Services for sick pets
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In-House Lab
Our in-house laboratory provides pet owners with the convenience of fast, reliable results. With trained staff and doctors, we offer a wide variety of high-quality diagnostic testing services. Our recently updated IDEXX laboratory equipment provides a comprehensive look at your pet’s health from the inside out, helping us diagnose and monitor conditions more efficiently.
Testing available in our in-house laboratory includes:
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- Blood testing
- Urine testing
- Viral testing, including Parvovirus, Feline Leukemia Virus, and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
- Heartworm and tick-borne disease testing
- Fecal examinations for parasites, including hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and roundworms
- Ear cytology
- Skin cytology and skin scrapes
- Fine needle aspirates
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Additional testing available through outside laboratories includes:
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- Titer testing
- Bacterial and fungal cultures
- Cytology and histopathology
- Routine wellness screening
- PLI/TLI, cobalamin, and folate testing
- Fecal antigen testing
- PCR testing
- Gut microbiome testing
- Allergy testing
- Specialty diagnostics
- Bladder stone assessment and urinary crystal evaluation
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If your pet needs a specific test and you are unsure whether we offer it, please contact our office. With access to multiple diagnostic laboratories, we can generally accommodate most patients and their individual diagnostic needs.
Digital X-Ray
We recently upgraded to a high-quality digital X-ray system to provide enhanced imaging for patients of all sizes and faster access to diagnostic interpretations.
Point of Care Ultrasound
Our doctors are trained in point-of-care ultrasound techniques to quickly evaluate patients and identify potential underlying health concerns, especially in urgent situations. At this time, we are not equipped to perform full diagnostic ultrasounds and partner with referral centers for patients requiring advanced imaging.
Urgent Surgeries
Dr. Carlson is a skilled surgeon with nearly 30 years of experience and has the knowledge and expertise to perform a variety of urgent procedures, including foreign body obstruction removal, pyometra surgery, laceration repair, and more.
To ensure appropriate staffing, maintain availability for our established clients, and provide the highest level of patient care, urgent surgical services are currently available only to existing clients and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Referral
For patients requiring emergency procedures, advanced imaging, or specialized care, we work with a variety of trusted hospitals and specialists to meet a wide range of needs. If you need assistance locating an emergency hospital or specialist in your area, please contact our office during regular business hours.
For patients transferred from our clinic, Dr. Carlson and the Riverside team work closely with referral hospitals to support a smooth and timely transition of care.
Ear Diseases
Many pets with chronic ear problems benefit from a video endoscope examination. Using the MedRx system, our doctors look deeply within your pet’s ear to find what’s causing chronic or acute ear issues. “Using a video endoscope allows us to diagnose up to 70% more ear disease than with a regular handheld otoscope,” said Dr. Jim Carlson, Riverside Animal Clinic and Grove Animal Hospital & Holistic Center owner and senior doctor. “The added benefit to the video endoscope is the ability to clean and flush the ear and remove small particles or debris with the help of the video endoscope and its associated tools.
I had a case with a 7 month old Goldendoodle puppy whose ear condition didn’t resolve with standard treatment. With the video endoscope I was able to quickly diagnose and remove a 3″ football shaped wax plug. If not for the video endoscope, the case would likely have gone to a specialist, surgery or just never resolved.” The video endoscope also allows us to provide photos of the ear canal to document your pet’s case.
Ear issues can become chronic for many different reasons including: allergies, sensitivities, change of season, food, lymph chain drainage problems to name a few. Because we look at your pet from the perspectives of Eastern and Western medicine we include herbal therapies, custom holistic testing and natural food therapy when diagnosing and treating your pet’s ear disease.
Ultrasound
Riverside Animal Clinic offers ultrasound services by specialist Dr. Kristin Pampel by appointment. Ultrasound appointments are typically held in our office in Buffalo Grove. Grove Animal Hospital & Holistic Center has worked with Dr. Pampel for many years. Her appointments require planning so please call or schedule in advance. Riverside clients should book the ultrasound appointment through Riverside Animal Clinic by calling 815-344-7716 or by completing our online appointment form.
Dermatology
Skin and coat issues are one of the main reasons people visit a veterinarian. In our practice, the use of custom holistic testing has changed the way we diagnose and treat skin diseases. The skin is only part of your pet’s problem. Most of the time itching, inflammation, redness and a flakey coat have more to do with what’s going on inside your pet. In fact, the very definition of looking at a skin problem from the outside in has completely reversed because of our unique testing service. By diagnosing in our particular way, we have found many varying reasons for skin disorders involving: lymph glands, anxiety, kidney weakness and liver toxicity.
Dr. Carlson and the team at Riverside enjoy working with tough medical cases. The goal is always to get to the root of your pet’s problem rather than just medicating the symptoms. We use many different means, both holistic and traditional, to improve your pet’s condition.