X-Rays

X-rays are a crucial diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine, allowing veterinarians to visualize internal structures and diagnose a wide range of health issues in cats and dogs accurately.

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When to Expect an X-Ray: 

Common conditions that require or are best diagnosed with an abdominal ultrasound include:

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Chest X-Rays:

• Respiratory Issues: To diagnose conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, and lung tumours.
• Heart Disease: To assess the size and shape of the heart and detect conditions such as congestive heart failure, heart enlargement (cardiomegaly), and heartworm disease.
• Trauma: To identify injuries such as fractured ribs, pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity), or hemothorax (blood in the chest cavity) resulting from accidents or trauma.
• Foreign Bodies: To detect foreign objects that may have been inhaled or lodged in the airways.
• Pleural Effusion: To identify the presence of fluid around the lungs.
• Thoracic Masses: To detect tumours or growths in the chest cavity.

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Abdominal X-Rays:

• Gastrointestinal Issues: To aid in the diagnosis of complete foreign body obstructions, constipation.
• Bladder and Urinary Tract Issues: To detect bladder stones.
• Abdominal Masses: To identify and assess masses.
• Organ Enlargement: To evaluate the size and shape of abdominal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, and stomach.
• Trauma: To detect injuries to abdominal organs and bones resulting from accidents or trauma.
• Reproductive Health: To diagnose pregnancies, and detect pyometra (uterine infection).
• Ascites: To identify fluid accumulation in the abdomen, which can indicate liver disease, heart disease, or cancer amongst others.