Advanced Diagnostics
In-House Laboratory, Ultrasounds, & X-Rays
Diagnostic services allow us to take a closer look at the internal workings of your pet and can assist our veterinarians in determining any underlying conditions. Walnut Creek Veterinary Clinic has the most current tools to help us make an accurate diagnosis so we can effectively treat and prevent medical issues.
In-House Laboratory
Our in-house laboratory facilities provide serum chemistry, hematology, urinalysis and parasite testing. Having a lab on-site saves time, money, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait overnight for results—meaning your pet gets a diagnosis and needed treatment sooner.
In addition to routine blood tests, we also offer additional screenings including:
- Blood screening for FeLV/FIV
- Pancreatitis
- Urinalysis, ear and skin cytology, and fecal testing
- 4DX Heartworm testing for anaplasmosis, ehrlichia, and Lyme disease
- ProBNP for heart disease screening
When specialized diagnostics and consultations are needed, we do utilize outside commercial veterinary laboratories.
Digital Radiology (X-Rays)
Radiographs, or x-rays, are a diagnostic tool that allows us to see a snapshot of the internal organs. X-rays are often used to detect foreign body ingestion, urinary bladder stones, abdominal or chest tumors, heart size and shape, changes in the lungs that could indicate cancer or pneumonia, and many other disease processes.
We can usually do radiographs during a “sick” office visit and have immediate results, although at times we will send images to a board-certified radiologist for interpretation. X-rays are a painless procedure and sedation is usually not necessary.
Dental radiographs are also digital but must be done under anesthesia.
Ultrasound
Ultrasonic scanning is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that allows us to get real-time imagery of your pet’s internal organs and systems, and can be crucial in detecting issues like tumors, organ anomalies, GI blockages, and more. Ultrasounds can often detect problems that can’t be seen on an X-ray, and Walnut Creek Veterinary Clinic has the equipment to do quick in-house ultrasounds for basic needs. For full abdominal ultrasounds, we refer our cases to our network hospitals—Ridgeview Animal Hospital, The Ridge, or Coventry Veterinary Clinic. For more advanced or critical cases, we can have a mobile board-certified radiologist come to our clinic.
To learn more about our diagnostic services, or to schedule your pet for a consultation, you can request an appointment online or give us a call at (402) 505-5445
