Veterinary Technology

Our Diagnostic Services 

With our in-house diagnostics lab, we are pleased to offer diagnostic testing to allow our vets to provide you with an accurate diagnosis of your pet's medical issues.

• 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 a non-invasive, painless procedure. It only employs very low doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure required for radiography is so low, even pregnant women and very young pets can have this procedure performed.

  Radiographs can be used to evaluate bones and organs, and diagnose conditions including broken bones, chronic arthritis, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases and some tumours.

• Endoscopy

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

  Endoscopy is a procedure in which a long, thin tube is inserted directly into the body to examine 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 Kitimat, we can run several common and targeted blood tests to help us determine the health of your pet and diagnose illness.

  CBC (complete blood count), white blood count, hemoglobin and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration), hematocrit, platelets, eosinophils, and blood serum profile are some of the most common veterinary blood tests we perform.

• 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 evaluate the health of your pet's kidneys and urinary tract system, but it can also be useful in detecting problems in other organ systems and is critical in diagnosing metabolic diseases like diabetes.

  This is a valuable diagnostic test for both healthy and sick animals. We recommend that it be included in any 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 Kitimat.

  The ultimate goal of a fecal exam is to identify and treat any GI infections that may be threatening your pet's or your family's health. Fecals enable your veterinarian to determine whether your pet has intestinal parasites like roundworms or hookworms.

  Parasites can make pets uncomfortable, and irritable, and can 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.

  Annual fecal exams should be a part of every pet's routine wellness exam.  

• ECG

  If your veterinarian performs a physical examination and suspects your pet may have a heart disorder, we usually take chest X-Rays and an electrocardiogram (ECG).

  This procedure is normally simple to complete. It reveals information that may be critical to your pet's diagnosis. In other cases, a cardiac ultrasound may be needed to identify problems in the heart's chambers.

  We routinely complete pre-anaesthetic ECG testing and often pick up early signs of heart disease which leads to early treatment on pets of all ages.

• Digital Dental X-Rays

  If your cat or dog has periodontal disease, much of the damage occurs below the gum line, where it is difficult to see. Our veterinarians can assess your pet's oral health using digital dental X-rays.

  Digital X-Rays should be safer for your pet. They allow our team to examine the roots, bones and internal anatomy of your cat or dog's teeth.

  With digital X-Rays, the risk of radiation exposure for your pet is normally lower than with traditional X-Ray technology. We can see below the surface of your pet's gum line to evaluate each tooth.

  This technology usually allows your Kitimat vet to see results immediately, then project them onto a computer screen to review.