Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ankeny

Our Veterinary Diagnostic Services 

With our in-house veterinary diagnostics lab we are pleased to offer advanced diagnostic testing to allow our vets to provide an accurate diagnosis of your pet's medical issues.

• Digital Dental X-Rays

  When a pet 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 safer for your pet. They allow our veterinary team to examine roots, bones and internal anatomy of your cat or dog's teeth.

  With digital X-Rays, the risk of radiation exposure for your companion animal 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 Ankeny vet to see results immediately, then project them onto a computer screen to review.

• Radiography (Digital X-rays)

  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 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 can be used to evaluate bones and organs, and diagnose conditions including broken bones, chronic arthritis, bladder stones, spinal cord diseases and some tumors. 

• Ultrasound

  The use of diagnostic imaging allows our team of veterinary professionals to create extremely detailed images of your pet's internal structures.

  When performing ultrasound imaging, we expose a part of your pet's body to high-frequency sound waves in order 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 vet lab means that your dog or cat's condition can be diagnosed quickly and treatment can start sooner. 

• ECG / EKG

  If your veterinarian performs a physical examination and suspects your dog or cat may have a heart disorder, we usually take chest X-Rays and an electrocardiogram (ECG / EKG).

  This procedure can be completed easily and quickly. It reveals data that may be integral to your pet's diagnosis.

• Bloodwork

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

  Some of the most common veterinary blood tests we do are CBC (complete blood count), white blood count, hemoglobin and MCHC, hematocrit, platelets, eosinophils, blood serum profile, chemistry, thyroid, blood glucose, and more.

• Urinalysis

  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 assess the health of your animal's kidneys and urinary tract system, but it can also be helpful in detecting issues in other organ systems and is important for diagnosing metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

  This is a valuable diagnostic test for both healthy and sick animals and chould be included in any comprehensive evaluation of your pet's overall health. 

• Fecal Exams

  A fecal exam is the microscopic examination of your pet's stool, which is processed at an outside lab and receive results within 1 business day.

  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 veterinarian to determine whether your dog or cat has intestinal parasites such as roundworms or hookworms. 

  Parasites not only make pets uncomfortable and irritable they can lead to serious health issues for your four-legged friend. 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 examines should be a vital part of every pet's routine wellness exam.