Indications for Ultrasound

Abdominal Masses  Renal Diseases & Renomegaly Prostatomegaly
Adrenal Diseases Pleural Effusions Splenomegaly
Ascites Porto-Systemic Shunts Dyspnea
Core & Fine-Needle Biopsies Mass Effect on Radiographs Pregnancy
Liver Metastasis Check Uterine infection Heart Murmurs
Persistent Estrus Recurrent UTI’s Hematuria/Stranguria
Electrical Alternans Retrobulbar Masses Infertility
Elevated Liver Enzymes Testicular Enlargement Jaundice
Hepatomegaly Pancreatitis/Pathology Trauma/Hemorrhage
Cardiomegaly Ocular Disorders Intramural Intestinal Diseases
All Heart Murmurs Congenital Heart Defects & Screening Coughing
Vomiting & Diarrhea Unexplained Weight Loss Polyuria/Polydypsia/Polyphagia
Behavior Changes Anemia & Thrombocytopenia Arrhythmias
ADR of Unknown Origin Hematochezia Anorexia
Cardiomegaly Pericardial Effusion Abdominal Pain

Echocardiography 

Echocardiography can be used to determine the source and extent of cardiac pathology and can assist in development of the optimal therapeutic protocol.

  1. Valve structure & motion

  2. Chamber sizes

  3. Wall thicknesses

  4. Myocardial contractility & heart rate

  5. Intra-cardiac pressures and indirect systemic and pulmonary blood pressures 

  6. Outflow tract velocities 

  7. Congenital defects can be accurately assessed to determine treatment options and prognosis. 

  8. Therapeutic options are better developed as a result of knowing the extent of the pathology present. 

  9. Response to therapy can then be measured using the animal as his own control. 

  10. Many cases can benefit most from referral to a cardiologist for therapeutic management or surgical intervention and the exam provided by MiVU can determine when to refer the client.

Soft Tissues

The advanced diagnostic technique of ultrasound has become a standard of care in veterinary medicine allowing the practitioner the opportunity to opt for less invasive testing.  

  1. Abdominal exam - liver, gallbladder & biliary system, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, bladder, prostate, uterus, ovaries, bowel, vasculature, lymph nodes, mesentery & serosal surfaces.

  2. Thoracic exam - if a mass effect exists on thoracic radiography, and the lesion may often be found with ultrasound and if it can be seen, in most cases it can be biopsied to yield a diagnosis.

  3. Pregnancy - confirm pregnancy, estimate litter size, confirm fetal viability.

  4. Parathyroids & Thyroid Glands - indicated if there is hypercalcemia and elevated serum PTH.  

  5. Cryptorchid Exam - localize the cryptorchid testicle prior to surgery.

  6. Ocular Exam - used to rule-out primary neoplasia of the eye or retrobulbar space, retrobulbar abscess, and retinal detatchment.

  7. General Health Screen - this discounted exam intended for the clinically healthy patient to rule-out occult disease (abdominal neoplasia, cardiomyopathy in breeds at high risk, etc.)  Not intended for patients with abnormalities on blood work or clinical signs.