Pet Diagnostics in Sonora 

At Live Oak Veterinary Hospital, we take pride in our ability to provide you and your pet with state-of-the-art, on-site pet diagnostics. We understand your pet can’t tell you when she’s sick or hurting, and sometimes the physical exam alone isn’t enough to fully diagnose certain conditions. That’s why we rely on the use of diagnostic imaging technology, including X-rays and ultrasound, to examine your pet internally.

Pet Ultrasound

An ultrasound is a safe, painless, and non-invasive diagnostic exam that’s useful for both healthy patients (pregnancy detection, etc.) and ill patients (due to abnormal blood work, etc.). Just like in human medicine, pet ultrasound technology involves the use of sound waves to create images of the internal organs in real time using a small probe and ultrasound gel. An ultrasound exam can be used to examine:
Veterinarian looking at a dog x-ray

  • Heart and blood vessels
  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Spleen and pancreas
  • Kidneys and bladder
  • Uterus and ovaries (for pregnancy detection)
  • Thyroid and parathyroid glands

Please do not give your pet any food after 8 p.m. the night before their ultrasound evaluation; food in the stomach interferes with the study. After you drop off your pet with us in the morning, the veterinarian will perform a physical examination to determine the best course of action during the day. Most pets appreciate some mild sedation to allow for a stress-free examination, but the vet must determine the protocol to ensure it is safe to do so.

During the course of the morning, the sedation protocol is administered and your pet’s belly or chest (depending on the study) is clipped. Your pet is then gently restrained in a padded, V-shaped trough while the vet performs the study and obtains representative images. Afterwards, the patient relaxes in a safe, warm environment until the time of release. At release time, the veterinarian will visit with you to review the study, explain what it means, and recommend a course of action.

Pet X-rays

Whether it’s the result of an injury or eating a non-edible item, there are many reasons X-rays might be necessary to aid in an accurate diagnosis. X-rays are used to examine the bones, lungs, and internal structures to detect fractures, foreign bodies, and other conditions. Unlike film X-rays, digital pet X-ray technology provides a number of benefits for your pet, including:

  • Images are clearer
  • Images can be enhanced and enlarged
  • Images can be easily shared digitally via email to you or a specialist (for a second opinion)

Contact us if you have any questions about our pet diagnostics imaging technology or if you’d like to schedule a visit for X-rays or an ultrasound.