Diagnostic Services
Radiographs
Though radiographs may seem like a technology from the 20th Century, they are in fact an important and cost-effective veterinary diagnostic tool. Radiographs—also known as X-rays—are extremely helpful at identifying and diagnosing a number of medical conditions affecting your pet’s lungs, heart, abdomen, oral cavity, bladder, kidneys and other areas. For example, a radiograph can detect cancerous tumors, diagnose heartworm disease, bladder and kidney stones, and foreign objects.
X-rays are also very important for helping diagnose and treat injuries such as broken bones, joint injuries and illnesses and many other orthopedic conditions.
Norfolk County Veterinary Service is able to offer a full range of radiographic services, which includes receiving a second opinion from a board certified radiologist when necessary.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a very important diagnostic tool because it allows your veterinarian to gain a very precise look at your pet’s internal organs, chest and abdomen without surgery.
In particular, ultrasound is invaluable for making treatment decisions for various types of heart disease, assess the function and health of internal organs, and identify lesions, determine their origin, and if they have spread to other areas of the body. Ultrasound is also a very powerful surgical aid such as by helping guide your veterinarian while obtaining a biopsy or removing a foreign object from your pet.
In most cases, the procedure is relatively brief, less than an hour, and your pet is able to go home the very same day. Most importantly, though, your veterinarian will be able to make a highly accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition and provide effective treatment recommendations.
At Norfolk County Veterinary Service we work with Pet Animal Ultrasound Services, LLC, which is a mobile ultrasound specialist. Pet Animal Ultrasound Services utilizes state-of-the-art ultrasound technologies to create a digital study of your pet, which is then submitted to one of their team of board certified radiologists or cardiologists for interpretation. Finalized reports and treatment recommendations are available the same day or early the next day.
This is a highly efficient, convenient and cost-effective model of care that has been used by many human hospitals for decades.
The 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, feces, and biopsied tissue. Without timely access to precise laboratory test results 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 offered in pre-anesthetic screenings prior to dental or surgical procedures that require general anesthesia.
Norfolk County Veterinary Service continues to make investments to our in-house laboratory capabilities in order to ensure we remain consistent with the highest standards of veterinary care. In many cases, our sophisticated instruments and diagnostic capabilities allow us to receive results within minutes.