Ultrasound in Companion Animal Care: A Practical Guide for the New Vet

As a new veterinarian stepping into the world of companion animal care, mastering diagnostic tools is key to providing high-quality, informed, and compassionate medical treatment. One such indispensable tool is ultrasound, a non-invasive imaging modality that has revolutionized the way we examine internal organs, tissues, and even blood flow in animals. In small animal practices across the United States, Europe, and other developed veterinary markets, ultrasound is no longer a luxury—it’s considered a standard of care.

This guide provides a practical understanding of how ultrasound is used in companion animal medicine, with special attention to real-world cases, foreign veterinary standards, and tips that can help any new vet become confident in using this tool in a clinical setting.

The Rise of Ultrasound in Companion Animal Medicine

In the past decade, ultrasound has become a core diagnostic method in small animal veterinary medicine. Its growth has been supported by several factors:

• Increased pet owner expectations: Pet parents today demand the same quality of diagnostics and care as in human medicine.

• Technological advancements: Portable, high-resolution machines have made ultrasound more accessible and easier to use, even in mobile or home visit settings.

• Economic efficiency: Compared to MRI or CT, ultrasound offers high diagnostic value at a lower cost and without anesthesia in most cases.

Um 2023 report by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) revealed that more than 70% of small animal clinics in North America use ultrasound regularly, particularly in internal medicine, Atendimento de emergência, and oncology.

Understanding Ultrasound: What Every New Vet Should Know

Ultrasound works by sending high-frequency sound waves into the body via a transducer. These waves bounce off tissues at different rates depending on the tissue density, creating an image called a sonogram.

Types of ultrasound commonly used:

1. B-mode (Brightness mode): The standard two-dimensional grayscale image used in general practice.

2. M-mode (Motion mode): Useful for cardiac imaging, showing moving structures like heart valves in a single line over time.

3. Ultrassonografia com Doppler: Measures blood flow and is crucial in cardiovascular and abdominal diagnostics.

For a new vet, understanding the applications of B-mode ultrasound alone is enough to transform your diagnostic abilities.

Core Applications in Companion Animal Practice

1. Abdominal Imaging

This is the most common use of ultrasound in small animals. It helps evaluate:

• Liver and spleen for size changes, masses, and texture abnormalities.

• Kidneys for stones, Cistos, or signs of chronic disease.

• Bladder for stones, Tumores, or wall thickening (commonly used in diagnosing transitional cell carcinoma).

• Intestinal wall layers to identify inflammatory bowel disease, neoplasia, or foreign bodies.

• Pancreas to detect pancreatitis or neoplasia.

Ultrasound is particularly sensitive in identifying free fluid in the abdomen—key in trauma and critical care scenarios.

2. Ultrassom cardíaco (Echocardiography)

Performed using B-mode, M-mode, and Doppler, echocardiography is essential in diagnosing:

• Valvular diseases like mitral valve insufficiency (common in small breeds like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels).

• Cardiomyopathy in cats and large-breed dogs.

• Pericardial effusion, where fluid surrounds the heart.

Training in cardiac ultrasound is more specialized, but even basic familiarity can be life-saving in an emergency setting.

3. Reproductive and Pregnancy Monitoring

In dogs and cats, ultrasound can confirm pregnancy as early as day 25 post-mating. It is used to:

• Count fetuses (though accuracy varies).

• Check fetal viability (heartbeat, movement).

• Diagnose pyometra (uterine infection), especially when radiography is inconclusive.

4. Cancer Detection and Biopsy Guidance

Veterinarians often use ultrasound to locate tumors or abnormal lymph nodes. Por exemplo:

• Splenic masses may be benign (hematomas) or malignant (hemangiosarcoma).

• Liver nodules can be aspirated with fine-needle techniques under ultrasound guidance, improving diagnostic accuracy.

Ultrasound-guided biopsy has become a standard in referral centers and is now being adopted by general practitioners in developed countries.

Practical Tips for the New Vet

Start with B-mode Mastery

Many seasoned vets advise starting with the basics. Learn the standard abdominal scan protocol: fígado, baço, Rins, bladder, stomach, intestinos, pancreas. Practicing on healthy patients builds your mental map of “normal.”

Learn to Interpret Artifacts

Acoustic shadows (from gas or bone), mirror artifacts, and reverberation lines can confuse a beginner. Foreign veterinarians often emphasize teaching artifacts early, as distinguishing real pathology from artifacts prevents misdiagnosis.

Practice Probe Handling

Just like learning palpation, probe movement takes time to master. In the UK, veterinary ultrasound training for new grads often includes sessions with “phantom” models—gel-based simulations that mimic tissue.

Document Everything

Take still images and clips of your findings. Many countries require imaging records to be stored in the patient file for legal and continuity-of-care reasons.

Foreign Perspectives: What Vets Abroad Focus On

Veterinarians in developed countries focus not only on diagnosis but also on client communication and value delivery:

• Em Alemanha, pet owners expect detailed diagnostic explanations. Clinics often print ultrasound images for clients, similar to human pregnancy scans.

• In the U.S., client consent and explanation of ultrasound procedures, costs, and results are standard practice—even for routine scans.

• Em Austrália, mobile ultrasound services are growing, offering scanning services for clinics without equipment or trained personnel.

This client-focused approach helps build trust and sets realistic expectations regarding outcomes.

Should You Invest in Your Own Machine?

Many new vets wonder whether to buy their own portable ultrasound system. While referral centers often have high-end machines, general practice vets can benefit from a reliable, affordable system like the BXL-V50.

This máquina de ultrassom portátil is waterproof, rugged, and battery-powered—ideal for in-clinic and mobile use. Its HD display and ease of operation make it a favorite among entry-level users in North America and Asia. It also supports applications for small animals and livestock, making it a versatile investment.

Challenges and Limitations

No diagnostic tool is perfect. Some key limitations include:

• Operator dependency: The quality of the scan depends on the skill of the vet.

• Gas and bone interference: Ultrasound can’t penetrate air or bone, making lung and skeletal imaging difficult.

• Limited field of view: Unlike CT or MRI, ultrasound only shows a narrow plane, which can miss small or deep abnormalities.

Yet, with consistent practice, these limitations become manageable.

Final Thoughts: Ultrasound as an Extension of Your Hands

For a new vet, ultrasound is more than a screen with moving shadows—it becomes an extension of your hands and your clinical judgment. The best diagnosticians don’t just rely on machines; they correlate ultrasound findings with clinical signs, blood work, and radiographs.

Veterinarians from countries with established training programs—like the U.K., the Netherlands, and Canada—often emphasize that learning ultrasound is a journey. No one becomes an expert overnight. But with curiosity, commitment, and continuing education, any new vet can turn ultrasound into a powerful tool in their diagnostic toolkit.

Referências

1. American Veterinary Medical Association (2023). Ultrasound Utilization in Small Animal Practices. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports/market-research-statistics

2. Mattoon, J.S., & Nyland, T.G. (2021). Small Animal Diagnostic Ultrasound (4th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.

3. British Small Animal Veterinary Association (2022). Guidelines for Companion Animal Ultrasound. https://www.bsava.com/Resources/Veterinary-Resources

4. International Veterinary Ultrasound Society. (2024). Training Guidelines and Best Practices. https://www.ivuss.org/

5. Australian Veterinary Association. (2023). Point-of-Care Ultrasound in General Practice. https://www.ava.com.au/point-of-care-ultrasound