Advanced Radiology Suite with Telemedicine Provide Highest
Quality Results
Everything we do is focused on helping you keep your pets healthy
• Our diagnostic services provide quicker results with greater accuracy. On site diagnostics allow us to have accurate test results in 20 minutes instead of 24 hours.
• Quick diagnosis allows us to correctly we treat your pet sooner and they can recover faster.
• We combine advanced digital telemedicine with traditional in-house fecals, urinalysis and blood lab work, to develop a more complete picture of your pet's condition.
• Our ability to have results within minutes is especially valuable for pre-anesthetic testing if your pet is about to undergo surgery, as well as for evaluation of your pet if there is an emergency.
• Pre-anesthetic testing provides you with peace of mind and gives us important physiological information on your pet before we give anesthesia.
We use advanced technologies for the most comprehensive and accurate results often while you wait.
The integration of digital technology, blood analysis and telemedicine helps us do our job accurately and professionally.
With a sick patient, one can’t wait or make guess work. Advanced diagnostic protocol helps us quickly move from results which we can review with you, to preparing a treatment plan.
It is the same thing with radiographs; they are right here when we need them. Digital diagnostic imaging has become the standard in human medicine and it is the standard we use here everyday.
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technologies in order to provide clinical pet health care at a distance. It helps eliminate distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in small communities.
We can immediately email digital X-Rays and ultrasounds to Board Certified Radiologists for review. Historically, area vets sent pet owners down to the University of Minnesota for this kind of work. We do that work right here, right now.
Results are typically received in 2 to 4 hours, less than it takes to drive to the University and we do it at a fraction of the cost. We provide this service to area vets on a referral basis.
When complicated or extensive blood work is necessary like
allergy testing or Lyme levels, we overnight and receive web
site results the next day.
Dr. Gerds has 17 years experience diagnosing and treating pets just like yours. This experience enables Advanced Care Pet Hospital to quickly and professionally identify causes without unnecessary testing.find a sound solution to your Pet's condition.
Dr. Gerds opened Advanced Care Pet Hospital, to provide you and your pets with the most up-to-date diagnostic tools and experience available for your pet's care. This allows her to quickly develop a treatment plan based on facts.
Diagnostic results instantly become integrated into the patients medical history. Our electronic practice management system incorporates files from the blood analyzers, the digital x-ray and the ultrasound. Critical patient data and test results are
We use a computed radiography which offers a more detailed picture than conventional film radiography. The digital image is processed within seconds and can be further enhanced and adjusted after the image has been captured. We are one of the first in the region to use this.
Medical evidence shows computed radiography provides far greater diagnostic analysis capability than film based X-ray. Images can be quickly enhanced without costly retakes, allowing Dr. Gerds to get more information while taking fewer x-ray exposures. Less time means less stress for your pets.
With traditional film, poor exposure or improper chemical balance can render films unreadable. Techs must take another x-ray and develop more film. This causes more exposure for your pet.
Our radiographs submitted to the OFA follow the American Veterinary Medical Association recommendations for positioning. This view is accepted world wide for detection and assessment of hip joint irregularities and secondary arthritic hip joint changes.
OFA radiographs from Advanced Care Pet Hospital are submitted electronically along with and appropriate paper work completed. Computer images can be easily shared with clients at much less expense. We work with several breeders
Perhaps its single most valuable benefit is its ability to help Dr Pamela Gerds diagnose various health conditions, while you wait and without the need of invasive surgery.
Ultrasound uses sound waves to create medical images inside the pet allowing Dr. Gerds to visualize internal organs, their size, structure and any lesions.
It is also used to assist with less invasive biopsies of internal organs.
In your pet’s abdomen, ultrasound is particularly effective for imaging:
Ultrasound can help us to detect cancer in its early stages. An ultrasound of the heart, or echocardiogram, is very valuable to check the function of your pet’s heart.
Advanced Care Pet Hospital is the 1st veterinary clinic in the St Cloud region to use the Phillips HD 7 series Color Doppler ultrasound unit for pets.
Phillips HD 7 Ultrasound Units are typically found in human medical facilities. This unit has been tailored with special probes and software to cater to pet ultrasounds.
This is no cheap laptop or desktop unit. The Phillips HD7 provides a greater range, depth and clarity of diagnostic imaging than can typically be provided in low cost pc or laptop based units.
We supply board certified radiology readings to several area vet clinics in Central Minnesota on a referral basis.
Advanced Care easily saves and transmit your pet's images to board certified radiologists at the client's request.
Dr. Gerds has been using ultrasound for over six years and has had extensive training on the extended capabilities of this particular unit.
Actual unborn puppy image from Advanced Care, 7/29/2010. We can send home pictures of your puppies.
Ultrasound is recommended with all urinary tract infections to evaluate the bladder wall and to check for debris, lesions, defects and stones.
All ultrasound scans are performed on-site at Advanced Care.
