For Veterinarians
Indications
| Patient Preparation | Time
Requirements | Fees
Practical
Considerations | Scheduling | Reports
| Sedation
Patient preparation
Ultrasound - As air in the intestinal tract will tend to reflect sound waves and obscure the image, it is desirable to fast the patient overnight, allowing water up to 4 hours before the procedure. No other preparation is needed.
Radiographs of the area to be ultrasounded are recommended and, in some cases, vital.
Shaving the area to be examined is necessary and, if done ahead of time, will help speed up the procedure. Abdominal studies require shaving from the 10th intercostal space proximally to the pubis distally and to the border of the epaxial muscles laterally on each side. Echocardiograms require shaving from the axilla to the costal margin and approx. 1/3 of the way up the thoracic wall. No other preparation is needed.
If at all possible, it is best to admit the patient into the hospital early on the morning of the procedure and shave the patient at least one hour before the procedure. These measures are recommended to alleviate patient anxiety. This is especially helpful with echocardiograms to minimize sinus tachycardia and panting which complicate obtaining and evaluating images.