As leading specialists in veterinary imaging, Lynks Group offers ultrasound imaging for your pets. We offer thoracic, abdominal, ocular, pregnancy, and musculoskeletal imaging. The type of ultrasound your pet needs with be determined by your referring veterinarian. Ultrasonography is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that can be used to assess your pet’s internal body structures for abnormalities which can aid in planning any appropriate treatments. Ultrasonic images are generated in real time and instantaneously reviewed by the radiologist performing the ultrasound. Once an ultrasound is complete, the radiologist will first contact your referring veterinarian to let them know the results of the ultrasound study and to discuss your pet’s case. Following, the radiologist will meet with you to inform you of the imaging results, let you know what your referring veterinarian’s recommendations are, and to answer all of your questions. We are truly dedicated to being compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable in helping you understand the results of your pet’s ultrasound.
Due to the variations in implantation in dogs, ultrasounds to detect pregnancy can be done as early as 24 days post breeding. Pregnancy ultrasounds are non-invasive and can be used to determine litter size and the viability of the puppies. Please note that fetus counts are more accurately determined in smaller litter sizes and may be hard to accurately access in larger sized litters. Puppy viability can be checked at any time of your dog’s pregnancy, this is done accurately by comparing heart rates with gestational age.
• Please bring a referral request completed by your veterinarian (along with other pertinent information like blood work, recent history, etc.) or request that they send us one by fax or e-mail.
• If radiographs have previously been obtained by your veterinarian relating to your pet’s current condition, please bring the radiographs with you to the appointment or have your referring veterinarian send them to us digitally.
1. Does my dog or cat need to be sedated for ultrasounds? Generally no. Only if your pet is extremely anxious would sedation need to be considered in order to perform an ultrasound. Please note, that this is a rare event since we work hard to try to comfort your pet by working in a calming, quiet environment with staff dedicated to caring for your pet’s wellbeing.
2. Can I be present for my dog or cat’s ultrasound? We have found that most pet’s tend to be calmer and relax more when their owners are not present. Sometimes owner’s worries/concerns can inadvertently affect their pet’s behavior. We ask clients to rest assured that our top priority is excellent pet care and safe handling, which we place on the top of our list. We also find that the radiologists are able to perform their exams much quicker without the owner being present, which is beneficial to making the exam time much shorter for your pet.
3. Will I know the results of the ultrasound? Yes. You will be consulted by the radiologist, after they have conferred with your referring veterinarian. The radiologist will take the time to answer any and all of your questions after they have informed you of the ultrasound results. The radiologists will also offer you their knowledge and expertise in helping you become aware what the next diagnostic or therapeutics steps may be for your pet.
4. Are there any associated fees for talking to the radiologists? This is at no additional cost to you, the radiologist consult is part of our ultrasound fees.
5. Can I feed my pet the morning of the ultrasound? Generally, unless for medical reasons (i.e. diabetes) that you would need to feed your pet, please withhold food from your pet the day of the exam. Water access for your pet is always acceptable.
6. Should my dog have a full bladder for the ultrasound? Generally no. If however, your referring veterinarian has concerns about your pet’s urinary health and would like us to collect a sterile urine sample, please try to make sure that your pet does not urinate before coming in to the hospital.
7. Will my pet need to be shaved for their ultrasound? Usually, since image clarity is enhanced without the hair.
8. How will my veterinarian know about my pet’s ultrasound results? They will be updated by phone by the radiologist as soon as the ultrasound is complete. Your veterinarian will also be sent a complete ultrasound report.
9. How long does an ultrasound exam take? Typical ultrasound exams take 20-30 minutes. Depending on the exam, however, your pet’s ultrasound may take more time. We ask clients to wait patiently for their pet in our lobby. Following an ultrasound, clients meet with the radiologist to be updated with the results of their pet’s ultrasound.
10. Do ultrasound appointments always run on time? We are very good at trying to schedule ultrasound appointments so that clients will not have to wait. There are times, however, that we will ask for your patience if we are running behind due to an emergency ultrasound needing to be performed on another pet. We try to inform our clients, if possible, of any foreseen delays in our scheduling. We ask that you understand that pet’s needing emergency ultrasounds do need top priority and even though they may delay your appointment time, we would offer your pet the same priority if they were in crisis.