Why Would My Cat or Dog Need an Ultrasound?

A veterinary ultrasound is an invaluable resource for evaluating many conditions. It can detect alterations in abdominal organs and assist in the recognition of any cysts and tumors that may be present. Many times, x-rays will be utilized in combination with an ultrasound as they reveal the size, dimension, and position of the organ. With the ability for real-time monitoring, ultrasounds are also utilized for pregnancy diagnosis and development monitoring.

When Would My Feline or Canine Get an Ultrasound Test?

An ultrasound is excellent at evaluating your cat or dog’s internal organs. A veterinary ultrasound is usually recommended when our doctors find abnormalities on bloodwork or x-rays, or to monitor a disease process. In addition, ultrasounds may be performed to evaluate your pet’s thyroid glands, eyes, ligaments, tendons, and more.

When it comes to gastrointestinal foreign materials, veterinary ultrasounds can be very helpful to detect particular objects like plant material, cloth, or paper which may not be visible on radiographs (x-rays).

How Do Veterinarian Ultrasounds Work?

Ultrasound equipment directs a narrow beam of high frequency sound waves into the area of interest. The sound waves either transmit through, reflect, or absorb in the tissues that they encounter. Any ultrasound waves that are reflected will return as echoes and convert into an image that is displayed on the monitor, giving a 2-dimensional image of the tissues under examination. With the ability to obtain real time information, outcomes can often be determined immediately.

An ultrasound is completely painless for your cat or dog. Our skilled technicians and veterinarians are trained at keeping your dog or cat calm and safe during the imaging process, but light sedation is typically used to help your pet lie still comfortably while the scan is being performed. Your pet may need to be shaved in the area of interest, as veterinary ultrasound images are of better quality if they have complete contact with the skin. All of this ensures the best quality imaging.

What’s the Difference Between X-rays (Radiographs) and Ultrasounds?

While both x-rays and pet ultrasounds are non-invasive and pain free forms of imaging, there are distinct differences. While radiographs (x-rays) are used to view solid tissues within your dog or cat’s body (like muscles or bones), ultrasounds are used to view soft and delicate tissues (such as organs). In radiographs, tissues may overlap on the 2 dimensional image, whereas ultrasound can look within tissues.

Please note that we are not a referral facility. Ultrasound appointments are limited to current patients only. At this time we offer abdominal ultrasounds only.