Pet Diagnostics in Springville
At the Big Springs Veterinary Clinic, we offer in-house laboratory, radiology, and ultrasound services for the pets of Springville, AL.
Our Diagnostic Services
Veterinary Radiology
The most common and useful tools for veterinary diagnostics are radiographs and X-rays. For our vets to give the correct treatment to an animal, they need an accurate diagnosis. Radiographs have the ability to show the pet’s bones and organs by penetrating the tissue using electromagnetic radiation. X-rays can be used to show fractured bones, heart problems, objects that have been swallowed, and many other things.
Digital radiographs offer some critical advantages:
- No harsh chemicals are required to develop the images. This reduces any possible harm to the environment and those in it.
- The images can be viewed on a computer immediately after being taken.
- The images are clear and detailed. A quicker and more accurate diagnosis can be made as the image can be manipulated so our vets can get a better view of the pet’s internal organs and bones.
- Digital images can be sent by email if a second opinion is needed.
- Your pet will be on the X-ray table for a much shorter amount of time as the image takes a lot less time to process.
Veterinary In-House Laboratory
Our on-site lab means we can perform tests on blood, urine, and fecal samples ourselves. The results we receive from these tests are just as important for diagnosis as an ultrasound or X-ray images. These results are helpful for assessing your pet’s health and also detecting any diseases or other conditions.
Complete blood count (CBC) – Checks the numbers and types of white blood cells as well as your pet’s red blood cell count. This is important in checking for infection, inflammation, anemias, auto-immune diseases, and even blood parasites.
Blood chemistry (CHEM) – Checks your pet’s organ values such as kidney, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. It also allows us to assess your pets’ blood sugar, blood proteins, and electrolytes.
Urinalysis – Checks of your pet’s urine looking for irregularities like white blood cells, proteins, red blood cells, and even glucose. This gives evidence for diseases such as bladder, kidney infections, diabetes, and kidney function.
Fecal examination – We also have the ability to perform fecal exams in-house, allowing us to check your pet for internal parasites.
Veterinary Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that gives us a real-time picture of what is happening in your pet’s abdomen. It is a valuable point of care tool used with trauma to offer a quick assessment (FAST scan) of the abdomen, checking for internal injuries.