Imaging will include evaluation of the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, kidneys, adrenal glands, urinary bladder, prostate gland, reproductive tract, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, intra-abdominal lymph nodes, great vessel, and mesentery. Ultrasound examinations for portosystemic shunts are also available. If warranted, ultrasound-guided aspirates and/or biopsies can be performed subsequent to the initial scan.

Micro-convex, linear and convex probes are used alone or in combination in an effort to visualise all intra-abdominal structures.

Please ensure that patients are fasted (water is okay) for at least twelve hours prior to the ultrasound examination (with the exception of obligate eaters). Gastro-intestinal contents such as gas and ingesta can make the examination challenging and ultimately affect our ability to acquire optimal images. Fasting will also reduce the chance of aspiration if sedation is required.

Echocardiographyallows us to quickly determine whether your patient’s clinical signs are caused by cardiac disease. This will allow you to advance the treatment of your patient in a timely fashion and reduce unnecessary therapies and costs.

Once the problem has been determined to be of cardiac origin, we can evaluate or confirm the presence of:

• wall thickness
• chamber size
• valve structure and motion
• systolic function (myocardial contractility)
• diastolic function
• pulmonary hypertension
• congenital defects
• pericardial disease
• heart base tumors

This information is collected through the use of two-dimensional and M-mode imaging and colour-flow, pulsed wave and continuous wave Doppler.

We are happy to discuss the echocardiographic findings with you but also recognise the importance of veterinary cardiologists in the management of your patients. When appropriate, we will recommend a second opinion by a cardiologist and assist in getting all the necessary information to them.