The ultrasound procedure is one of the most common medical tools doctors use when treating humans. There’s a good chance that you’ve had one yourself. Veterinarians find pet ultrasound to be just as useful in treating animals. It’s a safe, non-invasive, and painless way for vets to diagnose many different types of injuries and disorders. Ultrasound is used to get accurate visual feedback in real-time of what’s happening with the internal organs and structures of an animal without having to perform surgery. The Vet’s Animal Hospital in Denver, CO, is fully equipped to provide ultrasound procedures to help us keep your pet healthy.
What Is Pet Ultrasound?
Ultrasound images are produced by using special equipment to transmit very high-frequency sound waves into the body. The reflected sound waves are then picked up on a receiver and transformed into a digital image. The veterinarian places the transmitter, or transducer, over the area of the body they want to examine to focus the sound waves on the specific organ or structure they’re interested in. The ultrasound device provides a very detailed image to assist in diagnosing a condition.
What Is Pet Ultrasound Used For?
A pet ultrasound is used most often to monitor the progress of a pregnancy, just as it is in humans. However, ultrasound can also be used to diagnose many different medical conditions and injuries and also to monitor the healing process. Some of the reasons your vet might use ultrasound on your pet include a suspected internal injury or heart condition, if they’ve had abnormal blood or urine test results, or if they’ve swallowed a foreign object. A pet ultrasound might be called for in many other situations as well.
The Ultrasound Procedure
Your pet will need to lie on its back in a padded bed during the ultrasound procedure. It usually takes between 30 to 60 minutes, and a veterinary tech will be there to keep them calm and hold them still. Most pets don’t mind as it is a gentle and relaxing procedure, but your vet can give them a mild sedative if they get excited. The transducer needs to come into direct contact with the skin, so the area being examined will need to be shaved. If the abdominal region is being examined or if anesthesia needs to be used, your vet might have your pet fast for 12 hours before the procedure.
New patients are always welcomed at The Vet’s Animal Hospital. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.
