Other Diagnostic Services

In addition to the diagnostic services offered on our other pages we also offer the following services:

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure measurement is a vital diagnostic service. We use it to identify both low pressure (hypotension) and high blood pressure (hypertension) in our patients, in the same way as you or I would have our own blood pressure checked.

We use blood pressure monitoring routinely as part of our anaesthesia monitoring protocol and when monitoring patients that have been admitted into the hospital. In addition we recommend all of our senior patients have routine blood pressure check as part of their annual health examination – it is difficult to diagnose hypertension early without blood pressure monitoring.

In addition we will check the early stages of Hypertension rarely shows any symptoms  as you will rarelysee any symptoms of hypertension  for a wide range of applications in the practice:

  • To assist us in monitoring your pet’s anaesthetic safely
  • To identify, treat and monitor primary hypertension
  • To identify, treat and monitor secondary hypertension

Tonometry

Tonometry is a diagnostic test that measures the pressure inside your pet’s eye, which is called intraocular pressure (IOP). This measurement can help us determine whether your pet has, or may be at risk of,  glaucoma – a serious eye condition in which the pressure in your pet’s eye increases.

In most cases of glaucoma, the fluid within the eye drains too slowly, causing pressure build up. Without treatment, that pressure can eventually harm your pet’s optic nerve, causing a loss of vision. Because these changes are often painless, they can progress for years without your pet showing any obvious symptoms.

Since glaucoma can cause eventual blindness if it’s not treated, a tonometry test is critical for detecting eye changes early.

We routinely perform tonometry on any eye that we consider may have glaucoma and recommend routine screening of certain breeds of dogs that may be predisposed to glaucoma. These breeds include (but are not exclusive to):

ADDITIONAL CONTENT TO FOLLOW

Electrocardiography (ECG)

Electrocardiography records the electrical impulses associated with the heart beating. It has a number of uses including:

  • Detecting abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) or anatomical changes to the heart
  • Monitoring the heart’s response to certain medications
  • Diagnosing causes of weakness, tiredness, collapse or seizures
  • Evaluating trauma or critical care patients
  • Monitoring patients during anaesthesia

24 Hour ECG Monitoring

We also offer home ECG monitoring. This is used when your pet presents with symptoms suggestive of a heart related condition but clinical investigation, including in-house ECG, reveals no abnormalities. In these cases, the symptoms are often intermittent or occur after a certain daily activity. Home monitoring allows us to evaluate your pet’s heart rhythm for longer periods (often in excess of 24 hours) at home whilst they carry out their normal routine. This greatly increases the likelihood of us being able to document an intermittent rhythm abnormality and, consequently identify the cause of your pet’s underlying disease.