Ultrasound

Ultrasound technology, more than any other diagnostic tool, has improved our ability to diagnose diseases, and that makes our jobs more fun. Our investment in a Toshiba ultrasound and over 200 hours of continuing education on how to use it has really paid off for you and your pet. We now have a non-surgical method of looking inside your pet. In the abdomen we use it to image the liver, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, pancreas, the uterus and ovaries (if enlarged), the bladder and the prostate. If an organ is enlarged or a tumor is present we can pass a needle into it and get a sample (ultrasound guided fine needle aspirate or biopsy) to send to the lab for analysis.

In the chest we can use ultrasound to image the heart and evaluate function (echocardiography). We have also used it to locate and get a sample from fluid or tumors there. It can be used to image the thyroid gland and the eye (retrobulbar abscess or tumor). And of course it can diagnose pregnancy and even give you prenatal pictures to take home.

An ultrasound procedure may or may not require anesthesia. It depends on the animal and the type of procedure to be done. If it requires anesthesia then it is treated just like any other surgery in that a pre-surgical screen, I.V. catheter, I.V. fluids or other medications may be needed in order to make the procedure as safe as possible.

All hospitalized pets require proof of current vaccines.