SPECIALIST DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING FOR DOGS & CATS
When a pet has persistent symptoms or an unexplained medical condition, an abdominal ultrasound can provide valuable information that may not be visible through a physical examination, bloodwork or ordinary radiographs alone.
Aliso Beach Animal Clinic offers abdominal ultrasound examinations performed at our Laguna Beach hospital by a visiting veterinary ultrasound specialist. Studies are scheduled on an as-needed basis and can typically be arranged within one to three days, depending on specialist availability and the urgency of your pet’s condition.
Abdominal ultrasound is especially useful for dogs and cats experiencing ongoing vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, appetite changes, abdominal discomfort or abnormal laboratory results that have not yet led to a clear diagnosis.
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An abdominal ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of organs and soft tissues inside your pet’s abdomen. Unlike an X-ray, ultrasound can show the internal structure, texture, shape and movement of many abdominal organs.
The specialist moves a handheld ultrasound probe across the abdomen while viewing the images on a monitor. The examination does not use ionizing radiation.
An abdominal ultrasound may allow the specialist to evaluate:
Ultrasound findings are interpreted together with your pet’s history, physical examination, bloodwork, urine testing, radiographs and other available medical information.
Our veterinarian may recommend an abdominal ultrasound when a pet has persistent or recurring symptoms, abnormal test results or a suspected condition involving the abdominal organs.
Repeated or chronic vomiting can be associated with disease affecting the stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, kidneys or other organs. Ultrasound may help identify intestinal thickening, abnormal motility, masses, obstruction, inflammation or other structural changes.
Diarrhea that continues, repeatedly returns or occurs with weight loss may require more than a diet change or basic laboratory testing. An ultrasound can help assess the intestinal walls, surrounding lymph nodes and other abdominal organs that may contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms.
Weight loss despite an apparently normal appetite—or weight loss accompanied by reduced appetite, vomiting or diarrhea—can be a sign of significant underlying disease. Abdominal ultrasound may help evaluate the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, kidneys, adrenal glands and abdominal lymph nodes.
A persistent decrease in appetite can result from many medical conditions. Ultrasound may be recommended when physical examination and initial testing do not fully explain why a pet is eating less.
Ultrasound may help investigate abdominal discomfort, swelling, a palpable mass or unexplained fluid within the abdomen.
Changes involving liver enzymes, kidney values, proteins, blood-cell counts or other laboratory measurements may lead the veterinarian to recommend imaging of the corresponding organs.
Blood in the urine, repeated urinary infections, difficulty urinating or abnormal kidney values may require evaluation of the kidneys, bladder, prostate or other urinary structures.
Ultrasound can help identify abnormal organ size, masses, nodules and enlarged lymph nodes. Imaging alone cannot always determine whether a change is benign, inflammatory or cancerous, so additional sampling may be recommended.
An abdominal ultrasound may be an important next step when a pet remains ill despite an initial examination and testing. It is particularly useful when the clinical signs suggest disease within the abdomen but the cause remains uncertain.
Each diagnostic test provides different information.
Blood and urine tests can reveal changes in organ function, inflammation, infection, hydration and blood-cell counts. However, they generally do not show the physical appearance of an organ.
Radiographs are useful for evaluating bones, organ size, gas patterns, some foreign objects and the overall arrangement of abdominal structures. However, organs and soft tissues with similar densities may overlap on an X-ray.
Ultrasound allows the specialist to examine many organs individually and evaluate their internal appearance in real time. For this reason, ultrasound often complements rather than replaces bloodwork and radiographs.
Depending on the individual patient, abdominal ultrasound may identify or provide evidence of:
An ultrasound does not always provide a final diagnosis. Some conditions have similar appearances on imaging, and certain diseases may not produce visible structural changes.
Your veterinarian may still recommend laboratory testing, a fine-needle aspirate, biopsy, endoscopy, surgery, CT imaging or another procedure depending on the ultrasound findings.
Abdominal ultrasound examinations at Aliso Beach Animal Clinic are performed by a visiting veterinary ultrasound specialist rather than as a routine technician-operated scan.
Ultrasound is highly dependent on the skill of the individual obtaining and interpreting the images. A specialist examination provides a detailed, systematic evaluation of the abdominal organs and a written interpretation for your pet’s medical record.
The specialist’s findings are reviewed with the Aliso Beach Animal Clinic veterinarian managing your pet’s case. We will then explain the results, discuss the possible diagnosis and recommend the next appropriate step.
Abdominal ultrasounds are scheduled on an as-needed basis and can typically be arranged within one to three days.
