Preparing the pet
Please complete our online patient history form before we arrive.
Fasting the patient 6 hours before an abdominal ultrasound is preferable in most cases. Drinking water is allowed
Fasting is not needed for Echocardiograms.
Have the patient arrive 30-60 minutes before the appointment so your technicians can shave the patient's abdomen and the patient can relax after the car ride. Shaving is usually not needed for echocardiograms.
We will call 15 minutes before arriving. Upon arrival we will need a room, our completed patient history form, towels, and whenever possible to speak with the veterinarian. Our sonographer will discuss patient history and reason for the scan with the referring doctor.
Sedation is rarely needed. However, if you anticipate sedation will be required please have the owner's consent in advance and allow for the proper amount of time needed for the sedation to take effect.
If desired, we can assist the veterinarian to acquire a tissue sample using a fine needle aspirate. If you anticipate the possibility of doing a FNA, we ask you to have the owner's consent ahead of time.
