Our hospital offers both abdominal and thoracic ultrasound services. Ultrasound is an imaging tool that involves bouncing sound waves off of internal organs in order to form a picture of the organs. Often ultrasound will be recommended in cases where the area of concern is the structure or function of the organ, rather than the size. These cases may include echocardiogram of the heart (to evaluate valve function), or evaluating the liver or spleen for infiltrative disease. Ultrasound may also be used in obtaining samples of structures within the body (such as urine from the bladder). In some cases, radiographs (X-Rays) may be performed first, and then ultrasound may be recommended as a method to further investigate any abnormalities. Performing an ultrasound is not painful for a patient, but some pets may require sedation to help them relax so that better quality images can be obtained. If you hane any questions about ultrasound procedures, please do not hesitate to ask!