Abdominal ultrasound

What it involves

Ultrasound uses sound waves to show the inside of organs in real time. Unlike X-ray, we can see the structure of the liver, kidneys, spleen, the walls of the bladder and intestines, lymph nodes, the prostate or the uterus and ovaries, and also small amounts of fluid. We also see movement: intestinal peristalsis, blood flow in the vessels, the action of the bladder.

The examination is non-invasive and painless — it requires the fur on the abdomen to be shaved and the animal to be laid on its back or side on a soft support. Most dogs and cats tolerate it without sedation. You have the result straight away; the veterinarian explains what they see during the examination.

Ultrasound is also a tool for action: under its guidance we collect urine from the bladder, fluid from the abdomen and samples from organs or tumours (biopsy), which often makes it possible to reach a diagnosis without surgery.

When it is used

We perform abdominal ultrasound for vomiting and diarrhoea lasting more than a few days, loss of appetite and weight, increased thirst, problems passing urine, blood in the urine, an enlarged abdomen, a palpable mass, pyometra and after injuries. It is the basic examination in diagnosing diseases of the liver, kidneys and pancreas and in assessing the stage of tumours.

We also perform it in pregnancy (confirmation and assessment of foetal viability), for monitoring treatment and as part of a geriatric check in older animals.

Indications: symptoms that should prompt a visit

• A dog or cat has been vomiting for several days, or it recurs every few weeks.
• An animal is drinking and urinating clearly more than before, and is losing weight despite a good appetite.
• A cat passes urine with blood, often and in small amounts, or has difficulty passing urine.
• A dog's abdomen has become larger and tense, and the animal is breathing harder.
• At the examination the veterinarian felt a mass in the abdomen or an enlarged organ.
• An unspayed female dog or cat has a vaginal discharge, drinks a lot and is lethargic.
• An older dog has raised liver or kidney values in a blood test.
• A dog after an accident — we check whether there is bleeding into the abdomen.

Conditions for which we use it in particular

Diagnostics beforehand

Come to the examination with the animal fasted for 8–12 hours (water is allowed) — a full stomach and gas in the intestines obscure the pancreas and kidneys. Do not let the dog out to urinate just before the visit: a full bladder is much easier to assess. If possible, bring your cat in a carrier without letting it use the litter tray beforehand.

We interpret ultrasound together with the clinical examination and laboratory results — blood count, biochemistry and urinalysis — which we perform on site. When a foreign body or changes in the spine are suspected, we combine ultrasound with X-ray. An ultrasound result is rarely a diagnosis in itself; it is a map that shows where and how to look further.

How it proceeds

Aftercare

After an examination without sedation the animal returns to its normal day; the fur grows back within a few weeks. After sedation, keep an eye on it for a few hours and give a meal when it is fully awake.

We go through the result at the same visit and agree a plan: treatment, further tests (blood, urine, biopsy, endoscopy) or a follow-up ultrasound scan after 2–8 weeks when we are watching a change over time. Call sooner if vomiting gets worse, the animal is not passing urine, or the abdomen suddenly becomes larger.

Frequently asked questions