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 ...back Imaging Services Imaging allows your veterinarian to "look inside" your pet to help diagnose illness or injury and provide the best appropriate treatment. Our practices use radiographs (x-rays), ultrasound, endoscopy, and electrocardiograms (ECG) to maintain your pet's healthy and happy life. In addition to our own in-house staff, we maintain an affiliation with two noted specialists in this area. Dr. Charles Conrad is our radiology and orthopedic surgery consultant. Dr. Conrad has a masters degree in radiology from Purdue in addition to his DVM degree, and he does weekly rounds with staff to review radiographs. We are also proud to be affiliated with Dr. Elizabeth Shaker who is a Diplomat, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. Shaker is a specialist in ultrasound and endoscopy, and she provides valuable consultation to our in house team as well. Radiographs or x-rays are used to create images of your pet's body structures and processes to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury. An x-ray can reveal a fractured bone, a tumor, or a foreign body. Your veterinarian may use barium or another contrast agent to see how your pet's internal organs are functioning. Your veterinarian may also take x-rays for genetic databases such as OFA (hip dysplasia, elbow displaysia, patellar luxation, and cardiac) upon your request. An endoscope is another instrument that allows doctors "look inside" your pet by inserting a long, flexible tube into the body. The tip of the tube is essentially a camera that sends images back to a monitor so the veterinarian can view them. This procedure lets veterinarians see internal tissue without performing invasive surgery. The veterinarian can also remove tissue for biopsy when additional diagnostic information is needed. An ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool for your veterinarian. An ultrasound machine uses sound waves to create images for the veterinarian to review. Ultrasound is painless, non-invasive, and it does not usually require chemical restraint. It is safe to use on delicate tissues in the body. Electrocardiograms are useful for diagnosing and treating heart ailments. The electrocardiograms can be done quickly, and it allows the veterinarian to have a visual image of the heart's functioning. Sophisticated and expensive diagnostic tools such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans are available at veterinary colleges and research centers in the Northeast as well. Should your pet require these services, your veterinarian will be able to provide appropriate referrals. |
 Latham Animal Hospital 326 Troy Schenectady Rd Latham, NY 12110 P: (518) 785-1481 F: (518) 785-1499 info@capitalvets.com  |