Ultrasound for dogs and cats is one of the most common and useful medical tools that veterinarians use when treating pets. It’s a safe, painless, and non-invasive way for veterinarians to diagnose many different types of internal injuries and disorders.
Ultrasound is capable of giving your doctor detailed and accurate real-time information about what is occurring with the internal organs, tissues, and structures of a pet without having to perform surgery. Analyzing this information allows the vet to prescribe a targeted and effective treatment for your pet. The Ayres Animal Hospital is fully equipped and qualified to provide ultrasound for dogs and cats in Huntington, WV.
Abdominal ultrasound and echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) allows us to look at the texture and size of certain organs in the abdomen and chest, giving us more information than x-rays alone. Ultrasound is noninvasive and not painful, and in most instances, can be done with the pet awake.
The hair is clipped on the abdomen or chest, and alcohol is used to wet the skin, providing better imaging. A small probe is placed on the skin over the abdomen or chest, and sound waves are transmitted which bounce off the organs, allowing us to see them on a computer screen.
We can also capture these images and send them via internet to a board certified radiologist or cardiologist to review, and they will fax a report, most often with 24 hours, or within 1 hour if a patient is critical.
The ultrasound can be used to guide us when getting punch biopsies or needle aspirates of the liver, or when draining fluid from the pericardial sac (sac around the heart) if present. With procedures sedation may be needed to keep the pet quiet, calm and comfortable.
What Is Ultrasound For Dogs And Cats Used For?
Ultrasound is primarily used to monitor the progress of a pregnancy. However, it can also be used to diagnose many types of physical conditions, injuries, and defects. It is also used to monitor the healing process. Some of the reasons your veterinarian might use ultrasound on your pet include if it’s suspected that your pet has swallowed a foreign object, if they’ve had abnormal urine or blood test results, or if there are indications of an internal injury or heart condition.
The Ultrasound Procedure
An ultrasound session usually lasts between 30 and 60 minutes, and your pet will lie on its back in a padded bed during the procedure. A veterinary technician will be present to keep them calm and still. Most pets don’t mind as it is a gentle and relaxing procedure.
Contact the Ayers Animal Hospital to learn more about ultrasound for dogs and cats in Huntington, WV.
