Diagnostic Services
Radiographs
Radiographs (X-rays) are extremely helpful for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical conditions. X-rays are useful in examining your pet’s bones, lungs, heart, abdomen, oral cavity and other areas of the body. An X-ray can spot a fractured bone, detect tumors, or locate an obstruction or foreign body in your pet’s intestine or stomach. When used in conjunction with other diagnostic procedures like ultrasound, X-rays can accurately diagnose problems, making treatment faster and easier for your pet and your veterinarian.
To provide your pet with the best medical care, Bethany Animal Hospital uses the latest in computerized radiology equipment as part of your pet’s diagnostic care. Digital radiographic images are far more detailed and offer a range of features that enhance your veterinarian’s ability to make an accurate diagnosis. Because our radiographs are digital, we are also able to easily submit them electronically to a board certified radiologist for timely second opinions.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a pain-free, totally non-invasive technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce a real-time image of your pet’s internal organs. Often considered more exact than radiographs, ultrasound provides a movie of what is happening inside your pet’s body.
It is particularly useful in viewing your pet’s abdominal organs including the spleen, kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. It can also be used to evaluate heart functions, bladder scans and other areas such as the thyroid glands, testicles and mammary glands.
Ultrasound also works well in conjunction with other diagnostic tools and a wide range of diagnostic procedures. For example, if an X-ray shows a lesion on your pet, an ultrasound can determine the origin of the lesion and whether it has spread elsewhere in your pet’s body.
Echocardiography
Echocardiograms are specialized ultrasound images of the heart that are far more precise than electrocardiographs. An echocardiogram creates a two-dimensional real-time video image of the cardiovascular system that displays the function of the valves in the heart, the contractions of the heart, blood flow through the arteries, and more.
Bethany Animal Hospital utilizes a traveling cardiologist, Dr. Buoscio, who is up-to-date on the latest in echocardiography procedures.
Endoscopy
Veterinary endoscopy aids in the diagnosis and treatment of problems occurring in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts. An endoscope allows a more complete examination of the esophagus, stomach, and some areas of the intestines in order to diagnose gastrointestinal disorders, cancerous growths, polyps, and other problems.
The endoscope is also useful in obtaining samples of potentially infected or cancerous material and serves as the visual aid during a biopsy, allowing the doctor to obtain the best sample for evaluation. This helps diagnose malignancies in the gastrointestinal tract as well as gastrointestinal disorders like Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The endoscope also aids in the removal of foreign bodies. Animals often swallow objects that cannot be digested or passed through the digestive tract. The endoscope allows better vision of the digestive tract so these objects may be removed without major surgery.
Bethany Animal Hospital is equipped with a state-of-the-art Olympus endoscope, which allows us to perform gastroscopies and colonoscopies with the ability to retrieve tissue for biopsy.
Our Lab
Performing preventative medicine as well as diagnosing emerging internal health issues requires the ability to perform a wide range of laboratory tests on blood, urine, and feces. Without timely access to precise laboratory test results—blood testing, biopsies, microscopic examinations, bacterial culture sensitivity, and more—it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis or assessment of your pet’s health.
For example, diagnostic testing can detect heartworm disease, Lyme disease, infections, feline leukemia, intestinal parasites, urinary tract infections, and many additional diseases and conditions that can go unnoticed in their early stages. Early blood testing can show evidence of disease such as diabetes, changes in liver or kidney function, or simply provide a baseline for future reference. Diagnostic testing is also included in pre-anesthetic screenings prior to dental or surgical procedures that require general anesthesia.
Bethany Animal Hospital has a complete in-house laboratory, which in many cases allows us to receive results in minutes. For complicated studies or second opinions we work with an outside specialty lab.