Non-invasive Diagnostics for your Pet. Ultrasound of the chest and abdomen simplifies the diagnoses of internal disease by providing vets with a clear view inside the patient's stomach, liver, kidneys, heart and other internal organs.
It is a safe, non-invasive diagnostic procedure, which, unlike x-rays, does not result in your pet's exposure to radiation. An ultra-sound machine uses sound waves to penetrate the internal organs and creates an image that is displayed on a monitor. The procedure involves using a hand-held probe on the skin above the area being studied.
An ultrasound of the heart, or echocardiogram, is one of the most useful tests for evaluating heart conditions in a pet. With ultrasound, the vet can look inside the heart, in the chambers, and can rule out or confirm a diagnosis and help to determine the amount of valve leakage or the severity of an abnormality.
Some of the common reasons to ultrasound a heart are:
- Heart murmur
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia)
- Laboured breathing
- Birth defects
Ultrasound is commonly used on the abdomen for the following reasons:
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Pregnancy
- Urinary bladder disease
- Screening for cancer