Taking a Closer Look at Your Pet’s Health

Most of us associate ultrasounds with pregnancy, but the technology itself has multiple uses. Ultrasound is a pain-free, noninvasive technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce a real-time image. Often considered more exact than radiographs (X-rays), ultrasound provides a live video feed of what is happening inside your pet. Organ biopsies can be obtained through the use of ultrasound as well.

Ultrasound allows us to see:

Spleen
Kidneys and liver
Intestines
Gall bladder
Adrenal glands and lymph nodes

Heart function
Bladder scans
Testicles
Mammary glands

Ultrasounds are typically not stressful for your pet and take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to perform. Mountainview Small Animal Hospital uses modern ultrasound technologies and always keeps up to date on the latest ultrasound-assisted procedures through continuing education.

Radiology

Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies such as digital radiography and ultrasound.

Radiography (X-rays)

Radiographs are produced by transmitting X-rays through a patient. The X-rays penetrate the portion of the body to be examined. Then a high-contrast image is sent to a digital platform where it can be viewed on a monitor or even sent to a specialist for review. Radiographs are extremely helpful for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical conditions.

X-rays are useful in examining:

Your pet’s skeletal system
Lungs
Heart
Abdomen

Oral cavity
Tumors
Heartworm disease
Obstruction (or foreign body) in your pet’s intestine or stomach

Our doctors and technicians use the latest digital X-ray and ultrasound technology to examine the internal health of your pet. These are noninvasive procedures that typically will not affect your pet. Your pet wont even mind—and you can rest assured that he or she is in good hands!