Pet Diagnostics and Testing

Your pet’s health is our team’s top priority, so we take great care in diagnostics, testing, and prevention.

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Mermaid Vet Hospital Reviews

Diagnostics and Testing
at Mermaid Vet Hospital

Our team of veterinarians and veterinary technicians use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to ensure your pet’s condition is accurately and confidently measured.

SDMA (early kidney disease detection)
A large number of older dogs and cats develop kidney disease or failure. With correct diagnostic testing, the problem can be caught early enough for more successful treatment. SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) tests for the amino acid arginine, which may be incorporated into the blood panel. SDMA levels elevate very early in the course of kidney disease, anywhere from 12 to 36 months.
Parasite Testing
Veterinary examinations and parasite testing such as Heartworm testing and Tick-Borne Illness testing are important ways to protect your pet’s health. Let our knowledgeable staff provide you with a comprehensive parasite control program. We can recommend a schedule for parasite testing, discuss what signs of parasites you can look for at home, review ways to control parasites in and around your home, discuss treatment options if your pet has parasites, and recommend ways to control and prevent parasites in the future.
Digital Radiography
X-rays are an important diagnostic tool used to identify what is going on within your pet. An x-ray allows us to look within the body for abnormalities that we would not be able to see otherwise. Radiography can be used to evaluate almost any organ in the body, including the bones, heart, lungs, intestines, liver, and bladder, to name a few.
In-House and Laboratory Diagnostic Testing
Our pets cannot tell us what’s wrong, and that’s why laboratory tests and diagnostic tests are so important. But we do more than just offer you state-of-the-art diagnostic tests, we choose the tests that will guide us toward the perfect, tailor-made solution for your pet’s needs. We are committed to providing accurate and timely lab results for the benefit of your pet thanks to our extensive in-house laboratory capabilities.
CBC and Chemistry
Analyzing blood chemistry can give us indications of the functioning of the internal organs. The CBC can indicate the presence of an infection, anemia, possible bone marrow issues, malignancies, or blood clotting issues.
Cytology
If your pet has a skin or ear infection or has masses our doctors will offer to perform cytology to better evaluate what is occurring. Cytology consists of collecting samples of cells in the area of interest and examining them under the microscope to identify bacteria, fungus, mites, or evaluate the type of cells a tissue or mass is comprised of.
“Fast Scan” Ultrasonography
Ultrasonography is a type of diagnostic technique that uses ultrasound waves to produce an imaging study. This means that when we perform “Fast Scan” ultrasonography, we can see internal images of parts of the patient’s body quickly. Ultrasonography is a completely non-invasive, painless way to diagnose and evaluate many common diseases. Ultrasounds also allow us to look at the architecture of internal organs and examine location, size, shape, texture, and blood supply.
Echocardiogram / Abdominal Ultrasound
Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It uses ultrasound waves to create images that allow the veterinarian to evaluate the heart size, valve function, and heart strength. It is considered the most accurate test for diagnosing heart disease in dogs and cats. We have mobile ultrasonographers come into the clinic and perform this.

Abdominal Ultrasound: ultrasonography uses high frequency sound waves to create a “picture” of an internal structure. The waves are emitted by a probe that the doctor holds in their hand and scans over the area of interest. Most of the time animals will allow us to complete their ultrasound without any sedation which is great! If your pet is a bit more anxious (like mine are), we may recommend using a dose of sedation to ensure everyone’s comfort and safety. The ultrasound itself is a relatively painless procedure but some pets may be painful in their belly or other areas from their illness. In these cases, we may recommend giving a dose of pain medication and/or sedation to make sure they are comfortable during their scan.

We have mobile ultrasonographers come into the clinic and perform this.