Pet Digital Imaging (digital radiography, ultrasound and dental radiography)

Digital radiology
Radiographs have been used for many decades as an effective non-invasive way for veterinarians to see inside the animal’s body. A radiograph machine works by sending high-energy radiographic beams into the targeted area of your pet’s body. The denser materials within your pet’s body including bones and teeth will absorb the radiographic beams and this will capture on the digital screen.
We many recommend that your pet receives digital radiographs for one of many reasons:

• To assess your pet’s health
• To check for bone fractures, joint dislocations, and other injuries related to blunt or high force trauma (e.g. car accident)
• To visualize and/or confirm the presence of an ingested foreign object
• To rule in or out the presence of certain health conditions including bone tumors

During a digital radiology scan, we’ll most likely put your pet under sedation or if necessary general anesthesia. This is to ensure that your pet stays still and comfortable during the procedure so that any images collected will be as clear and readable as possible.

Abdominal Ultrasound
Another diagnostic tool we utilize is ultrasonography, a form of ultrasound that creates images of the inner working of the body. An abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to offer a non-invasive, painless, and radiation-free method of imaging for your pet’s internal organs. This is one of many ways we are dedicated to providing your pet with the best care possible. By using ultrasonography, we have yet another powerful tool at our disposal to detect, diagnose and prevent illness in your pet.

Digital Dental Radiographs
Veterinary digital dental radiology is vital for diagnosis, treatment, planning, follow-up evaluation and medical record information for your pet’s dental health. Without quality radiographs, the veterinarian would be treating your pet’s mouth by guessing what is going on under the gumline.

Intra-oral radiology, as the term states is the placing of a digital sensor into the mouth of the dog or cat while under general anesthesia for radiography of a particular tooth or segment of mandible or maxilla. It has the advantage of clarity and definition of the subject because of the absence of superimposition from the opposite arch which occurs with extra-oral radiography. Intra-oral radiography is an excellent technique for mandibular and maxillary diagnosis when teeth are involved.

Disease of the teeth and gums are common in both cats and dogs. The most common disease in cats and dogs is periodontal (gum) disease. It affects at least 90% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of 5 years. As dogs and cats chew their food, the infected and inflamed gums bleed, and a shower very aggressive bacteria enters the blood stream. The bacteria is carried throughout the body and can cause other infections. Kidney infection and failure, liver infection and failure, heart valve infection and failure as well as arthritis from the bacteria. Mouths with advanced disease are very sore for animals.