About PetSounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Services Offered

For Veterinarians

For Pet Owners

Articles

Links

Home

Dr. Miller's Practice Philosophy | Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Miller | Referrals

PetSounds article, the Northwest Explorer, March 2006

by Chris Miller, DVM
for the Northwest Explorer, March 2006

An ultrasound exam is a minimally invasive technology that gives the pet owner and the veterinarian a great deal of information about the patient quickly and safely. Along with lab tests, radiographs and the physical exam, ultrasound can help your veterinarian diagnose quickly; saving time, costs, stress and most importantly, lives.

Ultrasound images are created when sound waves beyond the range of hearing are directed to an area of interest inside the body. When these sound waves are reflected back to the probe, an image of the internal organs is displayed on a television monitor.
This process is completely harmless and non-painful. Since only sound waves are used, the process is safe, safer even than an X-Ray. No side effects or complications have been associated with ultrasound exam. Unless biopsies need to be taken, the process is entirely non-invasive. When biopsies are needed for a diagnosis, they can be taken under ultrasound guidance. This means that a small needle can be precisely directed to the area of interest, avoiding the need to make a large incision to visually locate and biopsy the organ.

When physical examination, lab tests or radiographs indicate an abnormality of an internal organ such as the heart, liver, gall bladder, kidneys, pancreas, urinary bladder, intestines, spleen or adrenal glands, the ultrasound can be used to examine the organ in question and characterize the nature of abnormality, allowing for precise and effective treatment.

The typical ultrasound examination requires no tranquilization or anesthesia and is easily performed on awake animals. The only patient preparation necessary is clipping of the hair overlying the area to be scanned (the ultrasound will not penetrate through hair) and placing coupling gel on the skin surface just prior to the exam process. The entire scanning process takes approximately one hour.

PetSounds Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound provides ultrasound services at your veterinarian's office.