Simms Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound Services does not schedule appointments directly with pet owners. We work in concert with your veterinarian, providing ultrasound services and diagnostic consultations to make sure your pet receives the best possible health care. Please have your veterinarian contact us for an appointment:
1-217-725-4972.
What is ultrasound?
Ultrasound uses sound waves to provide images of internal organs and structures. The exam is pain free and non-invasive. It provides information about the patient quickly and safely to help your veterinarian find an accurate diagnosis for your pet. Your veterinarian may suggest an ultrasound when blood work, x-rays and other tests do not show definitive results. For a reasonable fee, we will examine your pet at your veterinarian’s office. Ultrasounds are valuable for diagnosing many diseases and conditions so that you and your veterinarian can choose the best treatment plan for your pet.
What should I expect?
Because fur obscures the view, we will shave your pet’s fur for the area being examined. Your pet should not eat for about 12 hours before the exam. Our view is best if the pet has a full bladder. Your pet will most likely be awake for the ultrasound exam; sedation or anesthesia may be required if the animal is highly stressed or requires tissue sampling.
If your pet is having an abdominal ultrasound, we will be using ultrasound to evaluate many internal organs: liver, stomach, pancreas, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys, bladder, bowel, adrenal glands, prostate, uterus, ovaries, intestines, colon and lymph nodes. We will be looking for clinical signs and causes of common diseases.
If your pet is having an echocardiogram, we will be using ultrasound to view the size and function of the heart. This procedure is often recommended for pets who display a heart murmur to check for abnormalities, determine if a corrective procedure is indicated, and make sure that the pet can be safely anesthetized for other procedures (such as spay/neuter). Echocardiograms may also be suggested for pets displaying clinical signs of coughing or difficulty breathing; this is to check for evidence of primary heart disease.
Ultrasound guided fine needle aspirates and trucut biopsies are special techniques for collecting fluid tissue samples from a pet to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning. If there is a need to collect a sample from you pet, your veterinarian will discuss these procedures with you. They are safe and minimally invasive.
Dr. Simms comes to your veterinarian’s office to conduct the exam. She will consult directly with your veterinarian, who will then share the results of this consultation with you. Dr. Simms provides a written report along with digital images of the ultrasound at the time of the exam. You will be billed for this service by your primary care veterinarian’s office.