Veterinary Diagnostic Lab

Our Diagnostic Services 

With our in-house veterinary diagnostic lab we are pleased to offer advanced diagnostic testing without delays, when your pets need it most. The technology in our veterinary lab allows our vets to provide an accurate diagnosis of your pet's medical issues quickly and efficiently.

• 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. 

• CT Scans

  CT (computed tomography) Scans combine X-Ray images and computer technology to help us identify and diagnose numerous diseases and disorders in your pet's body. They have become an essential imaging tool used in veterinary medicine.

• Endoscopy

  An endoscope is comprised of a very tiny camera with a light attached to the end of a flexible tube.

  When we perform an endoscopy, a long, thin tube is inserted directly into the body to observe an internal organ or tissue in detail.

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

• Bloodwork

  At our vet lab in Santa Cruz 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. 

• 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 Santa Cruz.

  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. Fecals 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.