Diagnostic Imaging
Whitesburg Animal Hospital provides an array of diagnostic imaging services designed to ensure fast, safe, and accurate diagnosis of medical conditions and to assist with certain medical procedures.
Radiographs
Radiographs, commonly known as X-rays, are useful in examining your pet's bones, lungs, heart, abdomen, oral cavity, and other areas. A radiograph can spot a fractured bone, detect cancerous tumors, diagnose heartworm disease, and locate an obstruction or foreign body in your pet's stomach. When used in conjunction with other diagnostic procedures like ultrasound, X-rays can help accurately diagnose problems, making surgery easier and safer for your pet.
Endoscopy
Veterinary endoscopy aids in the diagnosis and treatment of problems occurring in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts. An endoscope allows a more complete examination of the esophagus, stomach, and some areas of the intestines.
The endoscope is equipped with a lighted camera and pictures are transferred to a monitor for evaluation. An endoscope allows veterinarians to visualize areas that would normally not be accessible without invasive surgery. It also allows veterinarians to diagnose gastrointestinal disorders, cancerous growths, polyps, and other problems.
The endoscope is useful in obtaining samples of potentially infected or cancerous material and serves as the visual aid during a biopsy, allowing the doctor to obtain the best sample for evaluation. This helps diagnose malignancies in the gastrointestinal tract as well as gastrointestinal disorders like Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The endoscope also aids in the removal of foreign bodies. Animals often swallow objects that cannot be digested or passed through the digestive tract, and the endoscope allows better vision of the digestive tract so these objects may be removed without major surgery.
Ultrasound
Whitesburg Animal Hospital uses modern ultrasound technology and is up-to-date on the latest ultrasound-assisted procedures. We can also deliver images from ultrasound through a private network to a specialist to gain swift, reliable second opinions.
Ultrasound is a pain-free, non-invasive technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time images of your pet's internal organs. Ultrasound is often considered more exact than radiographs because it provides a movie of internal movement instead of pictures.
This is particularly useful in viewing your pet's spleen, kidneys, liver, and gallbladder. This also helps evaluate heart functions, bladder scans, and other areas, including thyroid glands, testicles, and mammary glands.
Ultrasound also works well in conjugation with other diagnostic tools. If an x-ray reveals a lesion on your pet, an ultrasound can determine the origin of the lesion and whether it has spread elsewhere on your pet's body. Ultrasounds also help obtain surgical biopsies without major surgery, often allowing your pet to return home the same day of the procedure.