Advanced Care

Ultrasound

VCA West Suburban Veterinary Hospital employs the latest ultrasound technology. Ultrasound is a form of imaging that allows us to look inside your pet’s body without surgery. It is a completely noninvasive technique. The ultrasound machine sends sound waves into your pet’s body, listens for the echoes, and the echoes form a picture of what’s going on inside your pet.

A few of many reasons that we may suggest an ultra-sound of your pet would be:

  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Lack of appetite (anorexia)
  • Fluid detected in the abdomen
  • A mass or abnormality found during a physical
  • Unexplained vomiting or diarrhea
  • Abnormal bloodwork or X-rays

Ultrasound allows us to look at the size and texture of organs in a three-dimensional way. An ultrasound can show abnormalities on the surface of organs as well as changes within those organs. This information can be invaluable in deciding whether or not to perform surgery on your pet, to help determine if further diagnostics are needed and to obtain more information prior to a surgery.