Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

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 that uses very low doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure required for radiography is so low, even pregnant or very young pets can have this procedure performed.

X-rays can help us evaluate bones and organs and diagnose conditions, including broken bones, chronic arthritis, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases, and some tumors.

When your cat or dog has an X-ray at our veterinary diagnostic laboratory in Nashua, the process will likely go something like this:

• First, the vet will place your pet on the diagnostic imaging table. They are likely to be kept awake during this procedure unless they are in pain, anxious or unable to stay still. In these cases, the vet may sedate your pet until the imaging is complete.
• Next, the veterinarian will place a special type of film underneath the target area of your pet's body.
• The X-ray machine will be positioned above this area, and the images will be taken. The resulting images will show white for dense tissues like bones and varying shades of grey for all soft tissues.

If necessary, your vet will reposition your pet to take additional images.

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. 

Cold laser therapy uses low-intensity lasers or LEDs to relieve pain, improve cell function, and speed healing.

Laser therapy improves muscle and joint pain, arthritis symptoms, and muscle spasms.

At our vet lab in Nashua, we are able to run a number of common and specialized blood tests to determine the health of your pet and to 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 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 animal'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 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. 

A fecal exam is the microscopic examination of your pet's feces, which can be done at our in-house vet lab in Nashua.

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 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 examinations should be a vital part of every pet's routine wellness exam.  

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 / EKG).

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

If your cat or dog is suffering from periodontal disease, much of this damage occurs below the gum line where it can't be easily seen. Digital dental X-Rays help our veterinarians assess your pet's oral health.

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

The risk of radiation exposure for your pet is significantly lower with digital X-Rays than with traditional X-Ray technology. To fully evaluate each tooth, we can see below the surface of your pet's gum line.

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