Diagnostics
Our dedicated and enthusiastic team of veterinary surgeons and support staff are passionate about offering high quality veterinary care to their patients. The use of up to date techniques and modern equipment helps us achieve this goal.
Detailed below are just some of our diagnostic services:-
Laboratory
Our laboratory is well equipped and includes the latest haematology and biochemistry analysers for rapid on-site blood testing to aide prompt clinical diagnosis and treatment.
We recommend pre-anaesthetic blood screens prior to anaesthesia. This is to ensure pets are in good health before undergoing any operations/procedures.
To compliment our in-house facilities we also use external laboratories for a range of more specialised tests.
X-Ray (Radiography)
Radiography involves firing x-rays through a subject to expose a special photographic plate. Dense structures such a bone allow less x-rays though than softer tissues and this is reflected in the image produced when an x-ray plate is developed.
We have x-ray facilities at our Lancaster and Morecambe surgeries, including state of the art digital x-ray machines.
Obtaining high quality images rapidly helps reduce anaesthetic and sedation times in our patients.
Ultrasound
Complimenting radiography, ultrasound provides a non-invasive means of visualising internal organs by clever use and analysis of sound waves passing into, and reflected out of the body.
Common uses for ultrasound scanning include pregnancy diagnosis (as in humans), and examination of the heart, liver, kidney and spleen amongst other organs.
Unlike with x-rays, animals rarely need to be anaesthetised for ultrasound examination which is a particular advantage in very sick or old patients.
Endoscopy
We have two sizes of fibre optic endoscope which allow us to directly view and biopsy those parts of the body that are hard to reach, for example the stomach, bowel and respiratory tract.
ECG
Taking electro-cardiograms (ECGs) is a non-invasive procedure that measures electrical impulses across the heart. ECGs are useful in diagnosis and monitoring of heart disease.
Blood Pressure
Another non-invasive procedure that helps in the diagnosis and response to treatment of various conditions, for example kidney and heart disease.