Actual timing depends on:
Call us promptly when your pet is experiencing ongoing vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, reduced appetite or another unexplained condition. Our team will determine whether your pet should first receive an examination, laboratory testing, immediate urgent care or direct evaluation at a 24-hour emergency hospital.
Specialist availability within one to three days is typical but cannot be guaranteed in every case.
Before the ultrasound, our team and the specialist will review relevant medical history, examination findings, laboratory results, radiographs and current medications.
Send outside medical records in advance whenever possible so the specialist has the necessary background information.
The hair over the abdomen usually must be clipped so the ultrasound probe can make adequate contact with the skin and produce diagnostic-quality images.
Water-soluble ultrasound gel or alcohol may be applied to the skin during the examination.
Your pet will generally lie on a padded surface while the specialist examines the abdomen. The patient may be repositioned during the study so different organs can be viewed clearly.
Many pets can undergo an abdominal ultrasound without general anesthesia. Mild sedation may be recommended when a pet is anxious, painful, unable to remain safely positioned or needs an ultrasound-guided sample.
Any sedation recommendation will take your pet’s age, health, temperament and medical condition into account.
The specialist prepares findings for the veterinarian managing your pet’s case. Our team will discuss the results and explain whether additional testing, medication, dietary treatment, monitoring, surgery or referral is recommended.
Preparation instructions may vary according to your pet’s condition and the purpose of the study. Follow the instructions provided specifically for your pet.
Common instructions may include:
Do not withhold food, water or essential medication from a diabetic, very young, medically fragile or critically ill pet unless our veterinary team specifically instructs you to do so.
If the specialist identifies an abnormal organ, mass, enlarged lymph node or abdominal fluid, an ultrasound-guided sample may sometimes be recommended.
A fine-needle aspirate collects cells for microscopic evaluation. A biopsy collects a larger piece of tissue and may provide more information, but it may also require additional preparation, sedation or anesthesia.
Not every abnormality can or should be sampled. The recommendation depends on location, blood-clotting status, potential risk, likelihood of obtaining useful information and whether the result would alter treatment.
Sample collection is not automatically included with every ultrasound. We will discuss the recommendation, benefits, limitations and estimated cost before proceeding whenever circumstances allow.
Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool, but it has limitations.
An ultrasound may show that an organ or intestinal segment is abnormal without proving the exact disease responsible. For example, inflammation and certain cancers can sometimes appear similar on imaging.
Ultrasound also may not fully evaluate:
Further testing may be required even when the ultrasound examination is thorough and technically successful.
The ultrasound examination itself is noninvasive and is generally well tolerated. Some pets may be uncomfortable because of their underlying illness or when pressure is applied over a painful area.
Most abdominal ultrasounds do not require general anesthesia. Mild sedation may be recommended for anxious or painful pets, animals that cannot remain still or procedures involving sample collection.
Hair traps air between the probe and skin, which interferes with the ultrasound image. Clipping the hair allows the specialist to obtain clearer and more reliable images.
Appointment length depends on the patient, complexity of the findings and whether additional procedures are needed. Our team will provide scheduling and arrival instructions when the study is arranged.
Many findings can be discussed promptly after the study, but the timing of the final interpretation may vary. Additional laboratory testing or specialist review may be needed before a complete treatment recommendation can be made.
An ultrasound can identify masses, abnormal organs or enlarged lymph nodes that raise concern for cancer. However, imaging alone often cannot confirm the exact type of disease. Cell or tissue sampling may be required.
No. A brief, uncomplicated episode may not require advanced imaging. Ultrasound becomes more important when symptoms persist, repeatedly return, occur with weight loss or reduced appetite, produce abnormal laboratory findings or remain unexplained after initial evaluation.
Neither test is universally better. They provide different and often complementary information. Your veterinarian may recommend one or both depending on the suspected condition.
Specialist abdominal ultrasounds at Aliso Beach Animal Clinic are scheduled according to medical need and specialist availability. A critically ill or unstable pet may require immediate evaluation and imaging at a 24-hour emergency or specialty hospital rather than waiting for a scheduled study.
Contact Aliso Beach Animal Clinic if your dog or cat has ongoing vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, reduced appetite, abnormal laboratory results or another condition that has not yet been diagnosed.
Our veterinary team will evaluate your pet, review any previous testing and determine whether a specialist abdominal ultrasound is the appropriate next step.
Ultrasounds are performed at Aliso Beach Animal Clinic by a visiting specialist and are typically scheduled within one to three days, depending on availability and medical urgency.
Aliso Beach Animal Clinic
30816 Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Directly across from the Montage Laguna Beach
Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
Do not submit an online appointment form for a life-threatening medical concern.
