Ultrasound

While digital radiography provides the best detail for bony structures, veterinary ultrasound provides real-time images of your pet’s soft tissue structures. It is particularly helpful in evaluating organ size and structure, abnormal fluid accumulation, and soft tissue masses. In pets who experience traumatic injuries, ultrasound is used to perform a focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) to quickly check for internal bleeding and fluid accumulation.  It can also be used to guide needle placement for aspiration of fluid or cell samples.

An ultrasound examination can typically be performed while your pet is awake; however, painful or anxious pets may benefit from sedation to help them relax during their ultrasound scan.