Like human medicine, the field of veterinary medicine has different specialties, among which is diagnostic imaging.
This encompasses a set of techniques and technologies that, through images, make it possible to diagnose and help pets or other animals in a more rigorous way when they have a health problem. Some of them are radiography, computed tomography (CT or CT), magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound.
And it is the latter, ultrasound diagnosis in small animals, which we will talk about in today’s article.
What is veterinary ultrasound and what is it for?
Veterinary ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging test used to study and obtain information from the interior of an animal.
To do this, it uses a small device (transducer) that emits high-frequency sounds (ultrasound) that are reflected (echoes) in the internal structures of the animal’s body to a greater or lesser intensity depending on the density of the tissue traversed. This data is sent to a computer, which receives it and transforms it into an image.
Among the most common uses of ultrasound in veterinary medicine are:
- Detection and evaluation of abdominal, cardiac, gynecological, ophthalmological, transrectal, urological or musculoskeletal system problems (ligaments, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, etc.), among others.
- Diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancy in animals.
- Guide in the extraction or collection of samples to carry out microbiological and cytological analyzes.
Advantages of ultrasound diagnosis in small animals
If we compare ultrasound in small animals with other diagnostic imaging tests, we see that it has the following advantages:
- It is a painless and non-invasive test , so it is not necessary to administer sedatives to the animal to relax it at the time of carrying it out.
- It has the ability to provide moving images of the structures, soft tissues, and organs that are being examined.
- There is the possibility of combining it with other complementary tests , such as histopathology or CT, to obtain a more precise diagnosis in depending on the circumstances.
- It does not emit ionizing radiation , thus avoiding possible harmful biological effects that endanger the life and health of the animal.
- It is a cheaper and faster option , since it allows dynamic inspections and real-time evaluations.
- It is considered one of the safest diagnostic tests , not only for the animal, but also for the professional who performs it.
Veterinary ultrasound training
Performing ultrasound scans in small animals is not exactly an easy task, hence the importance (and increasing demand in the labor market) of veterinarians and veterinary technical assistants specialized in performing this diagnostic technique and interpretation of results.
In addition to the Degree in Veterinary Medicine , the academic offer of the European University includes expert training in ultrasound diagnosis in small animals: the Course in Small Animal Clinical Ultrasound .
Also, and if you want to learn more about veterinary ultrasound, you can download our free e-book Ultrasound diagnosis in exotic animals . This is completely free and has been written by Alicia Angosto Guerrero, teacher of our course.