Radiography

Most pets requiring radiographs will need to be admitted into hospital for the day; however this is ascertained on a case-by-case basis, depending on the animal’s condition. Some pets may also require sedation, or a general anaesthetic, in order for us to achieve clear, diagnostic x-rays. Upon discharge from hospital, the attending veterinarian will show you your pet’s x-rays, and discuss with you the diagnosis and treatment plan required.

The Vineyard Veterinary Hospital also offers routine hip and elbow x-rays for breeding animals, for scoring purposes. In order for us to achieve top-quality radiographs for scoring, your pet will require an anaesthetic. These appointments are available weekdays only, during our surgery hours. Upon your pet’s discharge from the clinic, we will provide a copy of the x-rays on a CD for you to take home.

Ultrasonography

Ultrasound is a painless procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures within the body. Ultrasound machines are invaluable tools for imaging soft tissue structures, such as organs within the abdomen, along with the reproductive tract and the heart. Ultrasound also gives us real-time images of moving objects, which is particularly useful when examining the heart.

Vineyard Veterinary Hospital is equipped with a top-quality, Esaote-branded ultrasound diagnostic imaging system, which can be used to assist with the evaluation of your pet’s condition when required. In emergency situations, ultrasound allows us to view immediately your pet’s internal functioning, in order to make a quick diagnosis.

Our ultrasound machine is suitable for use with pets in a range of sizes, and offers a number of different ultrasound probes, including a specialised cardiac probe which we can use to obtain accurate images of your pet’s heart.

Depending on the nature of the ultrasound, your pet may need to be admitted into hospital for the day. In the case of routine pregnancy ultrasounds, these can be performed from 21 days after mating, and may be booked within our normal consultation hours. For diagnostic ultrasounds, the fur on your pet’s underside may need to be clipped in areas, which allows us to obtain a clearer image in order to make an accurate diagnosis.

During an ultrasound scan, a water-based gel is applied over the area to be examined, and a probe is applied to the skin. While some pets may experience slight discomfort from the pressure of the probe, we endeavour to make all our ultrasound procedures as painless as possible for our patients.

We have the ability to take images and short video clips during our ultrasounds, which may be viewed during discussions with you about your pet’s diagnosis if required, upon their discharge from hospital.

Endoscopy

Endoscopy is the application of a specialised camera called an ‘endoscope’ to evaluate the interior of a hollow organ or cavity within the body. Endoscopes come in both rigid and flexible formats, and are equipped with fibre optic light sources that provide illumination for the transmittal of coherent images.

Endoscopes are indispensible tools, allowing us to take biopsies for evaluation from hollow organs and cavities in the least-invasive manner possible.

Here at the Vineyard Veterinary Hospital, we have successfully used our state-of-the-art, flexible endoscope to take diagnostic biopsies from sites including the stomach, intestine, rectum and nasal cavity. This in-house piece of equipment has also been instrumental in allowing us to locate and remove small foreign bodies from the oesophagus and stomach.

For further information about our radiography, ultrasonography and endoscopy services, or to book an appointment for your pet, please contact our Reception.