Diagnostic Services

Digital Radiography

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital has invested in the latest veterinary digital radiology machine that takes high quality, detailed radiographs (x-rays) of your pet. Digital x-rays produce high-quality, accurate images that result in faster, more accurate and and less-stressful diagnosis of your pet's condition.

Radiographs are one of the most important diagnostic tools in veterinary medicine. High quality, detailed x-rays are useful in identifying the location of fractures, pinpointing the size and location of tumors and growths, detecting signs of heart disease and more.

Digital radiology has many benefits for your pet, you and our staff. Our sophisticated digital x-ray equipment produces clear, detailed images that allow our veterinarians to make a more rapid and accurate diagnosis. Because digital x-ray images can be saved on a computer, they can be transmitted quickly by email to outside specialists if a referral or second opinion were necessary. The images can also be saved to a disc and given to you. Digital x-rays are easier and faster to process than traditional film x-rays, resulting in less time on the x-ray table (and less stress) for your pet. The harsh chemicals once necessary for developing x-rays are not needed for digital x-rays, reducing potential harm to our staff and the environment.

Consultation with a board-certified radiologist is available for difficult cases, resulting in a more accurate, complete diagnosis for your pet. Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital can also send your pet's x-rays to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a non-profit organization that evaluates radiographs of companion animals for hip dysplasia and other genetic diseases.

Ultrasound

Similar to an x-ray but often more accurate, an ultrasound provides a real-time, moving picture of your pet's insides. Used primarily for abdominal or cardiac illnesses, ultrasounds allow us to look inside your pet and perform organ biopsies that would otherwise require surgery. Ultrasound is especially useful when used as a diganostic tool for aspiritating fluid in the body cavity or around the heart. It is also used to diagnose pregnancy in pets and the viability of the fetus, and it is helpful for avoiding contamination when performing cystocentesis (collection of urine samples).

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital uses the latest veterinary ultrasound technology to help treat your pet. Used without anesthesia, ultrasound examinations are less invasive, less stressful and more comfortable for your pet when determining the cause of an illness. While our doctors have received extensive training in ultrasonography, we believe in providing the best service available and we will consult with a specialist on abdominal and cardiac ultrasound cases.

Endoscopy

Endoscopy is a minimally-invasive diagnostic procedure that is used to assess the interior surfaces of an organ. Endoscopes are flexible video cameras with working channels that are inserted into areas of the body (such as the gastrointestinal tract or the respiratory tract) for high-resolution investigation.

Endoscopy is commonly used for tissue and organ biopsies, to remove foreign objects (particularly in the stomach) or get an inside view of a particular part of your pet's body. Even though anesthesia is required to keep your pet still during the endoscopic procedure, compared to a traditional surgical procedure, the amount of anesthesia and recovery time is greatly reduced. Endoscopy is often indicated when routine blood and urine tests, radiographs and / or ultrasound do not give the complete diagnostic picture.

The endoscope is composed of a long tube (flexible or rigid), a light source, camera and viewing eyepiece. In addition to the fiber optic light source, there are two channels within in the tube. One channel is for passing forceps, snares or biopsy instruments, allowing for the removal of foreign objects, collection of biopsy samples and removal of small polyps or tumors. Air or water can be passed through the other channel for better viewing of the tissue or organ. Compared to traditional surgery, the benefits of endoscopy include shortened anesthesia time, decreased inflammation, less physiologic stress and discomfort and an earlier return to normal function. Even though general anesthesia is required for an endoscopic procedure, it is still considered much less invasive than traditional surgery due to the relatively short procedure time and low occurrence of complications.

Video Otoscopy

An otoscope is a small, lighted instrument that allows us to see down into your pet's outer ear canal. Similar to an endoscope, a video otoscope is equipped with a small camera that transmits images from the ear canal to a video monitor, giving our veterinarians an up-close view of your pet's ear during surgical and diagnostic procedures. It also allows for improved diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for pets with external ear disease.

In House Laboratory

Rose Rock Veterinary Hospital's in-house diagnostic laboratory is capable of performing a complete series of diagnostic tests for your pet. During an emergency, your pet needs to be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. Our state-of-the-art laboratory and well-trained technical staff are capable of performing complete blood counts (CBC), blood chemistry profiles and serum electrolyte measurements within a matter of minutes. In our laboratory, we can also perform skin scrapings as well as urinalysis and dermatophyte cultures, and we can test for giardia, feline leukemia, FIV, heartworm, ehrlichia, internal parasites and Lyme disease.

Specially trained veterinary technicians staff our laboratory and are capable of interpreting your pet's results quickly and accurately. Once your pet's laboratory results are in hand, our veterinarians and technicians can begin your pet's treatment immediately.