Mr Robin Peal, one of our more recent recruits, is an Advanced Practitioner in Cardiology and also in Diagnostic Imaging. He has his Certificate in Veterinary Radiology and his Certificate in Cardiology. To support him in his speciality, he has an Eosote MyLab ultrasound machine with multiple probes and full colour Doppler, enabling very detailed scans of hearts, from the smallest kitten to the largest of our dogs, and also general purpose probes allowing abdomens and any other area to be imaged in great detail. He also has a ‘bedside’ handheld machine if required. There is an advanced ECG machine to enable all kinds of computations and electrical investigations to take place, and access to continual ECG monitoring when required.
We usually use an HDO digital blood pressure machine, giving us information on both systolic and diastolic pressures, rather than just the systolic measured on Doppler machines.
Our imaging room is mainly filled with the radiography facilities, including a bucky table for multiple focussed exposures, and we have an array of CR plates for detailed radiographs to be obtained quickly and easily. Our main radiographer, Miss Jenny Blackburn RVN, prides herself on perfect positioning since incorrect settings or positioning can make expensive radiographs totally undiagnostic and therefore useless.
We have a visiting MRI facility approximately monthly, whereby extremely detailed images can be taken of areas not suitable for normal radiography, for example spinal discs or brains.
We also have a range of fixed and flexible video-endoscopes, which mean that we can look directly into stomachs, bronchi/lungs, bladders, ears and many other areas, both for diagnostic purposes – looking and sampling, and to potentially remove foreign objects or perform various surgeries. See above for laparoscopy/thoracoscopy.
