Diagnostics

At the Rangiora Vet Centre we are lucky enough to have some amazingly high tech, new digital equipment to help us get the best x-rays of your pets. Our specially designed radiography suite provides us with everything we need. The room is calm with dimmed lighting and a custom built floating top table moves around to minimise us having to reposition your pet. Often we use a little sedative or anaesthetic to help your pet relax and enable us to get the best pictures safely. We can use x-ray images to look at so many areas that we can't see from the outside. Bones, joints, teeth, abdomens and chests are the most commonly x-rayed areas. We can tell if your pet has arthritis, broken bones, abdominal issues or heart and lung problems. X-rays will help us to decide if your pets tooth needs to be removed or not and if there is any sign of a tooth root abscess. We can also use x-ray images to monitor the progress of some conditions and surgical procedures. We follow strict safety guidelines to protect both the animals and ourselves and our computer system allows us to display the x-rays so we can show to you exactly what is going on. Using the digital system we can easily e-mail x-ray pictures to specialists for another opinion on the image. As you can see, this system is much more accurate and versatile than the film x-rays of the past.

At the Rangiora Vet Centre we are lucky enough to have some amazingly high tech, new digital equipment to help us get the best x-rays of your pets. Our specially designed radiography suite provides us with everything we need. The room is calm with dimmed lighting and a custom built floating top table moves around to minimise us having to reposition your pet. Often we use a little sedative or anaesthetic to help your pet relax and enable us to get the best pictures safely. We can use x-ray images to look at so many areas that we can't see from the outside. Bones, joints, teeth, abdomens and chests are the most commonly x-rayed areas. We can tell if your pet has arthritis, broken bones, abdominal issues or heart and lung problems. X-rays will help us to decide if your pets tooth needs to be removed or not and if there is any sign of a tooth root abscess. We can also use x-ray images to monitor the progress of some conditions and surgical procedures. We follow strict safety guidelines to protect both the animals and ourselves and our computer system allows us to display the x-rays so we can show to you exactly what is going on. Using the digital system we can easily e-mail x-ray pictures to specialists for another opinion on the image. As you can see, this system is much more accurate and versatile than the film x-rays of the past.

With the recent on-site installation of a complete IDEXX blood and urine analyser system Rangiora Vet Centre has defined a higher standard of care for patients whether they are companion ,large or zoo animals. Prompt results are obtained for tests whether they be pre-anaesthetic, senior or well patient screens, or urgent assessment of sick animals. We are priviledged to have our very own system that provides comprehensive and accurate results with printed reports.Only a few specific tests need be sent off to the outside vet laboratories now minimising waiting times.

Real-Time Care allows us to provide results during or soon after outpatient visits so that recommendations for treatment can be provided as soon as possible to relieve owner anxiety and optimise the wellbeing and health of the animal.

In hospital critical care patients can be accurately and repeatedly monitored, some results are as prompt as 10 mins allowing us to tailor treatment to the animals exact needs.

At RVC we also pride ourselves on our in-house cytology expertise that provides prompt answers from samples examined under the microscope.This is especially relevant for cases that have external parasites,infections,skin disease,effusions,growths and allows us to monitor wound healing.

An ECG (or electrocardiograph) is a unique way to gain information about the heart in both humans and animals. It works by measuring the small electrical currents the heart makes as it beats. We place electrodes on the animals skin and it displays the information on a screen which we are also able able to print out. Each part of the trace we see on an ECG recording corresponds to a very specific part of the hearts' cycle. We are able to assess the hearts' rate and rhythm are also able to tell if there is heart enlargement and usually which part is affected. We can assess the heart muscle cells conductivity and whether the pacemaker cells are working normally or not.

At the RVC we use a modern, small animal specific ECG machine which is a compact, quiet and mobile unit that we can bring to the patient with no disruption or stress. It can be used anywhere in the building and the grippy electrodes have been pre-tested on ourselves to ensure they are comfortable for the patient. It really is a non-invasive procedure that requires minimal restraint and no sedation.

ECGs are used in cases of suspected heart disease and we may also recommend chest x-rays or ultrasound of the heart at the same time. We also use it on patients under anaesthesia particularly if we are concerned about their heart health. Please feel free to discuss our ECG service with any team member if you have any queries or think that your pet may benefit from this test.