Veterinary Services

Veterinary Diagnostics in St. Louis, MO

At Hillside Animal Hospital, we utilize advanced veterinary diagnostics in St. Louis, MO, providing state-of-the-art imaging and laboratory testing to ensure accurate, rapid diagnoses for your beloved companion.

Appointment

Precision Medicine: The Power of Advanced Veterinary Diagnostics

When a pet is sick or injured, they cannot tell us where it hurts. Because many medical conditions present with similar outward symptoms, general physical examinations are only the first step. Advanced veterinary diagnostics act as our windows into your pet’s internal health, allowing our veterinary team to see exactly what is happening inside their body.

Whether your companion needs rapid screening during an emergency or precise tracking during routine pet wellness care, our hospital is equipped with cutting-edge diagnostic technology. Investing in early and accurate diagnostic testing allows us to catch underlying diseases before they advance, drastically improving your pet’s treatment success and overall quality of life.

Our On-Site Laboratory Services

In-House Laboratory

When your pet is ill, every minute counts. Our modern in-house laboratory saves valuable time by providing immediate results for critical tests like complete blood counts (CBC), blood chemistry profiles, and urinalysis. Our skilled technicians and doctors utilize this advanced equipment to deliver fast answers, ensuring we can implement an effective treatment plan without delay.

Specialized Reference Laboratories
For uncommon or highly specialized testing that cannot be processed immediately on-site, we maintain strong relationships with premier external veterinary diagnostic laboratories. This collaborative network ensures your pet has seamless access to the most up-to-date, specialized medical testing available in modern veterinary medicine.

Cutting-Edge Medical Imaging & Cardiac Care

Digital X-Ray (Radiology)

Digital radiology has revolutionized how we evaluate internal structures. Unlike older film x-rays, digital technology allows our veterinarians to instantly capture and manipulate high-resolution images to view fine details. This advanced capability allows us to detect subtle health issues, such as hairline fractures and early-stage orthopedic conditions, that were previously invisible.

We routinely use digital x-rays to evaluate the:

Bones & Joints: Identifying fractures, arthritis, and structural abnormalities.
Gastrointestinal Tract: Spotting swallowed foreign objects, obstructions, or gas buildup in the stomach and intestines.
Respiratory & Cardiovascular Systems: Assessing the lungs for fluid or infection and examining the shape of the heart.
Genitourinary System: Detecting bladder stones or abnormalities in the prostate.

Digital Dental X-Ray

Because more than 60% of dental disease develops hidden beneath the gumline, specialized digital dental x-rays are a vital component of professional pet veterinary dentistry. This targeted imaging allows us to uncover painful, hidden pathologies such as tooth root abscesses, broken teeth, bone loss, and resorbed or retained roots that would otherwise go untreated.

Veterinary Ultrasound

Ultrasonography is a completely non-invasive, painless diagnostic technique that uses high-frequency sound waves—rather than radiation—to create real-time, moving images of your pet’s internal organs. Ultrasound allows our team to look inside fluid-filled or soft tissue structures, making it an indispensable tool for diagnosing abdominal diseases, evaluating organ architecture, and identifying hidden masses.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) & Echocardiogram

Our pets’ hearts can suffer from many of the same cardiovascular conditions as human hearts, making cardiac health a top priority—especially during senior pet care. We provide comprehensive on-site cardiac services, including:

Electrocardiogram (ECG): A non-invasive procedure that measures the electrical activity of the heart. An ECG evaluates the pace, regularity, and rhythm of the heartbeat, helping us identify arrhythmias and early indicators of heart disease.
Echocardiogram: While a traditional x-ray provides a static snapshot of the heart’s size, an echocardiogram is a specialized ultrasound that creates a “motion picture” of the heart muscle and its valves in action. This allows us to precisely observe blood flow and screen for heart-based cancers, such as hemangiosarcomas. With very few exceptions, no dog or cat should ever be placed on cardiac medications without an echocardiogram first establishing a definitive diagnosis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my pet need diagnostic testing if they appear healthy?

Routine diagnostics, like annual wellness blood work and parasite testing, are crucial because pets instinctively hide signs of illness. Early stages of kidney disease, diabetes, or liver problems often produce zero outward symptoms. Catching these changes early through preventative lab work allows us to manage them easily before they become serious.

Is anesthesia required for medical imaging like x-rays or ultrasounds?

In many cases, pets can remain perfectly still for traditional digital x-rays and ultrasounds with gentle, low-stress handling by our technicians. However, if a pet is in severe pain, highly anxious, or if we need precise positioning for specific orthopedic or veterinary surgery views, a mild, safe sedative may be administered to keep them comfortable.

What is the difference between an x-ray and an ultrasound?

X-rays are ideal for viewing hard structures like bones, dense tissues, or air-filled spaces like the lungs. Ultrasounds are superior for evaluating the detailed internal architecture of soft organs, such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, and heart, allowing us to see the texture and movement of the tissue.