Although humans and animals are different in many ways, some advances in human medicine are also very useful for veterinary patients. One of these advances, diagnostic ultrasound, has proven to be a powerful tool in veterinary medicine. All Pets Animal Hospital and Rehabilitation Center offers state-of-the-art medicine and diagnostic testing; so we are pleased to offer ultrasound services as a means of providing a higher level of quality care to our patients.
Ultrasonography is a type of diagnostic technique that uses ultrasound waves to produce an imaging study. This means that when our experienced veterinarians perform a sonogram, they can view internal images of the patient’s body in real time, meaning immediate results. Unlike some other imaging studies, like x-rays, ultrasonography does not use any significant amount of radiation. Instead, ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create a picture of what is inside your pet’s body. The veterinarian will apply a gel to your pet’s skin and apply a probe that is used to emit the ultrasound waves. These waves travel through your pet’s soft tissue, and the “echoes” of the waves coming in contact with any structures is then interpreted by the probe and the machine into an image on the screen. Ultrasound waves can generate excellent images of abdominal organs, including the liver, spleen, gallbladder, and kidneys. It is also useful for assessing fetal health and monitoring pregnancy in breeding animals, and it can help us diagnose and stage (determine the severity of) some forms of cancer. Ultrasonography is a completely non-invasive, painless way to diagnose and evaluate many common diseases.
Ultrasound technology can be used to evaluate the heart as it beats. This can help us detect abnormalities in the motion of heart valves, blood flow through the heart, and contractions of the heart muscle. It can also be used to assess the heart for defects.
When you consider the experience of our veterinarians and our cutting-edge technology, you can rest assured your constant pet is in good hands at All Pets Animal Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.