Ultrasound Services

Pine Ridge Pet Clinic and Deltona Animal Medical Center are proud to announce that we now have the capability of performing limited veterinary ultrasound exams. As part of our continued effort and goal to provide the highest quality of medicine to our patients, the acquisition of the ultrasound will allow our doctors to better diagnose and treat your pets.

Veterinary ultrasound is used to help identify underlying medical conditions. We can use ultrasound on the abdomen to help examine fine tissue structure, identify abdominal masses, and take a look into a pregnancy and evaluate fetal heart beats. The ultrasound can also be an aide in safely performing fine needle biopsies or acquiring a sterile urine sample. In some cases, the ultrasound can be used to help diagnose heart disease.

An ultrasound exam is not a replacement for blood work or radiographs. All of the diagnostics recommended by our veterinarians are in order to help accurately identify a problem and direct a more specific treatment plan. Our doctors will be happy to discuss the benefits of an ultrasound exam with you during your next appointment.

Using the ultrasound is a non-invasive approach to examining the internal structures. In most situations, minimal to no sedation is required. We use a special gel to help with the conduction of the ultrasonic waves to produce a clearer image, which requires us to clip the pets fur. Please understand that if your pet is scheduled for an abdominal ultrasound, it is likely that the entire abdomen will be clipped free of fur. If this is a concern for you, please discuss this with our staff prior to the ultrasound examination.

If you have scheduled an ultrasound appointment please remember to fast your pet for at least 8 hours. This helps both in reducing artifact on the images from food in the stomach and small intestines, but it is a precaution in case sedation is required. These appointments are typically addressed a drop-offs. This provides our staff ample time to shave the pet and perform the ultrasound. Our veterinarians will review the ultrasound with you; and in some cases, you will be provided a copy of the examination.

This is an exciting new tool that we are able to offer. We all look forward to being able to serve you and your pet in a more complete and advanced way.