In this episode of Diagnostic Tails, hosts Dr. Amy Armentrout and Dr. Lon Hays introduce the role of endoscopy in veterinary medicine and how it expands diagnostic and treatment options for referring veterinarians. Joined by technician Mia, they share insights from a recent hands-on training course and what this new capability means for patient care.

They break down how endoscopy allows for minimally invasive foreign body removal, targeted biopsies, and more efficient diagnostics — often under a single anesthetic event. The conversation also highlights the importance of teamwork between veterinarians and technicians, especially when performing advanced procedures.

You’ll learn:

• When endoscopy is the right choice for foreign body removal
• How endoscopy allows for targeted gastric and intestinal biopsies
• Why minimally invasive procedures improve recovery and efficiency
• The role of endoscopy in diagnosing GI disease and cancer
• How combining diagnostics under one anesthetic benefits patients and clients
• The importance of technician support and teamwork in advanced procedures
• How referral centers can provide faster access to specialized care

Whether it’s retrieving a foreign object or getting answers in a chronic GI case, this episode reinforces one core idea: endoscopy is a practical, efficient tool that helps veterinarians get answers faster — with less invasiveness for the patient.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Podcast Intro and Hosts welcome listeners

02:01 - Introducing Mia, a technician at Animal Imaging

02:41 - Lon shares background – 25+ years in a small animal private practice in Dallas

03:46 - Announcement: Animal Imaging will be offering endoscopic procedures

05:43 - Mia’s excitement about foreign body cases – “I wanna see what they ate”

06:17 - Endoscopy compared to a claw machine

09:19 - Mia’s personal highlights from the course - hanging with Dr. Hayes’ wife

14:42 - Mia’s highlights from the course from a technician standpoint

16:09 - Importance of the technician’s role in endoscopy and other procedures

23:18 - New CT imaging package announcement: bilateral elbows and shoulders

24:16 - CT of elbows and shoulders give you more information than x-ray.

26:04 - Closing – thank you and excitement about the CT offering.

Key Takeaways:

• Endoscopy is a minimally invasive tool for both diagnosis and treatment
• Ideal for removing gastric foreign bodies before they progress further in the GI tract
• Allows for targeted biopsies of the stomach and proximal small intestine
• Improves efficiency by combining diagnostics under a single anesthetic event
• Helps deliver faster answers and quicker turnaround for referring veterinarians
• Strong technician support is essential — endoscopy is a true team procedure
• Proper equipment care and handling are critical to protect investment and ensure performance
• Expands what referral centers can offer without requiring full hospitalization
• Provides an additional option when specialty centers have long wait times

Animal Imaging Veterinary Radiology Specialists

https://animalimaging.net/

(972) 869-2180

info@animalimaging.net

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnimalImaging/

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalimaging

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/animalimaging/?hl=en

In this episode of Diagnostic Tails, hosts Dr. Amy Armentrout and Dr. Lon Hays break down how advanced imaging fits into everyday veterinary practice — not just specialty or referral medicine.

Using real clinical cases, they explain when radiographs fall short, how to choose between CT, MRI, and nuclear scintigraphy, and why advanced diagnostics often lead to faster answers, clearer treatment plans, and better patient outcomes.

This episode is designed for general practitioners managing challenging lameness, neurologic, and internal medicine cases, and for anyone who wants to better understand how modern veterinary imaging supports accurate diagnosis without unnecessary delays.

You’ll learn:

1. When to escalate from radiographs to CT or MRI
2. How bone scans help localize elusive lameness
3. Why MRI is ideal for neurologic and soft tissue disease
4. When CT is faster, more efficient, and cost-effective
5. Common misconceptions around cost, anesthesia, and accessibility
6. How advanced imaging supports — not replaces — the referring veterinarian
7. Why annual bloodwork and trend tracking improve long-term diagnostics

Whether you’re managing an unresolved limp, intermittent neurologic signs, or vague GI disease, this episode reinforces one core idea: advanced imaging is an extension of your practice — and a powerful diagnostic ally.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Welcome to Diagnostic Tails

