Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Our Diagnostic Services 

We are proud to offer you advanced diagnostic testing with our in-house veterinary diagnostics lab. This helps us provide you with an accurate diagnosis for your pet's medical condition.

• Radiography (Digital X-rays)

  With a radiograph (digital X-ray), we are able to examine the internal systems of your pet to uncover information that can't be found from the outside. 

  Radiography is safe, painless, and non-invasive. It only utilizes very small doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure needed to execute radiography is so low, pregnant females and very young pets can have this procedure completed. 

  We can use radiographs to examine bones and organs and diagnose conditions such as broken bones, chronic arthritis, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases, and some tumors. 

• Ultrasound

  The use of ultrasound imaging helps our vets get very detailed images of your pet's internal structures.

  In this method of imaging, we expose part of the body to high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the body's insides. 

  Since ultrasound images are captured in real-time, we can see the structure and movement of your pet's internal organs, as well as the blood flowing through the blood vessels.

  Having this valuable technology available to our vets in our in-house lab means that your animal companion's condition can be diagnosed swiftly and we can begin treatment faster. 

• Endoscopy

  An endoscope consists of a very small camera with a light on the end of a flexible tube.

  When we implement an endoscopy, a long, thin tube is inserted directly into your pet's body to view their internal organs or tissues in detail.

  Minimally invasive endoscopes can be inserted into the openings of the body such as the mouth or anus.

• Bloodwork

   In our Cave Creek vet lab we can conduct a handful of common and specialized blood tests to evaluate your pet's health and diagnose their illness.

  A few of the most common veterinary blood tests that we perform are CBC (complete blood count), white blood count, hemoglobin and MCHC, hematocrit, platelets, eosinophils, and blood serum profile. 

• Urinalysis

  Urinalysis is a very important diagnostic test that gives your vet essential details about the chemical and physical properties of your pet's urine.

  We typically conduct urinalysis to evaluate the health of your pet's kidneys and urinary tract system, however, it could also help us detect problems in other organ systems and is key for diagnosing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

  This is a valuable diagnostic test for both healthy and sick animals and should be part of every comprehensive evaluation of your animal's overall health. 

• Fecal Exams

  A fecal exam is the microscopic examination of your pet's feces. This can be completed within our in-house vet lab in Cave Creek.

  The overall goal of a fecal exam is to find and treat any GI infections that could be negatively impacting your pet's health and potentially the health of those in your household. Fecals help your vet determine if your pet has intestinal parasites such as roundworms or hookworms. 

  Parasites can make pets irritable, uncomfortable, and cause more serious conditions. Some can even be spread to people.

  Because these parasites reside in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract, they're often hidden out of sight. The only way to find their presence is with a fecal exam.

  Annual fecal exams should be included in all of your pet's routine wellness exams.  

• Cold Lasers

  Veterinary cold laser therapy uses low-intensity lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to help stimulate and enhance cell function, relieve pain and improve healing in dogs and cats. 
  
  A variety of uncomfortable medical issues have been proven to improve with the use of laser therapy treatment, such as joint pain, muscle spasms, muscle pain, and arthritis symptoms. 

• Surgical Lasers

  In veterinary laser surgery, we use a very focused laser beam to efficiently vaporize or chip away at the tissue. As the laser completes this task it also seals the capillaries, small blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerve endings.
  
  Surgical lasers can reduce pain, bleeding, and your pet's risk of infection, leading to a shorter recovery period for many of our patients.

• ECG / EKG

  If your vet conducts a physical examination and believes your pet might be suffering from a heart disorder, we'll generally take chest X-Rays and an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG).

  This procedure can be performed quickly and easily. It reveals data that could be essential to your pet's diagnosis. In other cases, a cardiac ultrasound may be required to identify disorders in the chambers of the heart.

• Digital Dental X-Rays

  If your dog or cat has periodontal disease, lots of the damage would be occurring below the gum line where it can't be seen easily. Digital dental X-Rays help our vets assess your pet's oral health.

  Digital X-rays are safe for your pet. They let our vets evaluate the bones, roots, and internal anatomy of your furry companion's teeth.

  With digital X-rays, the risk of radiation exposure for your pet is significantly lower than with traditional X-ray technology. We are able to see below the surface of your pet's gum line to fully evaluate each tooth.

  This technology allows your Cave Creek vet to see results immediately, then project them onto a computer screen to review.