What is diagnostic Imaging?
Diagnostic Imaging Aids Us in Getting Clear Diagnosis of Your Pet’s Health
Diagnostic imaging is the term that describes a variety of non-invasive methods we use to look inside the body of your cat or dog to help us determine the causes of an injury or an illness and to confirm a diagnosis. We also use diagnostic imaging to determine how well your pet is responding to their treatment plan.
How Does Diagnostic Imaging Work?
Each imaging technique is best suited for certain types of diagnoses. At Howell Animal Hospital, Surgical & Diagnostic Center we use different types of advanced imaging equipment, including:
Digital X-Ray
A digital x-ray, or radiograph, is a type of photograph that is able to see inside your pet’s body, which can reveal information that may not be readily apparent from the outside. Radiographs can be used to evaluate bones and organs and diagnose conditions including bladder stones, broken bones, chronic arthritis, spinal cord diseases and some tumors. The image quality of a digital x-ray is much higher than a film x-ray, there is no time lost in processing the image and less radiation is used. The digital images can be visualized within a few seconds following exposure, allowing us to diagnose and treat your pet rapidly.
Ultrasound
Veterinary ultrasound is a painless, non-invasive tool that allows us to visualize internal organs that are not otherwise possible to examine. This 3 dimensional image allows the trained veterinarian to see how the organs are moving or how blood is flowing through the dog or cat at the time of the procedure. As the sound waves travel into the body they return images of the internal organs and ultrasounds return dynamic results in real time.
Laboratory
Our laboratory can provide our doctors rapid results of blood testing, fecal screenings, urinalysis, heartworm tests (dogs), leukemia/FIV tests (cats) pre-surgical blood chemistry profiles, among other tests. For more information about our laboratory, please see our laboratory services page.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Accurate blood pressure monitoring allows us to assess your pet’s condition while under anesthesia, experiencing shock, or in other critical situations. It is also used during routine check-ups to provide a baseline blood pressure reading.
Anesthesia Monitoring
We use a state of the art machine for monitoring your pet’s ECG, blood pressure, respiration, heart activity, oxygen saturation and temperature during all surgical procedures.
Diagnostic imaging is an important tool to making an accurate diagnosis and to monitor your pet’s progress after surgery.