Veterinary Technology

Our Diagnostic Services 

Our vets are proud to support our high quality of veterinary services with our advanced in-house diagnostic laboratory. With it, we can offer diagnostic testing in order to accurately assess and diagnose your pet's health issues. 

• Radiography (Digital X-Rays)

  Using a digital x-ray (also known as a radiograph), our vets can examine your pet's internal systems in order to reveal information which may otherwise be invisible.

  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 are used to evaluate your pet's organs, bones and internal structures as well as to diagnose conditions from broken bones, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases and some kinds of tumor.

• 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 diagnostic imaging technology, we expose part of your pet's body to high-frequency sound waves in order to produce a detailed image of the inside of their body. 

  Since we are able to capture this image in real-time, our vets can observe your pet's internal structures, organ function and even the flow of blood through their 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. 

• Endoscopy

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

  When performing an endoscopy, our vets insert a long, thin tube directly into your pet's body, to assess an internal organ or their internal tissues in detail.

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

• Bloodwork

  At our Riverbank vet lab, we are able to run a number of both common and specialized blood tests in order to determine the health of your pet and help to diagnose a wide range of illnesses and conditions. 

  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. 

• Fecal Exams

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

  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 not only make your pet uncomfortable and irritable, they can lead to much more serious conditions of left intreated. Some may even be transferrable to people in your household.

  Since these kinds of parasites live in your pet's gastrointestinal tract, they are most often completely invisible from the outside. The only way to reliably detect them is with a fecal examination.

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

• ECG / EKG

  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 can be easily and quickly conducted. It is able to reveal data which is pivotal to your pet's diagnosis. In other instances, your pet may require a cardiac ultrasound to definitively identify disorders in the chambers of their heart.

• Digital Dental X-Rays

  If your cat or dog is suffering 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 incredibly safe for your pet. They allow our veterinarians to examine their bones, teeth roots and internal structures. 

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

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

• Surgical Lasers

  We use surgical lasers in many of our surgical operations at River Oak Veterinary Hospital.

  These lasers are a less invasive and more precise alternative to scalpels and can be used in a wide range of surgical procedures, from treating warts, tumors, cysts and more. 

  When compared to conventional surgical technologies, surgical lasers result in less bleeding, swelling and risk of infection. And because of this, they also encourage a quicker recovery for your pet.

• Blood Transfusions

  Blood transfusions are an increasingly-used veterinary treatment technique. Like in people, blood transfusions are used on pets when they are suffering from severe blood loss or destruction of red blood cells. 

  Because of this, this procedure and its associated technologies are generally relied upon only in emergency situations, where your pet requires immediate care.

  While there are some potential complications in pets associated with blood transfusions, these procedures are, for the most part, both safe and effective in restoring your pet's health while they continue to be treated and recover from their serious health issue.