Diagnostic Services

Veterinary microscopes are diagnostic tools that we use in-clinic; they allow us to provide a quick diagnosis and treatment plan for certain cytology, parasitology and microbiology cases. Microscopes can be used for analyzing a range of samples, including blood smears, skin and ear samples and urine samples. This quick in-house examination of samples is a great cost-effective way to identify problems and allows us to put together a treatment plan that will work best in each case.  

At Arena, our vet Dr. Katerina Vrbova offers a range of reproductive services.  

These services include progesterone testing, cytology of vaginal or prostatic cells, breeding timing, ultrasonography of reproductive system/ organs, pregnancy ultrasound and monitoring, artificial insemination, induction of ovulation, routine neutering, c-sections, pyometra surgery, vasectomy, investigation of infertility issues, investigation/ management of reproductive tract diseases. 

If you would like more information regarding these services, please feel free to contact us. 

Ultrasound is a useful imaging method used frequently in our clinic. At our clinic we can provide a number of different scans, including abdominal, emergency, and pregnancy.  

Abdominal scans can be used to visualize soft tissue, organs and free fluid. This method can be useful for organ evaluation, diagnosing or detecting any liver, kidney or intestinal disease, identifying abdominal masses, and abdominal free fluid. It can also be used as a guide for cystocentesis when a sterile urine sample is required. Emergency ultrasound is used in trauma cases, to quickly detect any free fluid/blood in the abdomen.  

Pregnancy scans are performed to diagnose or confirm a pregnancy, with the best time to perform a scan being at least 30 days post-breeding in dogs and at least 16 days post-breeding in cats. We would like to note that as foetal numbers cannot be accurately judged via ultrasound, we will not be able to give you the exact number of puppies or kittens present, however we will be able to see heartbeats and movement on the screen which can be very exciting for owners!

At Arena Veterinary Hospital we offer excellent state-of-the-art Digital x-ray.  

X-rays are a very useful non-invasive, diagnostic tool that can be used in a lot of cases. We use x-rays to help us assess the heart and chest, and abdominal organs. It can also be used in orthopedic cases to help diagnose issues such as fractures and breaks, arthritis, or cruciate problems.  

To perform an x-ray, it is likely that your pet will need to be either sedated or put under general anesthesia. This ensures that we can take good quality images that are of benefit to us in the diagnosis of a case. 

We also offer Hip & Elbow scoring schemes, in which we take the radiographs in clinic and send the images to either the BVA or Vetscoring association in Australia where they will grade the x-rays. These schemes are put in place specifically for large or giant breed dogs to reduce hereditary hyperplasia. In order to perform these x-rays to a high enough standard for grading, your pet will need to be put under general anesthesia. Please be advised that the results can take a couple of weeks to come back. In order for us to send the x-rays for grading, we need the animals' full registered name and registration number, microchip number, date of birth, breed, and gender.   

Routine health checks are important to ensure that your pet is in tip top condition and can help us to identify any underlying issues that they may have!  

During a routine health check, our vets will carry out a physical exam and check the heart and lungs through auscultation. It may be advised during a routine health check that we run a blood panel on your pet. At Arena, we have excellent in-house blood machines that allow us to run the blood instantly and have the results within a matter of minutes.  

A routine blood panel can help us to determine liver and kidney health and rule out conditions like diabetes for example. Early diagnosis plays a key role in the success of treating certain conditions, so routine health checks and blood screens are important for good health.  

In-house bloods can also be useful for patients who are on long-term medication. Regular blood panels are important for monitoring the drug’s effectiveness, adjusting dosages as needed, and checking organ function to ensure the medication is not having any negative or harmful side effects on your pet.  

If you have any questions regarding our in-house laboratory and what tests we can provide, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! 

An ECG, electrocardiogram is often indicated in the assessment of patients with heart disease.

Carrying out an ECG is a non-invasive and fairly simple procedure which doesn’t cause any stress or discomfort for your pet. The procedure involves attaching your pet to a machine via 4 clips or electrodes and obtaining a printout or graph of the electrical activity through the heart. The electrodes can pick up electrical impulses generated by the polarization and depolarization of cardiac tissue and translates this into a waveform. The waveform is then used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats and can indicate the presence of any damage to the heart.

The information we get from an ECG can help us in choosing the correct medication for particular cardiac cases and acts as a tool in monitoring the progression of disease in a patient.

Blood pressure monitoring has become a vital part of small animal practice. The ability to measure and monitor blood pressure trends provides important data about a patient's cardiovascular status and may help define an approach to treatment. It is a simple procedure and just requires placement of a cuff on your pet’s forelimb or tail.  The cuff will inflate and a reading will be recorded. It is normal for us to repeat this a number of times and an average reading will be calculated.

Ultrasound is a useful imaging method used to diagnose pregnancy.  The best time to perform an ultrasound to detect a pregnancy in a dog is at least 30 days post-breeding, and at least 16 days post-breeding in the cat.  As foetal number cannot be accurately judged with ultrasound, we will not be able to give you an exact number of puppies or kittens but it is very exciting to see the little heartbeats and movement of the puppies or kittens on the screen.  Your pet will usually be shaved on the belly to allow us to perform the procedure.