Information - Veterinary Ultrasound Arts

Scheduling

Please contact Dr. Wagner to discuss the case and arrange an appointment. After an appointment is scheduled, complete and submit the appropriate procedure form from the Scheduling page. Patient drop-off is recommended.

Owner Consent 

Discuss fasting, shaving, sedation, and FNA sampling with the owner before Dr. Wagner's arrival.

Patient Prep 

Inform the owner that shaving is necessary for the ultrasound. Fasting the morning of an abdominal ultrasound is recommended since sedation should be anticipated. It is especially important to fast a patient when there are clinical symptoms associated with the gastrointestinal tract. Excessive gas will cause air reverberation and inhibit visibility. 

Sedation

Most animals are less anxious with mild sedation such as butorphanol and will doze lightly during the study. If the patient is too anxious, image acquisition can be negatively affected due to stiffness, wriggling, or excessive panting. Sometimes deeper sedation is needed such as additional butorphanol, Dexdomitor, Propofol, or Alfaxalone. Avoid Dexdomitor and ketamine during echocardiograms. Sedation and monitoring are the responsibility of the hospital and overseeing veterinarian. Please discuss individual cases with Dr. Wagner for recommendations if you have questions.

Fine Needle Aspirate 

If an indication for sampling is identified during the study, Dr. Wagner will consult with the veterinarian overseeing the case. Because sedation is required for sampling, discuss consent for both sedation and sampling prior to the ultrasound appointment. Fine needle aspirates become the property of the hospital to submit to their lab of choice or read in-house. After sampling, it is recommended to observe the patient in-hospital to ensure there are no complications prior to release. While Dr. Wagner aims for each aspirate to produce a rich supply of cells for analysis, please advise the owner that an FNA may not always result in a diagnosis.

Blood Work 

In anticipation of organ aspirates, a platelet count of 50,000 is required. If there is concern for liver failure, or if you anticipate a kidney aspirate, a PT/PTT is also highly recommended.  

Restraint

Dr. Wagner will require the assistance of at least one staff member for patient restraint and monitoring during the study. Pet owners are not permitted to be present during the ultrasound. 

Report

After the scan is completed, Dr. Wagner will provide a verbal summary of findings and submit the images for a final review and report from IDEXX. The most up-to-date turn-around times for reports can vary and will be discussed at submission. 

Billing

Dr. Wagner will bill the hospital directly. Veterinary Ultrasound Arts does not accept payments from pet owners.

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