Diagnostic Outpatient Abdominal Ultrasound service are performed by a board certified internal medicine specialist and require a referral from your pet’s primary care veterinarian. After the procedure, a report will be sent to your family veterinarian who will then contact you to go over the results.
When combined with the results of other diagnostics performed by your pet’s family veterinarian such as a physical exam, x-rays, and blood work, your pet’s veterinary team will be able to recommend the best treatment to address your pet’s symptoms and getting them feeling happy and healthy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ultrasound?
An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time pictures of the inside of the body including the structure and movement of the internal organs. It is best at identifying early abnormalities within these areas, which gives the medical team a better chance at recommending successful treatment.
Ultrasound is non-invasive, safe, and does not use radiation.
Abdominal ultrasound is used to help visualize the following:
- Gallbladder
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Spleen
How do I prepare my pet for the procedure?
We ask that you do not feed your pet for 8 hours prior to the procedure. You may continue to offer water as usual. If your primary care veterinarian has advised that your pet be fed as normal due to a medical issue that would make it unsafe for your pet to go without food, please inform the staff upon your arrival.
What takes place during an abdominal ultrasound?
Positioning
During the test, your pet is placed on their side or back. Most pets are quite comfortable during the process and relax while receiving lots of pets from our Internal Medicine team.
Shaving
In order to get optimal ultrasound images, the ultrasound wand must have direct contact with your pet’s skin. This requires shaving your pet’s belly and applying gel to the skin. We understand that shaving a pet’s fur is upsetting to some pet owners. You love your pet and are going to great lengths for a diagnosis, which includes taking your pet to a specialty hospital for a test performed by a veterinary specialist. We know that is a great commitment of time and money and we want you to have the best results possible from the ultrasound.
Sedation
Sedation is not given during an outpatient ultrasound procedure.
An outpatient ultrasound is intended for stable, healthy patients that require additional diagnostics in order to get the most information for diagnosis and treatment.
Should sedation be necessary for any reason (extreme anxiety, biopsy, etc.), a formal consultation with an internal medicine specialist is required and the ultrasound will be performed at that time. Sedation is not given during an outpatient ultrasound procedure.
How long does the procedure last?
Most exams take 30-60 minutes.
When do I get the results?
The findings from the outpatient ultrasound will be relayed to your primary care veterinarian who will then share them with you. During the outpatient ultrasound appointment, you will not meet with the board certified internist who performed the procedure.