Diagnostic Imaging

We have a variety of non-invasive tools to help us to help us determine the cause behind your pet’s health concerns or injuries. In addition to offering digital radiology (x-rays) and ultrasound, Verdigris Pet Hospital is the first and only veterinary hospital in New Bern with 3D Computed Tomography (CT)!

Veterinarian holding a hairless sphynx cat while a colleague reviews diagnostic x-ray images on a tablet

What is digital diagnostic imaging?

Veterinary diagnostic imaging includes digital radiography (x-rays), ultrasound, and computed tomography (CT) scans. These painless, non-invasive tools are crucial to helping us understand what’s going on inside your pet’s body. This could be a broken bone, an intestinal blockage, a potential tumor or mass, or checking up on puppies or kittens inside a pregnant pet.

X-RAYS use a very low, safe dose of radiation to see inside your pet’s body. They help identify problems in a pet’s bones, tissues, and organs to diagnose fractures, deformities, blockages, foreign bodies, bladder stones, tumors, and more. Your pet may or may not need mild sedation for an x-ray depending on the circumstances, but some dogs benefit from sedation to reduce stress and anxiety.

Previously, x-rays were captured on film. Today, our x-ray images are now digital and available for review instantaneously, allowing our veterinarians to store them in your pet’s medical record, share them with you and/or specialists as necessary, and access them from anywhere at any time.

ULTRASOUND uses a beam of high-frequency (ultra-sonic) sound waves to create a picture in real time by recording reflections of these waves. They are primarily useful for examining internal organs from different angles that may not be accessible through x-rays. Ultrasounds do not use any radiation, and your pet will not usually require anesthesia.

ECHOCARDIOGRAM is an ultrasound specifically of the heart. Typically this is recommended when abnormal palpitations or heart sounds have been detected during your pet’s regular wellness exam. A specialist in ultrasonography visits our hospital to perform this procedure upon referral, and can determine if there are any structural problems with your pet’s heart. Measurements will be taken to get data about heart function, and serve as a quantitative basis for continued monitoring of your pet’s heart as needed. Following these findings, a treatment plan and therapeutic recommendations can be made.

3D CT SCAN (aka “cat” scan!) is a computer enhanced x-ray procedure used to evaluate more complex parts of the body such as the head, chest, or joints. The scanner circles the patient to produce complete, 360° three-dimensional images, in much greater detail than does an x-ray. These images are often used when an MRI might be unnecessary or unaffordable, but a traditional x-ray is inconclusive or insufficient. Since this kind of imaging requires the pet to remain perfectly still for the duration of the scan, anesthesia is required. In most cases, we will also inject a dye or contrast material to aid in visualization.

At Verdigris Pet Hospital and Emergency Care, every dental procedure we perform includes a 3D full-skull CT scan. This allows us to capture highly detailed images of teeth, roots, jawbones, nasal cavities, and surrounding structures—aiding in the early diagnosis of fractures, abscesses, tumors, cysts, and more. CT exposes patients to a much lower dose of radiation than traditional dental x-rays do, and can be completed in a fraction of the time, minimizing additional risks to the patient, and time spent under anesthesia.

Pet Diagnostics Imaging Questions

You might be wondering…

Many x-rays and ultrasounds can be done with gentle manual restraint, or mild sedation. Some pets that are easily stressed, or don’t like being restrained, can benefit from mild sedation to reduce their stress and anxiety. For CT scans, your pet must remain perfectly still throughout the entire scan, so sedation is required.

No! The dose of radiation used in digital x-ray and CT is extremely low, and considered safe. The diagnostic benefits that come from these tools far outweigh the risks of your pet’s limited exposure to the radiation.

Absolutely! With everything now being digital and stored securely in the cloud, we can quickly and easily send your pet’s images right to your phone, or email.

Unfortunately not. Radiation safety regulations prohibit pet owners from being present during the study.

When performing an ultrasound, the probe needs to make direct contact with the skin to produce clear pictures. Fur can interfere with the sound waves and create a blurry or incomplete image. Only the area where the ultrasound is performed will be shaved. Depending on the procedure, your pet may also need an intravenous catheter placed, in which case a small square on their front leg may also get shaved.

CT allows for a more detailed, 3D view of internal organs and bones. It can be especially useful in diagnosing conditions like lung disease, cancer, spinal trauma, orthopedic issues, vascular anomalies, and tumors or masses in the chest cavity. It can also be used when an x-ray doesn’t provide enough detail to diagnose a problem, since CT is better able to differentiate between bones, soft tissue, and fluid.

Like digital x-ray, CT scanners use a low dose of radiation that is considered safe. Some pets can experience side effects from the iodine-based contrast injected during the procedure. If your pet has a history of seizures, kidney, or cardiac disease, we may use a different type of contrast, or not use contrast at all.

Every CT scan performed at Verdigris Pet Hospital (dentals excepted) is sent to a board certified radiologist for review. They will provide a report based on your pet’s images. The timing of this can vary, but will usually be available the same day. In urgent cases, review can be completed in under an hour.
Two children sitting on a log in the woods behind a brown bulldog puppy and a patch of bluebells
A happy, wet, border collie splashes through a lake
Young red Siberian kitten laying in the grass and looking up at an orange and brown butterfly on a pink flower

Paw-sitive Vibes Only →

Modern Pet Care

With all new, top-of-the-line equipment and a gorgeous new facility, we’re modernizing the entire pet care experience. Our hybrid primary-and-emergency care model eliminates day-to-ER transfers, reducing stress on both pets and owners, while also allowing for consistency in treatment planning and standard of care.