Diagnostic Technology

Using a radiograph (digital X-ray), we can examine your pet's internal systems to reveal information that may be invisible from the outside. 

Radiography is safe, painless, and non-invasive. It uses only very low doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure required to perform radiography is very low, even pregnant females and very young pets can undergo this procedure. 

Radiographs can be used to evaluate bones and organs, and diagnose conditions including broken bones, chronic arthritis, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases, and some tumors. 

The use of diagnostic imaging allows our team of veterinary professionals to create extremely detailed images of your pet's internal structures.

With ultrasound imaging, we expose part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the inside of the body. 

Because we capture ultrasound images in real time, we can see the structure and movement of your pet's internal organs, as well as blood flowing through the blood vessels.

Having this valuable technology available to our vets in our in-house lab means that your dog or cat's condition can be diagnosed quickly and treatment can start sooner. 

An endoscope is comprised of a very tiny camera with a light attached to the end of a flexible tube.

When we perform an endoscopy, a long, thin tube is inserted directly into the body to observe an internal organ or tissue in detail.

Minimally invasive endoscopes can be inserted into the openings of the body such as the mouth or anus.

At our vet lab in Southgate, we can run several common and specialized blood tests to determine the health of your pet and to diagnose illness.

Some of the most common veterinary blood tests we do are CBC (complete blood count), white blood count, hemoglobin and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration), hematocrit, platelets, eosinophils, and blood serum profile. 

Urinalysis is a key diagnostic test that provides your vet with essential insights into the physical and chemical properties of your pet's urine.

Urinalysis is primarily used to assess the health of your animal's kidneys and urinary tract system, but it can also help detect issues in other organ systems and is important for diagnosing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

This is a valuable diagnostic test for both healthy and sick animals and should be included in any comprehensive evaluation of your pet's overall health. 

A fecal exam is the microscopic examination of your pet's feces, which can be done at our in-house vet lab in Southgate.

The ultimate goal of a fecal exam is to identify and treat any GI infections that could be compromising your pet's health and even the health of your family. Fecals allow your vet to determine if your pet has intestinal parasites such as roundworms or hookworms. 

Parasites can make pets uncomfortable, and irritable, and lead to more serious conditions. Some can even be transmitted to humans.

Since these parasites live in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract, they are often hidden from view. The only way to detect them is with a fecal exam.

Annual fecal examinations should be a vital part of every pet's routine wellness exam.  

If your veterinarian performs a physical examination and suspects your pet may have a heart disorder, we usually take chest X-Rays and an electrocardiogram (ECG / EKG).

This procedure can be completed easily and quickly. It reveals data that may be integral to your pet's diagnosis. In other cases, a cardiac ultrasound may be required to identify disorders in the chambers of the heart.

If your cat or dog is suffering from periodontal disease, much of this damage occurs below the gum line where it can't be easily seen. Digital dental X-Rays help our veterinarians assess your pet's oral health.

Digital X-Rays are safer for your pet. They allow our team of veterinary professionals to examine the roots, bones, and internal anatomy of your cat or dog's teeth.

With digital X-Rays, the risk of radiation exposure for your pet is significantly lower than with traditional X-Ray technology. We can see below the surface of your pet's gum line to fully evaluate each tooth.

This technology allows your Southgate vet to see results immediately, then project them onto a computer screen to review.