Veterinary Technology

Our Diagnostic Services 

We are pleased to offer advanced diagnostic testing in our in-house veterinary diagnostics lab to allow our vets to provide an accurate diagnosis of your pet's medical issues.

• Radiography (Digital X-rays)

  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. 

• Ultrasound

  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. 

• Tonometry

  This instrumentation allows us to measure intraocular pressure (the pressure inside the eye). The Tono-Pen is a handheld device shaped like a large marker. It gives a digital readout of the amount of force being exerted on the eye.

  The device is used to diagnose glaucoma, a common but painful disease marked by increased fluid pressure in the eye. It can often damage the ocular nerve and cause blindness. Early detection is key to preventing permanent vision loss.

• Cytology

  Cytology is the microscopic examination of cells that have been collected from the body. These cells can be examined for characteristics such as appearance, number, size, color, shape, internal qualities, and more. 

  Cytology is often used to diagnose the nature of lumps or bumps found on the surface of the body. It can also be used to evaluate internal organs, bodily fluids, and more.

  Cytology can often identify the underlying cause of inflammation, and whether abnormal tissue growth is cancerous or benign.

• Bloodwork

  At our vet lab in Rock Hill we are able to run a number of 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, hematocrit, platelets, eosinophils, and blood serum profile. 

• Blood Pressure

  Diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Cushing's disease, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease can cause high blood pressure (hypertension), while certain heart diseases can lead to low blood pressure (hypotension).

  Blood pressure testing provides valuable data that give us insights into your pet's condition to help determine treatment. An inflatable cuff is fitted around your pet's foreleg or foot, and an ultrasound probe is used to find a superficial artery and your pet's pulse.

  The cuff is inflated until the Doppler signal of the pulse disappears. After the cuff is deflated, the Doppler signal returns to give us your pet's systolic blood pressure. This process will be repeated several times to get a good average reading.

• Urinalysis

  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 be helpful in detecting 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. 

• Fecal Exams

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

  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. Fecal exams allow your vet to determine if your pet has intestinal parasites such as roundworms or hookworms. 

  Parasites can make pets uncomfortable, 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 examines should be a vital part of every pet's routine wellness exam.  

• ECG / EKG

  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.