All of our hospitals have dedicated ultrasound machines which give high quality images for both dogs and cats. Ultrasound technology is a quick, safe, painless modality which does not involve ionising radiation. Ultrasound involves the use of high frequency sound waves reflecting off different tissues to make a computer generated image, which our vets interpret in real time.
Our dedicated medical specialists and registrars perform many types of ultrasound studies including:
- Abdominal disease (used to help locate gastrointestinal foreign bodies, diagnosis of pancreatitis, or looking for changes in architecture and presence of gross lesions in organs)
- Heart disease (an ultrasound of the heart is called an echocardiogram. This is used to diagnose cardiac disease and aids in procedures such as pericardiocentesis - draining fluid from the sac around the heart)
Most pets do not require sedation or anaesthesia for a standard ultrasound study and the procedure can generally be performed the same day as your consultation. Pets must be fasted the day of the procedure, as the ultrasound beam does not see well through gas or stomach contents.
Your pet's coat will be clipped to ensure the best diagnostic images possible.