Sylvan Veterinary Hospital

3520 Roselle Ave.
Modesto, CA 95357
get directions

(209) 551–4527
Hablamos Español

Laboratory Diagnostics:
Using Veterinary Technology to Determine Pets’ Health Needs

veterinary diagnostics

If pets could talk, they would be able to tell us where it hurts and perhaps reveal other symptoms that would be helpful in making a diagnosis. However, they tend to keep quiet about their medical conditions, leaving the detective work to us.

That’s where veterinary diagnostics come in. They enable our veterinarians to take a closer look at your pet and determine what may be happening inside him or her.

Following are some of the advanced tools we use to care for the wonderful patients we see.

Full In-House Laboratory
Our veterinary laboratory enables us to run a battery of tests and get the results back in as few as 15 minutes. Should your pet ever require emergency veterinary care, this rapid turnaround will allow us to quickly diagnose your pet and begin administering the proper treatment. We also use our in-house veterinary laboratory to perform pre-anesthetic testing to ensure that patients are healthy enough to undergo surgery.
Radiology
Pet X-rays are used to diagnose potentially broken bones, tooth fractures, and some soft tissue injuries. They can also be helpful when it comes to analyzing intestinal issues, such as blockages, as well as abdominal masses.

Because we use digital X-ray technology, the images are easy to manipulate and enlarge, providing an extremely detailed view of the relevant area. If your pet requires X-rays, they will become a permanent part of his or her patient record. We use an electronic record keeping system, so everything is always right at our veterinarians’ fingertips.
Veterinary Ultrasound
This non-invasive tool uses sound waves to produce images of vital organs within your pet’s body. It enables our veterinarians to see the size and texture of the kidneys, liver, gall bladder, and even the heart. For pets that are experiencing cardiac issues, ultrasound can help our veterinarians to evaluate the size of the heart’s chambers, as well as how well it’s contracting. This allows us to fine tune pet medications when needed. We also rely on this technology when conducting ultrasound-guided biopsies.
Flexible Endoscopy
When using this technology, our veterinarians use a flexible scope to go through the pet’s mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach and small intestine. It enables us to check the linings of these vital areas, remove foreign bodies, and collect biopsies when needed. This same technology can be used to examine the large intestine as well, by approaching from the other end of digestive tract.
Laparoscopy
This diagnostic tool uses a rigid scope. Our veterinarians will create two tiny incisions the size of a writing pen (5mm), then insert the rigid scope to examine the pet’s affected area. Depending upon what is found, our veterinarians will proceed with the appropriate next steps, which could be obtaining a biopsy, performing surgery, or a combination of the two. Thanks to this remarkable technology, the incisions are so small that the patient’s pain is greatly reduced, as is the recovery period. This is especially helpful in the case of senior pets, as it enables us to diagnose their conditions without the trauma of major exploratory surgery.

Our veterinarians also perform cystoscopy, where a rigid scope is used to examine the urethra and bladder, and rhinoscopy, where a pet’s nose and nasal passages are explored.

Veterinary Services
Pet Wellness
Veterinary Surgery
Veterinary Diagnostics
Pet Dental Care
Pet Nutritional Counseling
Veterinary Artificial Insemination
Specialty Pet Services

AAHA accreditedAmerican Animal Hospital Association’s process of accreditation is similar to what human hospitals go through.

Just wanted to let you know that Allie is doing great after Lap Spay on 4-10-12. Took her one day and she was back to normal. What a great way to get a dog spayed- I will recommend it to all my friends. Here is a photo of Allie that I took yesterday in our pasture with California Poppies. I thought it was cute! Thanks again!!
Karin Wickstrom

I have been taking my Beagle, Destiny, to Sylvan Vet for the last 10 years. She has had many medical problems throughout her life. There were times that I didn’t think she was going to pull though, yet, with wonderful Veterinarians like Dr. Tiffany Cardoza and Dr. Kipp Magnussen, she is still here with me today. I am grateful for their expertise in knowing exactly what she needs and for their compassion towards the both of us, in our hour of need. We are very blessed to know that compassionate help is always there. My deepest thanks and appreciation.
DeAnna Bingham

Sylvan Veterinary Hospital has been an important part of our family’s life for several years now. Most recently they helped to preserve our pug Sweetie’s vision with a new surgery technique. Everyone in the hospital works diligently to serve our needs. There is open communication with the front office staff, the technicians and the doctors whenever necessary. Our concerns and questions are always addressed quickly and the doctors are always available to us whenever needed.
Roger and Diane

What a great neighborhood veterinary clinic! I love the convenient hours and boarding facility. They have a nice, friendly staff and team of doctors who involve me in making the right choice for my pet.
Karin Mcknight

I can’t say enough about the miraculous results you can get from laser therapy. I used it for my puppy’s foot wound that wouldn’t hold stitches. The wound was completely closed in three treatments-without a scar! Also, this pup has elbow dysplasia and laser has helped him quickly regain soundness when he played too roughly. And the best part- it’s not expensive. I’m a tried-and-true believer of this technology.
Lee Nudo and Jagger La Grange, CA

Eleven years ago, Dr. Kipp Magnussen saved the life of my young kitten and I was genuinely impressed with his compassion and competence. Over the years I have been extremely happy with the care all the vets and vet techs have provided for my various dogs and cats. In addition, it is a mark of commitment to the highest standards of quality medical care that Sylvan Vet is accredited through the AAHA. I continue to highly recommend this clinic.
Page Riskin, MD

We have been a client of Sylvan Vet for the past 20 years. Just recently, Bodie, our Chocolate Lab experienced a wound to his back that was quite serious. After two months of patience, determination and constant care by Dr. Kipp Magnussen, Bodie has been nursed back to health. Kipp's staff has become family to us. Each and every one of them is kind, friendly and compassionate! Bodie just celebrated his tenth Birthday and is even swimming again. Thank you Sylvan Vet!!
Anita Bauer

I love the doctors and staff at Sylvan Veterinary Hospital for the care and compassion they have given my dogs over the years. From luxating patella surgery to nail cleaning, the care level is the highest. I would recommend them to any and all pet owners.
Pat Osdahl