When something seems off with your pet and a physical exam isn't enough to tell the full story, diagnostic ultrasound gives our vet team a real-time window into what's happening inside. It's one of the most valuable imaging tools in veterinary medicine, and at StayPet, we offer it on-site so your pet doesn't need a separate specialist referral just to get answers.
Fast, non-invasive, and safe for pets of all ages, veterinary ultrasound helps us see what X-rays can't and make confident, informed decisions about your pet's care.
Diagnostic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of your pet's internal organs and soft tissue structures. The sound waves bounce off tissues at different rates depending on their density, and the returning signals are converted into the images you see on screen.
Unlike X-rays, which are best suited to imaging bones and dense structures, ultrasound excels at evaluating soft tissue, including the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, adrenal glands, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract. It can also be used to assess the heart (echocardiography), evaluate pregnancies, and guide certain diagnostic procedures like fine needle aspirates.
Ultrasound does not use radiation, making it safe for repeated use and appropriate for pets of all ages, including pregnant animals and very young patients. It is non-invasive and most pets tolerate it well with minimal to no sedation.
Veterinary ultrasound gives our team a detailed look at structures that other diagnostics can miss. We use it to investigate and help diagnose a wide range of conditions in dogs and cats throughout Anne Arundel County and greater Baltimore:
Ultrasound is the primary tool for evaluating the liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands, and intestinal tract. It can detect masses, cysts, abnormal organ size or texture, fluid accumulation, foreign bodies, and signs of inflammatory or systemic disease.
Bladder stones, thickened bladder walls, urinary tract masses, and kidney abnormalities are all clearly visible on ultrasound, often revealing detail that X-rays cannot provide.
Ultrasound is used to confirm pregnancy, assess fetal health and count, identify uterine conditions like pyometra, and evaluate the prostate in male dogs.
Echocardiography, or cardiac ultrasound, allows our team to assess heart size, wall thickness, valve function, and the presence of fluid around the heart. It's an essential tool for evaluating dogs and cats with murmurs, arrhythmias, or suspected heart disease.
When a lump is found internally or lymph nodes appear enlarged, ultrasound helps characterize the mass and guide decisions about whether a biopsy or aspiration is appropriate.
Ultrasound can be used in real time to guide fine needle aspirates and biopsies, improving accuracy and safety when collecting samples from internal structures.
We may recommend a pet ultrasound exam when:
Ultrasound and X-rays are complementary tools, not interchangeable ones. Your vet may recommend both to get a complete picture. X-rays show overall structure and are excellent for bones and chest evaluation. Ultrasound provides detail on soft tissue that X-rays simply can't capture.
Here's what a typical ultrasound exam at StayPet looks like:
If your pet is coming in specifically for an abdominal ultrasound, we may ask you to withhold food for several hours beforehand. A full stomach can limit visibility of certain abdominal structures. We'll give you specific instructions when you schedule.
One of the real advantages of having ultrasound available on-site at StayPet is that your pet's diagnostic workup and their ongoing care happen in the same place, with the same team. We don't just send you somewhere else for imaging and hand you a report.
When your pet needs an ultrasound, their StayPet care team:
And if your pet needs to stay for monitoring or recovery after a procedure, our boarding facility means they never have to go far. We call it VetCare + StayCare, and it's what makes StayPet different.
Yes. Diagnostic ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, making it completely safe for repeated use. It is appropriate for pets of all ages, including pregnant animals, senior pets, and very young patients. There are no known risks associated with veterinary diagnostic ultrasound.
Most pets do not require sedation for a routine ultrasound. The procedure is non-invasive and most animals tolerate it well once they're settled on the table. If your pet is particularly anxious or the exam requires sustained stillness, we may recommend mild sedation to ensure accurate results and a stress-free experience for your pet.
X-rays use radiation to create images and are best suited for evaluating bones, chest structure, and overall organ size. Ultrasound uses sound waves and excels at examining soft tissue in detail, including organ texture, fluid, masses, and blood flow. Both are useful diagnostic tools and are often used together to give a complete picture of what's happening inside your pet.
A focused ultrasound of a specific area may take 15 to 20 minutes. A full abdominal ultrasound typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. Cardiac ultrasound (echocardiography) may take a similar amount of time depending on what's being evaluated. Your vet will give you a realistic timeframe when they schedule the exam.
Yes, for the imaging findings themselves. Your vet will review what they see on the ultrasound with you before you leave. If samples were collected during the exam, such as a fine needle aspirate or biopsy, those results will come back from the lab within a few days.
For abdominal ultrasound, we typically ask that you withhold food for 8 to 12 hours before the appointment. A full stomach can limit visibility of certain organs. Water is generally fine to continue offering. We'll give you specific prep instructions when you schedule, and let you know if there's anything else to keep in mind for your pet's specific situation.
StayPet is located at 1209 Old Dorsey Rd, Harmans, MD 21077, just minutes from BWI Airport and easily accessible from:
