Ultrasound Scan

Ultrasound examination (or echographs) is a painless examination that allows a view of the internal organs through ultrasound.This requires the animal to be shorn in the area to be scanned for a better passage of the ultrasound and therefore a better sharpness of the image, and thus a more accurate diagnosis. In the case of an abdominal ultrasound, we also ask that the animal be fasted, so that the gastric contents do not prevent the visualisation of the organs.

Ultrasound scans can be performed under sedation if necessary (except for cardiac scans).

The ultrasound scanner at the Veterinary Practice des Plaines-du-Loup is equipped with a Doppler probe which allows us to evaluate the vascularisation of an organ (presence or absence of vascularisation, intensity and direction) and to determine the foetal heart rate, which is very useful in the gestation monitoring that we offer.

The ultrasound scanner is useful for many diagnoses of abdominal or thoracic problems.

ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND

Abdominal ultrasound has multiple indications:

  • Observation of the various abdominal organs: liver, stomach, kidneys, spleen, intestines, bladder, uterus, prostate, pancreas, adrenals, etc.
  • Diagnosis of tumors in these different organs
  • Diagnosis of urinary stones, particularly non-radiopaque stones (i.e. not visible on X-ray)
  • Diagnosis of digestive foreign bodies
  • Cystocentesis (sterile echo-guided urinary bladder puncture for urinary analysis),
  • Puncture of abdominal effusions for diagnostic purposes to find the underlying cause...
  • Puncture or biopsy of abdominal masses also for diagnostic purposes
  • Determination of the fetal heart rate, which is very useful in the pregnancy monitoring that we offer.. 
  • Search for ectopic testicles.

 Echographie de gestation 

THORACIC ULTRASOUND

Thoracic ultrasound is often used to puncture pleural effusions to relieve your pet's breathing, and for diagnostic purposes to determine the cause of the effusion.

More rarely, if a thoracic mass is present, it may be punctured for diagnostic purposes as well.

CARDIAC ULTRASOUND

For the complete cardiac ultrasound exams, we would point you in the direction of vets specializing in medical imaging.