VCA Centreville Animal Hospital’s brand new ultrasound machine provides our veterinary team with the capability to diagnose abdominal and thoracic disease faster and easier than ever before. This invaluable diagnostic tool is used daily to assess a range of medical conditions ranging from liver disease to chest masses.
A common use of ultrasound in our profession is for the collection of urine samples that are sterile, meaning that tissues have not contaminated the urine as it exits the body. This is the best way to find urinary tract infections in pets. At that same time, ultrasound can be used to scan the bladder and urinary tract for bladder stones or bladder tumors, conditions that can lead to painful infections.
In a sick patient emergency, ultrasound is commonly used to evaluate the abdomen and chest for free fluid. Free fluid in the abdomen or chest can indicate a ruptured organ (especially in patients hit by cars), cancer, or heart disease.