Our Facilities
What do we have behind the scenes to help us care for your cat?
Rooms
Most clients see only our waiting room and our two consulting rooms but behind the scenes we have a number of additional rooms with specific functions. These include:
- Operating Theatre - where we carry out the majority of surgical procedures
- Minor Procedures Room - where we carry out dental treatment, dematting, lancing abscesses etc
- Day Ward - individual kennels of varying size where we look after our medical and surgical patients who are with us for short periods.
- Isolation Ward - a separate room with small number of kennels which allows us to isolate patients who may be infectious to others, or are a little more anxious about being in with us
- Preparation Room - where we clean, pack and autoclave (sterilise) surgical instruments and drapes
Laboratory Services
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We have several state of the art blood analysers on-site which allow us to check organ function (biochemistry tests), electrolytes (body salts) and haematology ( red & white cell counts). In many cases we can have results within 20-30 minutes, a real bonus when we have a critically ill patient in clinic.
We are also able test the composition of urine samples and can look at fluids, ear swabs and cell types under a microscope. We are able to perform the majority of required tests on-site however, some more specialist tests still need to be sent to external reference laboratories. Depending on the tests being performed, we would expect our reference lab results to be back with us in 3 to 7 days in most cases. |
Radiography (X-rays)
Until relatively recently, x-rays were created by directing a beam of x-rays through the patient onto a cassette which contained photographic film. The film then had to be developed using darkroom facilities or light sealed processors. Although it took only a few minutes to see the result, it always felt like an eternity. Conventional radiography is now being superseded by digital imaging. In The Cat Clinic, we have digital radiography (DR) facilities. The initial steps of taking an x-ray are the same- an x-ray beam is directed through the patient onto a cassette. In place of a film, there is an imaging plate which responds to the x-rays, sending a digital image directly to the computer. The digital image can then be viewed and enhanced using software to improve contrast, magnify or highlight specific areas. DR allows us to produce an image in a matter of seconds and because an image can be digitally altered and enhanced, we can often reduce the number of x-ray exposures a patient requires.
X-rays remain the most common diagnostic imaging modality. They are particularly useful for looking at bony structures (fractures, arthritis, tumours), checking for kidney or bladder stones, or as an adjunct to assess internal organs such as heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.
X-rays remain the most common diagnostic imaging modality. They are particularly useful for looking at bony structures (fractures, arthritis, tumours), checking for kidney or bladder stones, or as an adjunct to assess internal organs such as heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.
Ultrasound Scanning
Ultrasound scans are used increasingly commonly in veterinary practice these days and are a vital part of gaining a more thorough understanding of many disease conditions in our pets. Unlike an x-ray, an ultrasound scan can help “see” inside soft tissue structures such as the liver, kidneys or bowel, often shedding more light on the likely underlying cause of an illness. At other times, these scans provide a useful tool to rule out concerns such as cancerous changes.
An ultrasound scan is a procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body, such as the heart.
A small handheld device called a transducer is placed against clipped skin and is moved over the part of the body being examined. A lubricating gel is put onto the skin to allow the transducer to move smoothly and to ensure there is continuous contact between the sensor and the skin. The transducer is connected to a computer and a monitor. Pulses of ultrasound are sent from a probe in the transducer, through the skin and into the cat’s body. The sound waves then bounce back from the structures of the body and are displayed as an image on the monitor.
As well as producing still pictures, an ultrasound scan shows movement. Ultrasound scans are used for pregnancy examinations but can also be used to detect heart problems or abnormalities in organs such as the liver, kidney, bladder and spleen.
Our recently upgraded ultrasound scanner ( April 2024) shows our cat's interiors in much more detail, even allowing us to watch blood flow through a vessel. There are still occasions however, where a specialist ultrasound scan or cardiology assessment at a referral institute will be advised. There is no replacement for specialist expert knowledge at times.
An ultrasound scan is a procedure that uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of part of the inside of the body, such as the heart.
A small handheld device called a transducer is placed against clipped skin and is moved over the part of the body being examined. A lubricating gel is put onto the skin to allow the transducer to move smoothly and to ensure there is continuous contact between the sensor and the skin. The transducer is connected to a computer and a monitor. Pulses of ultrasound are sent from a probe in the transducer, through the skin and into the cat’s body. The sound waves then bounce back from the structures of the body and are displayed as an image on the monitor.
As well as producing still pictures, an ultrasound scan shows movement. Ultrasound scans are used for pregnancy examinations but can also be used to detect heart problems or abnormalities in organs such as the liver, kidney, bladder and spleen.
Our recently upgraded ultrasound scanner ( April 2024) shows our cat's interiors in much more detail, even allowing us to watch blood flow through a vessel. There are still occasions however, where a specialist ultrasound scan or cardiology assessment at a referral institute will be advised. There is no replacement for specialist expert knowledge at times.
Dental X-rays, and the importance of them...
Dental issues for our feline friends are, sadly, a very common problem. Ideally, we would all brush our cats' teeth once or twice every day to prevent (or at the very least delay the onset of) dental complaints but, realistically, there aren't a lot of cats who would tolerate this. Here at The Cat Clinic, we perform dental procedures on cats under general anaesthesia almost on a daily basis.
Dental X-rays are a very important part of this process, as this allows our vets to see exactly what is going on below the cats' gums. The teeth - or crowns - we can see within cat mouths can be very deceptive in appearance - some can look fine, but on X-ray we can see that they are resorbing (dissolving) away and/or actually quite diseased...on the other hand, some teeth can look terrible, but once the calculus is scaled away, the teeth underneath are surprisingly healthy and solid within the gum. This is why dental X-rays are so important - without them, our vets would almost be carrying out dental work blind.
Dental X-rays are a very important part of this process, as this allows our vets to see exactly what is going on below the cats' gums. The teeth - or crowns - we can see within cat mouths can be very deceptive in appearance - some can look fine, but on X-ray we can see that they are resorbing (dissolving) away and/or actually quite diseased...on the other hand, some teeth can look terrible, but once the calculus is scaled away, the teeth underneath are surprisingly healthy and solid within the gum. This is why dental X-rays are so important - without them, our vets would almost be carrying out dental work blind.