Imaging - West Park Animal Hospital

Digital Radiology (x-rays)

When your pet is under the weather we do everything we can to find out what is causing it’s hardship. While a thorough history and physical exam are solid steps towards diagnosing your pet’s condition, we sometimes rely on radiographs (x-rays) to provide valuable information about a pet’s internal organs. Radiographs can provide a more comprehensive view of the abdomen, chest and bones aiding in the diagnosis of a number of conditions including fractures, foreign bodies and bladder stones. State-of-the-art digital radiograph technology provides several benefits for our patients, staff and even our clients.

Images are produced within seconds meaning a quicker diagnosis and less wait time for your pet.
Images can be shared digitally with referral centers, emergency clinics or radiologists if needed
Less radiation is used meaning a safer environment for your pet and our staff.

Ultrasound

Much like radiographs, ultrasound can provide more thorough insight into what is happening internally with our patients. Using sound waves to echo off of organs, ultrasound provides grey scale images and allows us to evaluate the internal structure, thickness and sometimes size of those organs. It can aid in the diagnosis of everything from tumors to fluid accumulation. Radiographs and ultrasound complement each other each providing different pieces of the puzzle. In addition to thorough scans of the abdomen, our doctors are also trained to:

In emergency situations, use the ultrasound to quickly provide life-saving information about internal bleeding or critical damage to important tissues.
The ultrasound can also be used for targeted sampling or biopsies of abnormal tissues sometimes allowing us to avoid a more invasive surgery.
Doppler techniques can monitor blood flow through vessels and diseased tissues.

Ultrasound is performed by one of our consulting internists, Dr Ludlow, with Veterinary Internal Medicine Diagnostics, Inc and can be scheduled with advanced notice.

Ultrasound

Much like radiographs, ultrasound can provide more thorough insight into what is happening internally with our patients. Using sound waves to echo off of organs, ultrasound provides grey scale images and allows us to evaluate the internal structure, thickness and sometimes size of those organs. It can aid in the diagnosis of everything from tumors to fluid accumulation. Radiographs and ultrasound complement each other each providing different pieces of the puzzle. In addition to thorough scans of the abdomen, our doctors are also trained to:

In emergency situations, use the ultrasound to quickly provide life-saving information about internal bleeding or critical damage to important tissues.
The ultrasound can also be used for targeted sampling or biopsies of abnormal tissues sometimes allowing us to avoid a more invasive surgery.
Doppler techniques can monitor blood flow through vessels and diseased tissues.

Ultrasound is performed by one of our consulting internists, Dr Ludlow, with Veterinary Internal Medicine Diagnostics, Inc and can be scheduled with advanced notice.

Dental X-rays

This very unique form of imaging is so near and dear to our hearts that we gave it its own section apart from our dentistry page . While a complete oral exam and health assessment is critical for every patient receiving dental work, it simply is not possible without the use of dental x-rays. The small sensor plate and handheld generator allow us to look at the bone and root structures of the teeth in a way that simply is not possible by visually examining the mouth or even with normal digital radiography. These small, more focused x-rays help us look at each tooth individually and how it is attached to the surrounding bone. In fact, roughly 60% of the tooth surface actually lives below the gum line and would be completely invisible to the veterinarian simply by looking in the mouth to evaluate the teeth. Think of teeth a lot like how you would think of an iceburg-it’s what is lurking below the surface that is worrisome. With dental x-rays, we can observe:

Root fractures
Abscesses (pockets of infection) in the tooth roots or bone
Resorptive lesions
Pulp chamber (where the tooth vessel and nerve lives) infection or inflammation
Jaw Tumors or fractures
Foreign material in the bone or below the gums (yes, we have found metal foreign bodies in the mouth this way!)
Bone loss around the tooth roots.