If only we had the x-ray vision of so many of our favorite super heroes. Many diseases that our Veterinarians treat begin on the inside of our companion animals, out of sight, and sometimes are not detectable even with a comprehensive physical exam. This is why a complete and thorough history of your pet’s whereabouts, eating habits, past incidents of vomiting and diarrhea, and any unusual behaviors is such a very important part of the time we spend with you during your pet’s exam consultations. By evaluating the whole story, our Veterinarians will be able to determine whether your pet requires radiographs to complete their diagnostic picture.
Radiographs take more than just pictures of bones. With radiographs of your pet, the Veterinarian can determine the size and placement of certain organs to evaluate for deformities, discover if there are foreign objects within their stomach and intestines, and assess the extent of internal damage done by trauma. Taking radiographs is an important first step to determine if your pet needs invasive surgery, or additional treatments such as casts and splints. Without radiographs, Veterinarians would be left blind to disease processes going on inside our pets, such as the spread of cancer tumors, that decrease the quality of life our pets experience. The super power of radiographs allows us to be heroes when our pets need us the most.
In order for some dog breeds to enter into conformation showing, agility competitions, or participate in breeding programs, they require the certifications of certain joints to be free of genetic deformities. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) provides such certification upon the review of radiographs submitted to their organization. Genetic diseases such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, patella luxations, and osteochondrosis of the shoulder get passed down from parents to puppies, causing medical conditions that need lifetime management; therefore it is not wise to breed two dogs together that have such conditions. The Suffolk Veterinary Group Animal Wellness Radiology Department is capable of taking those radiographs required by OFA to complete their certification process.
