Diagnostic Procedures
 
Cardinal Animal Hospital has the capability to provide our patients with the most up to date medical treatments. We have a complete pharmacy with the latest in treatment drugs and for pain management. We are also able to order any special drugs that we may need. We are able to provide Chemotherapy for our cancer patients in addition to the most current treatments for gastrointestinal diseases, cardiac disease, endocrine diseases, and autoimmune diseases.


  
  Diagnostic Procedures
 
We are able to offer our patients the very latest and up to date diagnostic procedures to be able to diagnose what their health problems are. We have a complete in-house lab, which allows us to run tests on blood, stool, urine and other fluids. We have the capability to make microscope slides of various fluids, tumors, skin and other body organs, which aids in diagnosing the particular problem. We have an endoscope, which we use to view the stomach, small and large intestines, and the esophagus. We can also use this equipment to remove any foreign materials a patient may have swallowed. We also have an EKG machine to assist us with diagnosing various heart diseases. We have an in-house ultrasound machine, which allows us to view inside the body and have Board Certified Radiologists that come to our hospital to perform various ultrasound procedures. Our hospital is also equipped with a radiology machine, which allows us to look at all areas of the body and assist us in diagnosing the patient’s problems. In addition to all of this we have an excellent outside laboratory where we send samples for blood tests, pathology, cytology and monitoring for drug treatments.

  
 
 
Endoscopic procedures are preformed with a scope which allows us to visualize inside the stomach, small and large intestines and the respiratory tract. We are able to do some procedures with the endoscope, such as biopsies, bacterial cultures, and remove foreign bodies from the stomach. Over the years we have removed toys, bones, coins, rocks, and a varied selection of clothing from the digestive tracts of our patients. Endoscopy allows us to diagnose and treat a number of conditions, is very non-invasive and many times helps to prevent the animals from having to undergo surgery. We are one of a few hospitals that have the necessary equipment which allows us to do this procedure.
  
  Ultra Sound
 

Cardinal Animal Hospital is equipped with an ultrasound machine, which allows us to view organs inside the abdomen, chest and the eyes. We are able to take biopsies with the ultrasound, which allows us to diagnose problems without invasive surgery. We are also able to monitor tumor growth, chemotherapy response, and treatment success. We also have Board Certified Radiologists that come into our hospital and perform various ultrasound procedures including fine needle aspirates, biopsies and echocardiograms of the heart.

  
 
 
 


Our surgery room is one of the most advanced veterinary surgeries around. We not only handle neuters and spays, but we are also capable of orthopedic surgery, eye surgery, soft tissue surgery, ear surgery, and many others. Our hospital commonly handles orthopedic problems such as Luxating Patellas (knee caps that pop out) and Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligaments (torn ACL’s that occur in humans) and we have extensive bone platting and screws for those bad fractures. In soft tissue surgery we do bladder surgery, intestinal surgery, stomach, spleen, liver, kidney, and pancreatic surgeries just to name a few.

Our surgery room is equipped with the latest in technology to provide the best and safest environment for your pet. We use one of the safest anesthetic gases available and our anesthetic machine is equipped with a ventilator which actually breathes for your pet. All of our surgical patients are monitored closely with an EKG, and blood oxygen levels, to ensure the safest possible situations.

Our surgery is also equipped with both rigid and flexible endoscopes, which allows us to perform procedures without having to cut your pet open. This is a much less painful procedure and recovery time is much faster. Sterile procedures are utilized in each individual case.

  
  Laser Surgery  
 


In our effort to provide the best possible medical and surgical care available, we are excited to offer laser surgery as a new option for safe and comfortable treatment.

A laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light. This beam of light vaporizes the water normally found in the skin and other soft tissue. Because the doctor can precisely control the laser, only a thin layer of tissue is removed, leaving the surrounding area unaffected.

There are many surgeries, including internal and external procedures that can be performed using a laser. We will be offering laser procedures on Mondays and Fridays.

Ask the doctor if your pet’s procedure can be performed with a laser.

  
  Benefits of Laser Surgery  
 


Less Pain • During laser surgery nerve endings are sealed so your pet feels less pain.

Less Bleeding • During laser surgery blood vessels are also sealed off. This allows your doctor to perform surgeries with precision and can potentially shorten the amount of time they are under anesthesia.

Less Swelling • Laser surgery is less damaging to soft tissue because the laser light is the only source of contact.

Quick Return to Normal Activities • Recovery time can be more rapid and with less post-operative care.


  
 
 

Dental disease is a very common potentially problem in pets. Our pets do not have the luxury of brushing twice daily as we humans do and they do not visit their dentist twice yearly either. So you can imagine why they have problems with dental tartar and gum disease.

When a pet reaches the age of 3-5 years is when we start recommending annual cleanings to prevent these problems from occurring. Our dental operatory is very similar to a human dentist, however we have to place our patients under anesthesia to be able to clean the teeth properly. While under anesthesia they are monitored with an EKG and we monitor the blood oxygen levels to insure a safe procedure. We also place all of our older patients on intravenous fluids during the procedure. We clean the teeth with a rotosonic cleaning unit and polish and fluoride treat them afterward. We also recommend dental x-rays on an annual basis.

Our doctors have had extended education in dentistry and we are one of the few hospitals that are able to perform root canals, oral surgery, and even orthodontics (for health reasons). Our hospital is well equipped to handle most dental problems that your pet may develop.