Ultrasound

Ultrasound is an imaging technique based on the use of sound waves and offers a non-invasive, non-painful method for diagnosis and staging of many diseases.

Ultrasounds allow clinicians to look at the architecture of an organ. For example, when a pet has a tumor or ingests something it shouldn’t have, an ultrasound can be helpful to locate these objects and characterize them.

Fluid can be distinguished from soft tissue masses or foreign bodies, which is sometimes difficult to differentiate on X-rays. Thus, ultrasound is a useful tool to diagnose patients for hemoabdomen and pericardial effusion, which are blood in the abdomen and around the heart, respectively.