Veterinary Diagnostics
Veterinary Diagnostics Including Digital X-Ray & Ultrasound
Harmony Animal Hospital offers the finest in diagnostic technology to support our surgery, dental, pet health, and internal veterinary medicine departments. Contact our hospital to learn more about our diagnostic imaging technology.
Digital X-Ray Technology
The most commonly used diagnostic tool is radiology, or X-ray, an imaging technique performed by our highly trained staff. The greatest benefit of X-ray imaging is its ability to penetrate tissues and show internal structures.
X-rays are most useful for viewing areas of the body that have contrasting tissue densities or solid tissues, such as:
- Chest—Heart and lungs
- Abdomen—Intestines, liver, kidney, and spleen
- Bones—Spine, limbs, and joints
At Harmony, we use digital radiology. Digital X-rays are of higher detail and quality, and are easily sent to radiology specialists or other consultants. In addition, digital X-rays do not use traditional film. They provide more rapid results, for a diagnosis in far less time.
Our hospital provides X-rays certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.
Dental Digital Radiology
We are able to take complete digital X-rays of your pet’s mouth. Uses include:
- Evaluating an area for root fragments
- Determining the cause of chronic nasal discharge
- Properly evaluate tooth vitality
- Determining the number of permanent teeth in a kitten or puppy
- Evaluation after extraction, to confirm all root fragments were removed
- Evaluating feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs)
- Evaluating jaw fractures
- Assess oral and facial swellings
- Treatment planning evaluations
Safe & Painless Ultrasound
We often use ultrasound technology in diagnosing certain health issues. An ultrasound examination is a non-invasive imaging technique. It allows internal body structures to be seen by recording echoes or reflections of ultrasonic waves, and producing moving images of internal organs in real-time. Unlike X-rays, ultrasound is safe, painless, and requires no chemicals or radiation.
The technique is extremely useful in pregnancy diagnosis, evaluating heart conditions, identifying changes in abdominal organs, and for bladder scans. We often use it for guided cystocentesis, in which a small needle is inserted into the bladder to retrieve a sterile urine sample for further laboratory testing. Ultrasonography is very useful in the diagnosis of cysts and tumors.
Echocardiogram is a kind of ultrasound used to view the heart. Doppler echocardiography is used to evaluate blood flow within the cardiovascular system, to diagnose problems like heart murmurs or congestive heart failure.
MedRx Video VetScope
We also use the MedRx Video VetScope, a device that enables us to examine the ear canal, nose, throat, rectum, eye, mouth, and other areas. Using VetScope software, we are able to take digital images and videos during a procedure and enter them into the patient’s electronic medical record. The tapered probe also contains a biopsy channel, allowing for videoscopic and laparoscopic procedures such as tumor or foreign body removal.