Ultrasonography

Our hospital is fully equipped with an ultrasound scanner to assist evaluation of your pet’s condition if required.  Our veterinarians will discuss your pet’s case and conduct a thorough physical examination to determine if your pet requires an ultrasound examination. An ultrasound scan is a very important tool to help us diagnose diseases in animals, particularly for conditions involving soft tissues, such as those found in the abdomen, or the heart.

What is an ultrasound scan?

Most of our patients are admitted into hospital for the day to have an ultrasound scan done, We ask that you fast your pet from midnight the night before (water is allowed), as they may need sedation or anaesthetic to allow us to take the best quality scan possible.

The area to be scanned will be clipped short, so your pet may look different when they come home.  No pain is felt during an ultrasound exam, however, discomfort from pressure may be experienced. Sedation or general anaesthetic may be necessary for those animals that won’t stay still or are uncomfortable. 

Once the scan has been completed, the veteriarians will interpret the images and contact you to discuss diagnosis and treatment plan for your pet.

What happens to my pet when it is booked in for an ultrasound scan?

Most of our patients are admitted into hospital for the day to have an ultrasound scan done, unless it is an emergency and we’ll do it immediately. We ask that you bring your pet in unfed on the morning of admission, as they may need to be sedated to allow us to do the best scan possible.

The area to be scanned will be shaved, so your pet may look different when they come home.  No pain is felt during an ultrasound exam, however, discomfort from pressure may be experienced. Sedatives may be necessary for those animals that won’t stay still or are uncomfortable. During the scan a water-soluble gel is applied over the clipped area to be examined and a transducer (probe) is placed on the skin.

Once the scan has been completed we will give you a call or book an appointment for our veterinarians to show you the images and to discuss the diagnosis and treatment plan for your pet.