Breeds at increased risk for congenital heart problems should have a cardiac scan at approximately six months or at the time of spay or neuter to have a baseline measurement reading and to check for early signs of problems.
Chihuahua, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Newfoundland, Boxer, Dobermans, and Great Dane are breeds included in the list of those at increased risk.
As pets get older or have dental disease, heart valve problems can develop.
Ultrasound evaluates each heart valve as well as the rest of the structure of the heart and is the best means of determining the proper medications and course of treatment for the pet.
The HD 7 color Doppler settings are helpful to the Doctor to evaluate blood velocity measurements over a wide area of the scan field.
Signals from moving red blood cells are displayed in color as a function of their motion toward or away from the probe.
Color flow displays are easier to interpret, and there is less risk of missing important flow information.
Advanced Care Color Doppler Ultrasound in action.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart) is very common in cats and is frequently asymptomatic until sudden death occurs.
We recommend periodic cardiac scans on all cats in order to catch any problems early and to be able to better ensure the safety of an anesthetic procedure.
Philips digital ultrasound system also provides DICOM connectivity.
Images from your pets ultrasound studies are stored on a
PACs (Picture Archive Server) which is integrated with our
Electronic Patient Records system. Your x-ray and ultrasound
images are automatically posted and recorded with your pets
medical record.
Get fast and accurate results. In many cases, while you wait!
Advanced Care Pet Hospital provides accurate Blood Gluclose results. The Abbott Animal Health AlphaTRAK Meter is calibrated specifically for the unique properties of animal blood and provides convenient, accurate blood glucose results with a very small blood sample size.
Previously, testing outside of the laboratory was done with a hand-held blood glucose meter designed for humans, which can result in measurements that are off by as much as 39 percent.
By using the AlphaTRAK® Blood Glucose Monitoring System, Advanced Care Pet Hospital can conveniently obtain accurate blood glucose results in-clinic and reduce the overall time and stress required to maintain a healthy diabetic pet.
A study was conducted to compare the accuracy of AlphaTRAK Meter and two human portable blood glucose meters against the reference method used by Antech Laboratories. This study concluded that: The AlphaTRAK Meter results were statistically equivalent to the Antech results. The human portable glucose meters tested provided statistically different results.
We also use an outside Reference Laboratory for specialized blood or fluid tests. Tissues and biopsy samples are sent to the reference lab for analysis.
Same day pick up for all tests and fast turn-around times are a matter of course for most specialty tests.
Our Digital X-Rays, Ultrasounds, internal and external lab results are all electronically linked to provide direct on-line connectivity with our Electronic Medical Records system.
This on-line connectivity saves data entry time. But more importantly, errors in data entry are eliminated.
Advanced Care has all patient records computerized. It is a task many human medical practices and traditional vet clinics have been coming to grips with in the last decade. Being quite new, Advanced Care was equipped to handle the challenge from day one.
From initial scheduling of your appointment through exam, invoicing and after care follow-up all information is documented and managed electronically. Records are backed up daily.
For new patients, all previous paper based records are scanned into the patient file so we can review all prior history at the click of a mouse. Relevant procedures and shot dates are entered into the electronic record.
Pet are photographed for their records and when they are all up to date on their shots, we create a free Pet ID Card with vaccine dates, microchip number, rabies tag number, etc. These are ideal to bring to groomers and boarding facilities.
Just a little extra service and value for our clients.
Tonometry measures intraocular pressure to diagnose glaucoma.
Glaucoma is caused by the buildup of fluid within the eye that does not drain properly out of the eye.
Abnormally high pressure can damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss.
Tonometry is the rapid and precise measurement of fluid pressure within the eye (called intraocular pressure). IntraOcular Pressure (IOP) is the pressure exerted against the outer layers by the eyeball.
Tonometry is performed using an instrument called the tonometer seen below.
The tonometer allows us to quickly and accurately diagnose potentially severe eye diseases in dogs.
Tonometry is also useful for identifying low IOP, which may occur with anterior uveitis (inflammation within the eye) or following intraocular surgery. Low IOP is also associated with dehydration.
Tonometry measures IOP by recording the resistance of your cornea to pressure (indentation). Eyedrops are used to numb the surface of your pet’s eyes are used with most of the following methods.
Electronic indentation tonometry is very accurate. Dr Gerds uses eyedrops to numb the surface of your pet’s eyes, then the device is gently placed against the cornea. An outer ring flattens the cornea adjacent to the area of measurement allowing a free floating transducer to detect the transmitted pressure. The IOP reading shows on a small computer panel.
Depending on the diagnosis several treatment options are available.
In the past, your pet had to go to a specialist for this special diagnostic service. Advanced Care is very happy to provide cutting edge technology locally for you and your pet.
Our goal is to become the vet you recommend to friends with
pets. Launched in 2009, we are the region's newest veterinary
clinic. We feature a great staff, current technology and
a veterinarian with 17 years experience. Discover why so many
already recommend Advanced Care!
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