Diagnostic services allow us to take a closer look at the internal workings of your pet and can assist our veterinarians in determining any underlying conditions. Ridgeview Animal Hospital has the most current tools to help us make an accurate diagnosis so we can effectively treat and prevent medical issues.

In-House Laboratory

Ridgeview Animal Hospital’s in-house laboratory facilities provide for serum chemistry, hematology, urinalysis and parasite testing. Having a lab on-site saves time, money, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait overnight for results—meaning your pet gets a diagnosis and needed treatment sooner.

In addition to routine blood tests, we also offer screenings for FeLV/FIV, pancreatitis, fecal testing for parasites, urinalysis, ear cytology and the 4DX Heartworm test that also covers anaplasmosis, ehrlichia, and Lyme disease.

When specialized diagnostics and consultations are needed, we do utilize outside commercial veterinary laboratories.

Digital Radiology (X-Rays)

Radiographs, or x-rays, are a diagnostic tool that allows us to see a snapshot of the internal organs. X-rays are a painless procedure and sedation is usually not necessary.

X-rays are often used to detect foreign body ingestion, urinary bladder stones, abdominal or chest tumors, heart size and shape, changes in the lungs that could indicate cancer or pneumonia, and many other disease processes. We can usually do radiographs during a “sick” office visit and have immediate results, although at times we will send images to a board-certified radiologist for interpretation. Dental radiographs are also digital but must be done under anesthesia.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is an excellent diagnostic tool that creates a real-time image of parts in the animal’s body. At Ridgeview Animal Hospital, we are able to do abdominal ultrasounds (liver, kidneys, spleen, adrenal glands, urinary bladder, gall bladder, prostate, and lymph nodes, pancreas, and intestines). We refer heart ultrasounds (known as echocardiograms) to Dr. Gaines at The Ridge.

This procedure is painless and typically does not require sedation. The fur is shaved in the area where the ultrasound is performed for image quality.

Our veterinarian is trained in ultrasound, but not a board-certified specialist, so there are times when we will refer to a specialist for this procedure.

If you have questions about diagnostics or want to schedule an visit for your pet, you can request an appointment online or call us at 402-333-3366.