Diagnostics
Pet Diagnostics in Colorado Springs, CO
The Animal Hospital of Colorado Springs provides a variety of pet diagnostics to help us identify any health conditions. Our diagnostic services include:
- Digital Radiography
- EKG
- Laboratory Services
- Ultrasound
Digital X-Rays for Cats and Dogs
Digital x-rays enable our veterinarians to evaluate your pet’s health condition through gathering images of their internal system, including muscular-skeletal, cardiovascular or cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and urinary systems. Our digital system allows us to process image results within minutes, and the images are clearer than traditional images. Digital imaging also allows us to quickly share the images if a second opinion is needed.
EKG for Pets
We have the technology to provide EKG to check for heart issues in your pet.
Laboratory Services
We offer various types of diagnostics for your pet, such as routine blood work, intestinal parasite screening, heartworm testing, FeLV/FIV testing, as well as many others. Many of these diagnostic tests are recommended at your pet’s annual wellness exam and each diagnostic test is important for various reasons. It is important to do routine blood work for your pet’s annual wellness exam because blood work allows us to see important organ functions. Annual blood work allows our veterinarians to monitor trends and diagnose certain diseases at the earliest stage possible. When diagnosed early, many of these diseases can be slowed down greatly, or even reversed with various treatments prescribed by your pet’s veterinarian.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends your pet have an intestinal parasite screen performed at least annually. Common parasites we look for under the microscope are roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, and giardia. Many of these parasites are transmittable to humans, which is one reason we recommend performing this diagnostic test; it not only allows us to keep your pet healthier, but you and your family as well.
Annual heartworm testing is recommended to screen for heartworms in your canine friend. This test allows us to verify your pet is free of heartworms and to catch “loopholes” where the medication may have failed for a month. This allows us to verify that your pet is safe to receive their monthly heartworm prevention medication. Heartworm prevention should be given once a month, year round.
FeLV/FIV are viruses that are found in feline patients. FeLV is short for Feline Leukemia Virus. This virus is spread through contact with infected felines. FIV is short for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. The primary mode of transmission of this virus is through bite wounds, but it can also be transmitted through mother’s milk when a kitten nurses. Both of these viruses can significantly shorten your cat’s life expectancy. It is important to have your kitten tested for these viruses at their first exam and then yearly afterwards since the diseases can lie dormant for years. If we know that your feline friend is positive for one or both of these viruses it allows us to better treat them when they become ill.
Some diagnostic tests are commonly performed in our in house lab, and others are sent to an outside lab for more in-depth diagnostics. Depending on your pet’s needs, the veterinarian will determine if the diagnostics needed at the time of your pet’s visit should be performed in house or sent to an outside lab.
Cat and Dog Ultrasound Services
We provide ultrasound services as a part of our comprehensive internal pet diagnostics options. We can use our ultrasound machine for echocardiograms and abdominal imaging.
Contact Us
Contact us to discuss the best diagnostics methods for your pet today!
