Dog Diagnostic Imaging - Understanding Diagnostic Imaging in Dogs

Name: Veterinary Services
Brand: Haywood Road Animal Hospital

How is diagnostic imaging used in diagnosing my dog?

Diagnostic imaging is really important. There's lots of different kinds, but essentially it helps us to look inside the body. A lot of times blood work does not tell us everything, so we use diagnostic imaging to find things like masses.

Adele Hilliard
Haywood Road Animal Hospital

What does a veterinary radiologist do?

A veterinary radiologist is a veterinarian who has gone to school for an additional four years to study just x-rays. They specialize in x-rays, and we often consult them for their opinion.

What are the different types of diagnostic imaging?

There are many kinds. The most common that everybody knows is x-ray. We also have ultrasound, MRI, CAT scan, and something called nuclear imaging.

What are some of the things that the veterinarian will look for with diagnostic imaging?

The biggest thing would probably be things like masses, enlarged hearts, fluid in the lungs. We'd be looking for foreign bodies, if there's abnormalities in any of the organs, if they look enlarged or if the texture is abnormal. Those would all be things we would look for with diagnostic imaging.

Does my dog need to be sedated for diagnostic imaging?

It depends. The majority of our patients do not need to be sedated. However, if we're doing certain things that might be painful, such as looking at arthritis or a hurt leg, or if an animal is just scared, then a lot of times sedation can help us out a lot and we can get a much better image.

Is diagnostic imaging safe for my dog?

It is. It's very, very safe. Just like us, it's very low levels of radiation if you have an x-ray. And of course, all the other things are very safe too.

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Dog Diagnostic Imaging - FAQs

Adele Hilliard
Haywood Road Animal Hospital

Will my dog need a lab test prior to diagnostic imaging?

Not necessarily. It really depends on what we're looking for. If it's something related to the heart, for example, we might jump straight to diagnostic imaging, but often we use blood work and x-rays together because they complement each other in diagnostics.

What can I expect from a dog diagnostic imaging session??

Most of the time we may have you drop the dog off for a little bit just because it can take some time. Not really so much for the x-ray, but for it to get processed and then be read. But really, for the most part, we'll take your dog, we'll get the x-rays done. They usually only take a few minutes, and then the majority of the time is spent reading those images, and then they'll be able to go right back to you or back to their kennel.

What will a veterinarian be looking for by using dog diagnostic imaging?

In the chest, we look at heart size, check for any fluid in the lungs, or any masses that could be there. In the abdomen, we examine all the organs, ensuring nothing looks enlarged. We check for any masses, any signs of a foreign body. We would look at the spine and ensure there's no arthritis. And of course, if we were looking at joints, we'd ensure that we're not seeing any signs of a tear or fracture or damage or things like that.

How can X-rays help my dog?

X-rays can be very helpful in identifying what could be going on, because often our blood work and other lab testing may not be able to tell us as accurately as something like an x-ray or ultrasound.

How effective is the use of diagnostic imaging on my dog?

It can be very effective, especially if we have done other testing and we've not found much information out. It can really help us to either rule out certain things or just start looking down a different path.

What happens if there's no diagnosis after diagnostic imaging?

If there's no diagnosis after diagnostic imaging, it depends on which one. If there's nothing after the x-rays and we've tried other things and your animal is not getting better, we may recommend more advanced diagnostic imaging. If all of those things are done, then typically working closely with a specialist in a certain field is where we would go.