Ultrasound in a Vet Clinic

Ultrasonography varies in its complexity from basic (pregnancy, basic abdominal) up to advanced echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart). In general ultrasound is useful for evaluating conditions like heart disease, liver and kidney diseases, tumors, gastro-intestinal diseases (like vomiting or diarrhea), Cushings disease, urogenital tract diseases or some immune mediated diseases in Cats, Dogs & Pocket Pets.

Ultrasound in Vet Care has ascended to pretty much the same importance as radiography, it is a very important diagnostic tool for imaging soft tissue and fluid. Ultrasound not only shows the inner structure of organs including their blood supply via colour flow Doppler or the blood supply pattern of e.g. tumors. It also enables us to evaluate cardiac function and cardiac disease. If any changes are detected, it may be useful to take cell samples via Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or to take tissue samples via ultrasound guided biopsies. This often makes surgery unnecessary or helps with pre-operative decision making and planning.

When it comes to ultrasonography, to ensure the best diagnostic care for your pet, you should look for operator expertise. If the exam is performed by an inexperienced ultrasonographer, results can easily be interpreted incorrectly or findings may be overlooked. Your pet might end up with an unnecessary surgery at a Vet where a conventional treatment would have been the right choice (not talking about the financial component!). Anesthesia is usually not required to perform an exam, except for an ultrasound guided biopsy.

Our motto is ‘Excellence in Veterinary Care’ and to ensure this we are using the latest premium model of Mindray. The M9 is Mindrays best portable ultrasound machine and has raised the industry standards to an all new level, particularly in cardiac imaging. Kathrin from Ellerslie Vets is on the other side an outstanding ultrasonographer and has used ultrasound in thousands of pets. She trained Vets overseas and worked alongside one of the best known specialists for echocardiography in Germany and also accepts referrals in NZ.