Abnormal Blood or Urine Test Results
If your veterinarian finds abnormalities in your pet’s blood or urine tests, they may recommend an abdominal ultrasound.
Abdominal ultrasounds allow for the visualization of the internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, lymph nodes, urinary bladder, etc., to determine the cause for the abnormalities.
The cost for an abdominal ultrasound is approximately $300-$350 with a general practice veterinarian and $400-$500 with a specialist.
An ultrasound can be performed on almost all soft tissues of the body.
Ultrasounds can be used to evaluate:
If abnormal tissue is found during an ultrasound, the veterinarian may be able to collect samples of the tissue using the ultrasound.
Common methods for sample collection are:
These methods of sample collection are typically performed with the cat or dog under sedation. Biopsies collected with ultrasound guidance are less invasive than those collected surgically.
In an emergency setting, valuable information can be gained from focused ultrasound evaluation of the thorax (chest) and abdomen.
Veterinarians can quickly determine if a dog or cat has internal hemorrhage or pneumothorax, for example. This allows for quick development of a treatment plan.
Ultrasound is very useful for looking for gastrointestinal (GI) foreign material that may not be detected on x-rays.
Sometimes objects like cloth, paper, plant material, or thin plastic may not be seen on x-rays but can be found using ultrasound.
Ultrasound can also provide information as to whether a dog or cat with a GI foreign body needs to be immediately taken to surgery or if he/she can be managed medically.
What’s the Difference Between Ultrasounds and Radiographs (X-Rays)?
Radiographs are used frequently in daily practice to look inside the body, but they may not be the best option when compared to what an ultrasound can provide.
With ultrasound, the tissue of an organ can be evaluated instead of just the size or shape, as is the case with radiographs.
All ultrasound s and videos are sent to a radiologist to interpret. Results are reported back to us within 12 to 24 hours. Our doctors here at Hillcrest Animal Hospital will contact you as soon as we have information pertaining to your beloved furry friend.
An ultrasound scan is where high-frequency sound waves are used to produce s of structures within your pet’s body. So what should you expect from this procedure?
Ultrasound scans can give amazing definitive information about your pet that they just cannot tell us. They are an invaluable diagnostic tool, particularly when combined with radiographic s (x-rays).
After we are finished the ultrasound scan we are generally able to give your pet a rapid reversal drug to the sedative we used. This will help to wake the patient quicker and get him/her back home sooner.
The morning of the procedure please take your dog for a walk to urinate (unless we are focusing on the bladder) and defecate so this will not be in the way of the structures we will need to be imaging. Your pet should not be allowed to eat for 12 hours prior to the procedure. This reduces the chance of vomiting during sedation and food content in the stomach and the gut can interfere with ultrasound s.
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An ultrasound, also known as ultrasonography or sonographic imaging, is one of the non-invasive imaging modalities that are used in veterinary medicine. The procedure provides s of the internal structures of the body by recording echoes of ultrasonic waves. This means, your vet can look inside your pet’s body without having to perform surgery. An abdominal ultrasound enables your vet to have a closer look at the organs in the abdominal cavity such as the liver, kidneys, stomach, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands, intestines, bladder, uterus, ovaries, prostate, and lymph nodes. Keep reading to learn more!
Ultrasound was first used by veterinarians for pregnancy diagnosis. However, the technique is now being widely used in evaluating the heart as well as assessing the abdominal organs. The procedure is also extremely useful in diagnosing the presence of cysts and tumors.
While x-rays show the size, shape, and location of specific organs in the body, an abdominal ultrasound shows the architecture of the contents of the abdomen. It allows a more detailed view of what’s happening within your pet’s abdominal organs.
Before the advent of ultrasound, veterinarians had to do exploratory surgery to find out what was happening inside the abdomen. This is an invasive procedure that is not without potential risks to the animal.
The ultrasound equipment directs a beam of high-frequency sound waves into a part of your pet’s body that your vet is interested in. The high-frequency sound waves may be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through the tissues in the area of interest. The sound waves that are reflected are the ones that are converted into an when they return as echoes to the probe.
On the monitor, the is displayed as a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional of the tissues that are being examined. In an abdominal ultrasound, the allows examination of the surface and the internal parts of abdominal organs including the size, shape, texture, location, and blood supply.