00:45 – The goal of the episode: using advanced imaging in everyday practice

01:15 – When radiographs don’t give answers: the limping Labrador scenario

02:00 – Bone scans as a localization tool before CT or MRI

02:40 – Case study: bilateral forelimb lameness and the “wrong problem” trap

04:15 – How bone scan + CT led to a definitive elbow dysplasia diagnosis

05:00 – Why advanced imaging improves treatment planning

06:00 – Why general practitioners underutilize advanced imaging

06:45 – Animal Imaging as an extension of the referring veterinarian

07:30 – Turnaround times and what reports include

08:15 – Host introductions and clinical backgrounds

09:30 – MRI misconceptions: “above my pay grade” and referral myths

10:45 – How MRI works (in practical, real-world terms)

12:30 – Why MRI studies take time — and why size matters

15:00 – CT vs MRI: choosing the right modality

18:15 – Case example: bicipital bursitis diagnosed via MRI

20:00 – Neurologic cases where MRI truly shines

Animal Imaging Veterinary Radiology Specialists

https://animalimaging.net/

(972) 869-2180

info@animalimaging.net

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AnimalImaging/

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalimaging

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/animalimaging

In this episode of Diagnostic Tails: Animal Imaging Uncovered, Dr. Amy Armentrout and Dr. Lon Hays address growing public mistrust toward veterinarians following a high-profile media interview that portrayed veterinary medicine as profit-driven, cartel-controlled, and harmful to pets.

Drawing on decades of real-world clinical experience, the doctors unpack the true drivers behind rising veterinary costs, including medical inflation, shared supply chains with human medicine, staffing realities, and the crushing burden of veterinary education debt. They explain why comparisons to human healthcare costs are often misleading, how private equity can both help and harm depending on structure, and why veterinarians are leaving the profession at alarming rates.

The episode also explores telemedicine limitations, the misunderstood value of hands-on physical exams, the emotional toll placed on veterinarians by public misinformation, and the danger of narratives that suggest veterinarians are “in it for the money.” The conversation closes with practical, preventative guidance for pet owners and a call for empathy, realism, and partnership in modern veterinary care.

Key Takeaways

1. Rising Veterinary Costs Reflect Medical Inflation

1. Veterinary medicine relies on the same drugs, equipment, and suppliers as human healthcare.
2. Costs have risen approximately 42% since 2019, largely due to supply chain inflation and limited buying power for independent clinics.

2. Veterinarians Are Not Overcompensated

1. The average veterinarian salary (~$125,000) must be weighed against $185,000–$250,000+ in student debt.
2. Veterinarians earn significantly less than physicians with comparable training length and responsibility.

3. Burnout Is Driving the Veterinary Shortage

1. The shortage is caused largely by attrition, not lack of graduates.
2. Long hours, emotional strain, online harassment, and financial pressure are forcing veterinarians out of the field.
3. Veterinarians have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession.

4. Telemedicine Has Real Limits in Veterinary Care

1. Veterinary medicine is deeply tactile and observational—touch, smell, sound, and movement matter.
2. Telemedicine is most effective within an existing veterinarian-client-patient relationship, not as a replacement for exams.

5. Private Equity Is Complex, Not Inherently Harmful

1. While not without flaws, responsible private equity can improve benefits, staffing stability, and access to advanced care.
2. Many veterinarians no longer want to own practices, and PE can provide sustainable transition options.

6. Preventative Care Extends Life and Improves Quality

In this episode of Diagnostic Tails: Animal Imaging's Uncovered, Dr. Amy Armentrout, Dr. Lon Hays, and veterinary technician Mia Loredo pull back the curtain on what truly makes Animal Imaging different: culture as a clinical strategy.

Through real stories, humor, and hard-earned insight, the team explains how a people-first workplace directly supports better diagnostics, stronger clinical decision-making, and improved patient outcomes. From technician-led case ownership and cross-training across modalities to tackling high-risk imaging cases others turn away, this conversation highlights how trust, education, and psychological safety elevate veterinary medicine.

They also address the emotional weight of referral-level imaging, the realities of high-stakes anesthesia, and why fun, boundaries, and shared values are not “extras” but essential tools for longevity in veterinary medicine. The result is a candid, thoughtful look at how intentional culture fuels excellence in advanced veterinary imaging.

