly referred to as digital x-ray, this modern imaging technology produces precise, high-quality images of internal structures, which aids in the diagnosis of a wide range of conditions.
The process of capturing digital x-ray is painless, non-invasive, and relatively quick in duration. At Indian Tree Animal Hospital, we are equipped with advanced medical technology that omits the lowest level of radiation, which makes digital x-ray at our practice completely safe for pets of all life stages and health conditions. In addition, our doctors and staff are experienced in keeping pets comfortable throughout the process to avoid unnecessary stress.
For bone health, digital x-ray is able to confirm broken bones, joint fractures, and chronic arthritis – to name a few. For organ health, our clinical team is able to identify serious health issues such as kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, tumors, and intestinal blockages by assessing the size, shape, and position of organs in the body.
Digital x-ray is also utilized in veterinary dentistry to identify issues that may be causing your pet a great deal of pain, such as diseased teeth, broken teeth, and foreign objects below the gumline. After a dental cleaning or oral surgery, we take another set of digital x-ray to confirm treatment success.
Cardiac & Abdominal Ultrasound
Ultrasound imaging technology is utilized to examine the condition of the internal organs in the chest and abdominal region by sending soundwaves through the body. The process of taking an ultrasound is non-invasive, painless, and in most cases does not require sedation.
- Abdominal ultrasound gives our clinical team the ability to view the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, blood vessels of the abdomen, and surrounding soft-tissues. This is helpful in the diagnosis of pregnancy, foreign object obstruction, tumors, bladder stones, kidney stones, congenital diseases, and more.
- Cardiac ultrasound gives our clinical team the ability to view the heart in detail. In real time, we are able to measure the walls of the heart, size of the heart, condition of the heart valves, strength of the heart contractions, and blood flow through the heart. Cardiac ultrasound is strongly recommended for pets at risk for heart disease. If heart disease is present in the body, cardiac ultrasound helps us to determine disease severity and the effectiveness of treatment.
In order for the ultrasound probe to make direct contact with the region being examined, a small patch of fur may need to be shaved. This is standard procedure and not a cause for concern.
Please note: these types of appointments must be scheduled in advance as we use Board Certified Specialists to come in and provide these services. If your pet is scheduled for an ultrasound appointment, withhold food after 10:00 PM as food in the stomach can skew diagnostic results and prevent sedation, if necessary.