You’ve probably heard of the ultrasound procedure, and there’s a good chance you’ve had one yourself. It’s one of the most common tools doctors use when treating humans, and it’s just as useful for veterinarians in the treatment of animals. It’s a safe, painless, and non-invasive way to get accurate visual feedback about what’s happening with the internal organs of a pet without having to perform surgery. It can be used to get a closer look at and diagnose many different types of disorders and injuries. Ann Arbor Cat Clinic is fully equipped to perform cat ultrasound procedures to assist us in keeping your feline friend healthy and happy.
What Is Ultrasound?
An ultrasound image is produced by using special equipment that transmits very high-frequency sound waves into the body and picks up the reflected sound waves on a receiver to be turned into a digital image.
The veterinarian places the transmitter, called a transducer, over the area of the body they want to examine internally, focusing the sound waves on the specific organ or tissues they’re interested in. The ultrasound produces a very detailed real-time image to help in diagnosis.
When Is Ultrasound Used?
Just like with humans, a cat ultrasound is most often used to monitor the progress of a pregnancy. However, an ultrasound can be used to diagnose many different conditions and injuries and to monitor the healing process.
Some of the reasons your vet might use ultrasound include a suspected heart condition, an injury with possible internal trauma, if your cat has had abnormal blood or urine test results, or if they’ve swallowed a foreign object. There are many other situations where a cat ultrasound might be called for.
Cat Ultrasound – What To Expect
The ultrasound procedure requires your cat to lie on its back in a padded bed for an extended period of time, usually 30 to 60 minutes. A veterinary technician will hold them still. Most cats don’t mind this, as it’s a very gentle procedure, but if your cat is excitable it might have to be given a sedative. The transducer needs to contact the skin so the area being examined will be shaved. Your vet might ask you not to feed your cat for 12 hours before the procedure for an abdominal cat ultrasound or if anesthesia will be used.
New patients are always welcomed at Ann Arbor Cat Clinic. Fill out our online form to schedule an appointment.