00:00 – 01:15

Welcome

01:15 – 03:00

Purpose, mission, and why employees come first at Animal Imaging

03:00 – 05:00

Technician autonomy, case ownership, and shared leadership on the floor

05:00 – 07:30

Trust, teamwork, and running multiple imaging modalities under pressure

07:30 – 09:45

Cross-training, education, and building a resilient, highly skilled team

09:45 – 12:30

Low turnover, hiring for values, and why culture is treated as a business model

12:30 – 15:30

Referral-level medicine: complex anesthesia, unstable patients, and high-risk imaging

15:30 – 17:45

Taking on cases others won’t—and why answers matter more than comfort

17:45 – 20:30

Social media, humor, and giving the team creative ownership beyond the clinic

20:30 – 23:45

Mental health in veterinary medicine and the role of levity and boundaries

23:45 – 26:30

Advice for leaders: education, trust, and avoiding micromanagement

26:30 – 29:30

Retention, growth paths, and supporting team members as they advance

29:30 – 32:55

Tail-end tips: revisiting core values, communication styles, and leading with care

Culture drives clinical outcomes

• When technicians are trusted, educated, and supported, decision-making improves—and so does patient care.

Technician autonomy matters

• Allowing techs to lead cases, manage modalities, and make real-time decisions builds confidence and excellence.

Hire for values, train for skills

• Technical skills can be taught; integrity, curiosity, and teamwork cannot.

Advanced imaging requires trust

• High-risk anesthesia and unstable patients demand strong communication and shared responsibility.

Education fuels retention

• Investing in CE and implementing what staff bring back keeps teams engaged and growing.

Fun is not frivolous

• Appropriate humor and connection are essential coping tools in a field that regularly delivers hard news.

Leadership is about letting go

• Micromanagement erodes culture; trust and accountability sustain it.

Animal Imaging Veterinary Radiology Specialists

https://animalimaging.net/

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In this episode of Diagnostic Tails, Dr. Amy Armentrout and Dr. Lon Hays break down the power of CT in small-animal medicine, spotlighting why CT consistently outperforms radiographs - especially for detecting pulmonary nodules, planning oncology cases, and guiding complex procedures. They explore when sedation is enough, when anesthesia is required, and how contrast, breath-holds, and modern fan-beam technology elevate diagnostic accuracy.

The conversation moves through real cases including Sancho’s hidden metastatic disease, a CT-guided lung mass aspirate, a young dog with a vascular anomaly, and an inventive urethral stricture study - illustrating how CT changes outcomes, improves surgical planning, and saves patients from unnecessary procedures. They wrap with a practical comparison of CT vs. MRI and clear guidance on choosing the right modality for the right case.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00–01:00 — Intro to thoracic CT & why it’s a go-to modality.

01:00–02:30 — CT advantages: speed, clarity, and value over radiographs.

03:30–05:15 — Sedation vs. anesthesia, contrast use, and why breath-holds matter.

05:15–06:30 — Fan-beam vs. cone-beam CT: what’s the difference?

07:00–09:15 — Case 1: Sancho - clean X-rays, but CT reveals multiple pulmonary nodules.

10:12–11:25 — Case 2: Snickers - CT-guided lung mass aspirate and why ultrasound can’t reach it.

11:58–12:35 — Case 3: Persistent Right Aortic Arch - diagnosing a congenital vascular anomaly.

15:00–15:57 — Case 4: Urethral stricture - creative retrograde contrast CT for surgical planning.

16:15–17:40 — Why thoracic CT should accompany most soft-tissue studies.

18:00–18:45 — Big-dog abdomen workups: when CT beats ultrasound.

19:20–22:10 — CT vs. MRI: which modality to choose and when.

23:26–24:30 — Final takeaways + call for clinicians to consult the imaging team.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• CT provides far greater detail than radiographs, especially for pulmonary, abdominal, and oncologic cases.
• Small nodules and subtle abnormalities are frequently invisible on X-ray but obvious on CT.
• Cone-beam CT has its place (dentistry/skull) but cannot replace fan-beam CT for thorax or abdomen.
• CT-guided aspirates offer precise, safe sampling for challenging masses surrounded by air.
• 3D reconstructions and vascular studies improve surgical planning and owner decision-making.
• For elbows, carpi, and below-stifle issues → CT excels; for shoulders, hips, and neuro → MRI is preferred.
• Adding a thoracic CT when evaluating masses is cost-effective and often case-changing.

Animal Imaging Veterinary Radiology Specialists: https://animalimaging.net/

(972) 869-2180 info@animalimaging.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalImaging/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/animalimaging

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animalimaging/?hl=en