Gathering vital patient information with ultrasoundMay 27, 2019Anthony J. Fischetti, DVM, MS, DACVR, department head of diagnostic imaging at the Animal Medical Center in New York, had just finished his shift. It had been an odd day; two dogs that had turned yellow had been brought into the clinic. The first patient, an older dog, had a tumor at the entrance of the gall bladder into the intestines—a common bile duct obstruction. The second patient had collapsed, experiencing diarrhea and vomiting. "I used the ultrasound to diagnose that it wasn't the liver," said Dr. Fischetti. "It turned out the dog was hemolyzing." An old, corroded coin in the dog's stomach was causing zinc toxicity. Thanks to the ultrasound images, the endoscopist retrieved the coin and the dog improved. Fischetti, who also is president of Veterinary Ultrasound Society of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists (ACVR), as well as other experts, say ultrasound is a safe and simple way to get more information on ailing patients. "I think the real value of ultrasound is its noninvasive nature," said Nathan C. Nelson, DVM, MS, DACVR, a clinical associate professor of radiology at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Why use ultrasound? Key considerations for adding …
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