Radiology still remains a critical diagnostic and monitoring component in medicine and surgery.  At Merrimack Veterinary Hospital we are well equipped in this area.  We can of course take all of the traditional views of chest, abdomen, skull, spine, and limbs.  We often perform OFA (Orthopedic Foundation of America) views of hips and other joints to help breeders assess the orthopedic quality of their breeding animals.  A similar technique is called PennHip.  We contract with a certified specialist to perform this procedure at our hospital when necessary.  For small exotics like birds and reptiles, we routinely use a specialized high detail film that allows us to evaluate some incredibly tiny bones!

We also routinely use dental radiographs to assess the health of our patient's teeth when they are under anesthesia for dental work.  This digital technology allows us to scan for periodontal problems that would be difficult or even impossible to find otherwise.  Dental radiology has become important for routine assessment during prophylactic care, for evaluating diseased teeth that may need to be extracted, and for all types of periodontal therapy.

Ultrasonography is also commonly used at our practice.  Like radiology, this is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that offers a "view" of internal structures that is different and complimentary to what can be achieved by radiology alone.  We have a high-end ultrasound machine which provides us with some of the most advanced ultrasound imagery available for cats, dogs, and exotics.  For ultrasound imaging that requires a veterinary specialist to interpret, we can either refer you to a nearby specialist or send the images via the web for rapid interpretation. 

 
Dental Radiology Unit

Veterinary Nurses performing a
radiograph on a patient