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Diagnostics

Diagnostic testing enables our Littleton Paws team to determine your pet’s health status and diagnose disease. Our state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and expertly trained veterinary professionals ensure fast, accurate results that allow us to provide top-tier care. From wellness screening tests to advanced imaging techniques, our diagnostic capabilities support a range of pet health needs.

In-house laboratory In-house laboratory testing is a convenient option that allows our team to diagnose many pet illnesses while you wait. Our laboratory capabilities include urine testing, fecal parasite checks, cytology of skin tumors, skin testing for ectoparasites, and ear cytologies. Bedside test results enable us to obtain critical health information in minutes, eliminating the time lag associated with sending out tests and allowing us to formulate and begin a treatment plan without delay. 

We partner with top-tier reference laboratories for specialized and non-urgent tests. Reference labs provide comprehensive diagnostic services, including blood panels, histopathology, cultures, and more, to help us reach an accurate diagnosis. Tests sent to Antech diagnostics complement our in-house laboratory by providing a more complete picture of your pet’s health. Common tests we send out to reference laboratories include:

Wellness bloodwork screens
  • Tumor biopsies
  • Hormone testing
  • Fungal testing
  • Culture and sensitivity testing
  • Cancer screening
  • Routine wellness checks
  • PCR and infectious disease testing
  • Urinary stone analysis
  • Fecal analysis 
 Reference laboratory We partner with top-tier reference laboratories for specialized and non-urgent tests. Reference labs provide comprehensive diagnostic services, including blood panels, histopathology, cultures, and more, to help us reach an accurate diagnosis. Tests sent to Antech diagnostics complement our in-house laboratory by providing a more complete picture of your pet’s health. Common tests we send out to reference laboratories include:

Wellness bloodwork screens
  • Tumor biopsies
  • Hormone testing
  • Fungal testing
  • Culture and sensitivity testing
  • Cancer screening
  • Routine wellness checks
  • PCR and infectious disease testing
  • Urinary stone analysis
  • Fecal analysis 

X-ray X-rays are a vital diagnostic tool for examining your pet's bones, joints, chest, abdomen, bladder, and other internal structures. Our hospital uses digital X-ray technology, which provides instant, high-quality images while reducing the need for retakes and minimizing radiation exposure. Our veterinarians can interpret initial X-ray studies and may send images to a radiology specialist for expert review. Reasons we may take X-rays of your pet include:
  • Suspected fracture or soft tissue injury
  • Vomiting
  • Urinary tract problems
  • Abnormal abdominal palpation
  • Heart murmur
  • Coughing or difficulty breathing

Abdominal ultrasound An abdominal ultrasound is a complete scan of your pet’s internal organs, including the liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, adrenal glands, pancreas, gallbladder, lymph nodes and intestines. Non-invasive abdominal ultrasound is essential for diagnosing tumors, evaluating organ size and appearance, and obtaining ultrasound-guided needle biopsy samples. At Littleton Paws, we team up with Vista Veterinary Imaging, a mobile ultrasonographer to provide this service.  Dr. Winkleman is a board certified ultrasonographer and radiologist who provides detailed measurements and image snapshots, then creates a report to guide us in developing a treatment plan for your pet’s health concerns. The best thing is your pet doesn’t have to travel to a specialty hospital and be in unfamiliar surroundings and is not anesthetized for this procedure.  Pets are routinely discharged within a few hours of arrival with reported results. Ultrasound Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides detailed, three-dimensional, real-time images of your pet’s internal organs without radiation.