Why does my veterinarian want my pet to get an abdominal ultrasound?
Many times, diagnostics such as blood work and radiography cannot provide all the answers when figuring out a complex internal medicine case. This is the next step in obtaining a more detailed picture about your pet’s health condition. Information gained from an abdominal ultrasound can help your veterinarian come to a diagnosis and develop a more appropriate treatment plan.
We just did radiographs, why does my pet need an ultrasound now?
Radiographs are a valuable initial diagnostic tool but they do not always provide a clear diagnosis. A radiograph is a 2D picture which means that overlap of organs occurs, obscuring borders and visualization of smaller internal organs (such as adrenal glands).
Ultrasound is a 3D picture, providing the ability to examine each organ with great detail in 3 dimensions. With ultrasound, the sonographer is able to take accurate measurements of size and visualize the internal organ appearance. Ultrasound will also display real-time movements, such as food coursing through the intestinal tract or a heart beating, in real time. The detailed information that your veterinarian will be able to obtain will help lead to a diagnosis and development of an appropriate treatment plan.
Is an abdominal ultrasound or echocardiogram painful?
No. Ultrasound is a non-invasive diagnostic tool in which a probe will be placed gently on your pet’s abdomen or chest. At AIM, we take our patients’ comfort very seriously and ensure that we do our best to make sure that every patient has a comfortable and fear-free experience. In fact, Dr. Sikorski is very passionate about stress-free veterinary medicine. This is so important to her that she became Fear-Free ® certified. Some patients actually enjoy having an ultrasound perform and fall asleep during it!
How does AIM work with my primary veterinarian?
AIM is a mobile service, bringing specialty medicine diagnostics and procedures at a low cost to your local veterinarian. We understand that your pet may be more comfortable at your primary veterinarian’s office. Our goal is to make our specialty services accessible, affordable, and to provide a better experience for you and your pet. AIM will work closely with your primary veterinarian to discuss your pet’s medical history, current problems and diagnostic results. This will help AIM create the best path forward for your pet.
Does my pet need sedation to have an AIM ultrasound?
Most pets are very comfortable with NO sedation. However, if you have an anxious or aggressive pet or simply feel that your pet would be more comfortable, we would recommend sedation. If you suspect that your pet will need sedation, please discuss this with your primary veterinarian prior to your appointment. It is likely that they will be able to prescribe an oral medication for you to administer prior to your appointment.
Why does my veterinarian want my pet to get an echocardiogram?
If your veterinarian suspects that your pet has a heart condition, they may advocate for your pet to have an echocardiogram performed. An echocardiogram will provide an in-depth look at your pet’s heart–allowing the sonographer to see and measure the individual chambers of the heart, watch the pathway and speed of blood flow, and accurately diagnose the significance of a heart murmur. The information gained is the best way to determine if a pet has heart disease, the stage of the disease, and the best treatment options.
What happens during an AIM ultrasound?
During an AIM abdominal ultrasound, your pet will be comforted by an assistant and placed on their back in a comfy cushion. In preparation, if your pet’s fur is thick, it is first clipped and ultrasonographic gel is placed on your pet’s belly. The veterinarian will then place the ultrasound probe in the appropriate locations on your pet’s abdomen to visualize organs individually, taking measurements and pictures for a visual record.
What do I do to best prepare my pet for an abdominal ultrasound? Echocardiogram? What if my pet is anxious or aggressive?
For an abdominal ultrasound, please withhold food from your pet for 12 hours (or overnight). This allows us to better visualize the stomach and organs deep to the stomach. Please speak with your primary veterinarian if your pet has special needs. An echocardiogram requires no specific preparation.
If your pet is anxious or aggressive, we strongly recommend at home and/or in-hospital sedation. The points of interest can be very small (often less than the size of your pinky fingernail). Excessive movement will cause the procedure to take longer and cause smaller structures to be poorly visualized (or not visualized at all). Perhaps, more importantly, sedating an anxious or aggressive pet will make the experience far less stressful for them.
What if I have a pet with special needs?
Many people have questions regarding fasting. If you have a juvenile pet that is < 4 months old or a pet that requires medication to be given with food (such as insulin), please let your primary veterinarian know and we will work together to determine a plan. In general, with most alternative disease processes, including seizure disorders, no specific additional accommodations are necessary.
Will I get a final diagnosis? after an echocardiogram? or an abdominal ultrasound?
The shorter answer is that it depends on your pet’s condition. Echocardiography, in general, will provide you with a diagnosis. Keep in mind, prognosis is largely based on repeat sonography.
In many surgical conditions, abdominal ultrasound may lead to a straight diagnosis and a pathway to surgery, such as when there is a large tumor present or a gallbladder mucocele. When patients have chronic internal medicine problems, it is a complex question which depends on your pet’s primary condition. Ultrasound may suggest one disease process (this is called a differential), though to define the process and treat appropriately, tissue sampling is required. In general, we want to know if your pet has inflammation, infection or cancer.