Onsite veterinary diagnostics offer you and your pet convenience under one roof. Veterinary diagnostics have been instrumental in diagnosing and treating pets with accuracy and expediency. Traditionally, veterinarians sent samples to external laboratories for analysis, which was time-consuming and costly. However, with technological advancements and portable diagnostic device availability, a veterinary clinic no longer needs to always send lab work to large outside labs. Learn how our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team’s in-house diagnostic services benefit your four-legged friend’s health.

Importance of veterinary diagnostics

Diagnostics are essential for early disease detection, allowing for prompt intervention and improved outcomes for pets who have various medical conditions. Accurate diagnostics help our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team select appropriate treatment strategies we can tailor to each pet’s needs, enhancing, and often prolonging their quality of life. With immediate access to diagnostic information, we can quickly adjust medications, monitor progress, and make informed decisions about your furry pal’s ongoing care. This personalized approach improves pets’ outcomes and enhances their overall veterinary care experience.

In-house veterinary diagnostics

During your pet’s wellness exam, our team performs a thorough nose-to-tail physical, assessing your furry pal’s vital signs, body condition, and specific health issues. However, the physical exam is only one comprehensive medical assessment component. Diagnostic services are used to obtain a more complete picture of your pet’s health by assessing what’s occurring inside their body. The in-house diagnostic equipment and technologies our team uses include:

  • Laboratory diagnostics — Lab work often includes blood sample analysis to evaluate cell counts, measure hemoglobin levels, and detect abnormalities. Chemical analysis includes assessing serum or plasma for organ function markers, electrolyte levels, and metabolic parameters. Additionally, using microbiology, our team can identify pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that may be negatively affecting your pet’s health. Urinalysis is an essential test to identify urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder stones, and other conditions. Lastly, we look for internal and external parasites through fecal exams, blood smears, and serological tests.
  • Radiography — Our in-house X-ray machine visualizes internal structures and detects fractures, tumors, foreign bodies, arthritis, lung infections, and other abnormalities. Radiology is also used to detect organ size, function, and other critical organ health indicators. Using digital dental X-rays, our team can identify dental decay and disease, bone loss, and other oral health issues.
  • Ultrasound — Ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging technique that uses sound waves to look inside your pet’s body. These sound waves bounce off structures within a pet’s body, imaging what’s happening internally. Ultrasound is an important tool in assessing soft tissues, organs, and pregnancies. Unlike X-rays, ultrasound allows us to clearly view a pet’s body tissues. Having an ultrasound machine on-site also enables us to perform needle biopsies and collect urine directly from the bladder for urinalysis. 

Advantages of in-house diagnostics

If a veterinary clinic sends diagnostic samples to an outside lab, an ill pet’s diagnosis and treatment are delayed. When diagnostic veterinary services are offered under one roof, a pet’s well-being is enhanced through the following benefits:

  • One-stop shop — With diagnostic equipment in one place, you and your furry friend avoid traveling to various locations for testing, thus saving time.
  • Cost savings — General veterinary practices’ in-house laboratory fees are far less expensive than those of large laboratories that require long wait times for results and send a big hit to your wallet.
  • Rapid results — In-house diagnostics allow for point-of-care testing (POCT), enabling rapid on-site diagnosis, reducing turnaround times, and facilitating immediate treatment decisions.
  • Treatment planning — With in-house diagnostic capabilities, our team can quickly respond to any changes in your pet’s health and tailor their treatment plan accordingly. 

AI-powered in-house diagnostics

Our team uses advanced AI-powered technology to offer gold-standard care to our pet patients including:

  • Vetscan Imagyst — This diagnostic tool allows us to accurately detect parasitic ova, cysts, and oocysts in fecal samples and provides highly accurate analysis of blood smears.
  • SignalPet — This innovative technology enhances our X-ray interpretative capabilities by integrating AI with human intelligence.

Our diagnostic capabilities are our practice’s cornerstone, enabling our team to diagnose diseases accurately, monitor treatment responses, and promote your pet’s health and well-being. With ongoing technological innovations, veterinary diagnostics’ future holds promise for further advancements, empowering our Creature Comforts Veterinary Service team to provide optimal care for your four-legged friend. Contact us to learn more about our in-house diagnostic services.