Ultrasound and X-ray

X-rays and ultrasounds are diagnostic tools we use to rule out the cause of a health issue or to determine potential causes of your pet’s symptoms. Both tools work best to get a better picture of your pet’s internal health, based on the specific area we’d like to examine. If you have any questions, please contact us at 705-522-4555.

What is an X-ray?

We often use X-rays alone or with our other diagnostic tools. X-rays use a small but safe amount of radiation to examine different parts of your pet’s body. They reveal digital images on our monitor. We’re able to generate the most accurate X-rays when the images aren’t blurry. To ensure your pet stays still throughout the procedure, we sometimes recommend sedation or a short-acting anesthetic. This also makes your pet’s experience more comfortable. X-rays are helpful for examining your pet’s bones, stomach, intestines and colon, lungs, as well as their heart and bladder.

What is an ultrasound?

An ultrasound uses sound waves to examine your pet’s heart, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and bladder. It is used to detect fluid, cysts, tumours, or abscesses; and to confirm pregnancy or monitor an ongoing pregnancy. In addition to having no side effects, ultrasounds are also non-invasive and pain-free. An ultrasonographer performs the procedure, using a special gel and the transducer, a small handheld tool which generates the images.

How does it generate images?

If your pet has hair in the area we’d like to examine, shaving the area gives us a better image. The ultrasonographers apply a special gel on the areas we’re capturing images of, which helps the transducer move with ease. The transducer emits ultrasonic sound waves, which create echoes that help generate images of their internal structures on our monitor.