First Opinion Ultrasound

To schedule an ultrasound appointment you can email The Comfort Vet at thecomfortvet@gmail.com, or you can text/call (608) 561-1639 and leave a message.

Be sure and have your pet's primary veterinarian share current medical records on your pet to thecomfortvet@gmail.com ahead of time if possible.

Please also fill out the Comfort Care Intake Form.

Someone will get back to you within 24-48 hours.

Ultrasound imaging is a method that uses sound waves to produce images of structures in the body, like the liver, kidneys, heart, ligaments, tendons and muscle. The ultrasound machine produces an image of these structures based on the time it takes for the sound wave to travel from the ultrasound probe to different internal bodily structures. Ultrasound technology can be used to assess both anatomical and functional parameters of many vital parts of the body, which can provide important information on the health status of your pet.

Ultrasound waves cannot penetrate through fur, so in order to perform an ultrasound exam your pet's fur will likely need to be clipped. Patients also will need to lay on their side or on their back and an ultrasound solution or gel will be placed on their skin. Anxious or wiggly pets may benefit from a little sedation to help them stay still.

Abdominal ultrasounds are designed to examine structures inside of the abdomen, which include organs such as the bladder, the kidneys, the spleen, the liver and gall bladder. An ultrasound exam is helpful on any animal whose health is in question where the diagnosis is unsure. It is useful to screen for liver issues on pets with elevated liver function tests. Some animals are prone to certain conditions (such as gall bladder mucoceles) and it is helpful to assess for this. It is also useful to periodically screen older animals, especially those that are prone to developing splenic tumors or other kinds of abdominal masses.

An echocardiogram or “echo” is an ultrasound examination used to assess the health of your pet’s heart. During an echo, your pet’s heart valves and chambers will be visualized, and “Doppler” technology may be used to examine blood flow across the valves. Echos enable your veterinarian to determine if your pet has a heart condition that may be affecting their overall health.

In the same way that an echocardiogram enables your veterinarian to visualize your pet’s heart, a musculoskeletal ultrasound enables them to visualize your pet’s muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. These types of exams can be useful for identifying muscle strains, tendon and ligament issues, and joint problems. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is also used to guide treatment, monitor recovery, and better time appropriate return to function.

Using ultrasound exams are:

• Quick

• Non-invasive

• No anesthesia

• More cost-effective than MRI

• Supported through research

• And is considered the diagnostic imaging of choice. It is the #1 diagnostic modality for tendon and ligament injuries.

Ultrasound technology has been used in medical practice since the late 1950s, and its safety has been validated by a large body of research. The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), the governing body on the use of diagnostic ultrasound in medical practice, confirms the safety of ultrasound technology in this official statement. Ultrasound beams are based on non-ionizing radiation, and are therefore considered to have less risks than X-rays or other similar imaging systems. The only discomfort your pet may experience, if any, is a slight sensation of heat near the ultrasound probe.