Imaging. 

X-rays and ultrasound are key in the investigation and identification of physical changes in our companion animals. They can be used as a tool for screening and diagnosis and can be an immediate source of information in an emergency.

 

At Phoenix Vets we have the facilities to offer x-ray, ultrasound, and dental x-ray. All of which can be important for your pet’s health assessment.

 

X-ray is an incredibly useful tool we can use to assess your pet’s skeletal health as well as their internal organs. Gross changes in the abdomen and chest can be visible on x-rays as well as subtle changes to soft tissue and joints. It can also be used in the screening process for elbow and hip dysplasia in dogs, where the x-rays are sent away for assessment and the joints are given a score relevant to their breed.

 

Ultrasound can pick up changes that we cannot see on x-rays. We can assess the internal organ structure in more detail, assess for the presence of fluid, and see a ‘live’ image in front of us rather than just a snapshot. We can perform also a FAST (Focussed Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) in an emergency to assess for signs of internal trauma.

 

Dental x-ray allows us to assess changes to teeth both above and below the gumline. Changes to the tooth roots that would not be visible externally can be seen easily with dental x-ray, allowing us to identify hidden problems and treat them appropriately. This is especially useful in cats who can develop FORLs (Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions) where cavities can form in the crown of the tooth but there can also be significant root changes that we cannot see.

 

Most of the time x-rays will need to be performed under sedation or general anaesthetic as the patient needs to be positioned very carefully and kept very still to gain diagnostic images. However, ultrasound can often be performed conscious, although, this does depend on our patients being co-operative and sometimes if they are very tense a sedation in required to gain the images we need.

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Contact Phoenix Vets Loughborough today for any imaging enquiries.