Ultrasound examinations will be familiar to any
one who has had a family in the last twenty years or so as it is a
routine part of examinations during pregnancy. Ultrasound has been late
coming to the veterinary world, but it is now very widely used. The
scanners work by the probe (the bit that is placed on the animal)
sending out sound waves. The sound is very high pitched and cannot be
heard by humans or animals and has to be detected by receptors in the
probe. The sound bounces off parts of the body and changes slightly. It
is this change that is picked up by the probe and the computer within
the scanner set turns this into a picture. If you think how different
your voice sounds in a hall compared to a room full of soft furniture,
you get the idea. Within the practice we
use the scanners in all species.
In small animal work the scanner is used again for
pregnancy but, because cats and dogs are slimmer than horses, we can
view internal organs. Things like the spleen and liver or kidneys show
up very well and often the animals do not have to be anaesthetised as
they do for x-rays, so it is an great advantage in the very sick or
old. One of the major areas that ultrasound can make a huge difference
is in heart disease. Some scanners are able to measure the speed of
blood circulating in the heart and, by using colour can show exactly
where defects exist in the heart. This leads to earlier and better
treatments.
Advances in Ultrasound
Advances in Ultrasound enables us to
offer our clients access to the best possible imaging of the heart,
abdominal organs and other soft tissues. With the maximum depth
and resolution available, this machine enables us to offer complete and
accurate assessment of both heart anatomy and function, as well as the
ability to track blood flow with extreme accuracy. This means
that all grades of murmur and arrhythmia can be fully evaluated,
allowing for the provision of more accurate diagnoses and treatment
plans than ever before. Westmorland Veterinary
Group has committed itself to become a leading force
in the future of equine, companion and cattle ultrasound
and the addition of this machine will ensure that this
will happen.
The ability of the images of abdominal organs is second
to none. More than ever before it provides for the best diagnosis
and therefore appropriate therapy.
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