Honestly, my favorite part of the job is all the staff dogs who come to greet me. This one won’t even let me start setting up until I’ve spent at least five minutes giving him some attention!
Well, if I have to be stuck in road construction, at least the view doesn’t disappoint... Fourth stop today. Delayed over an hour total. #LakeViews #mobilesonographer
Shh... I’m hiding in the ultrasound trough! Maybe she won’t find me here...!
How many things can you find on this ultrasound? The dog was euthanized shortly after the ultrasound. 😞 I’ll “like” all correct answers.
Gallbladder mucocele. gallbladder mucocele in dogs is a condition where the gallbladder becomes filled with a thick, mucous-like substance. This occurs due to an abnormal accumulation of bile and mucus, which can cause the gallbladder to enlarge and potentially rupture. The exact cause is not fully understood, but factors such as gallbladder motility disorders, hormonal imbalances, or genetic predisposition may play a role.
Symptoms of a gallbladder mucocele can include vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). This condition can be life-threatening if the gallbladder ruptures or if there is an associated infection. Diagnosis is typically made through ultrasound imaging, and treatment often involves surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). Early detection and treatment are crucial for a positive outcome. This dog was asymptomatic. #ultrasoundveterinary #gallbladder #muocele
When I first started performing ultrasounds, I didn’t routinely follow the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, I’ve now done it so often, especially with sedated animals or ones with GI issues, that it has become a quick and familiar process. Just like locating the adrenal glands becomes easy after seeing thousands of them, scanning the GI tract of cats and dogs became straightforward after about a dozen scans. Now, I can efficiently scan through the GI tract, often starting with whatever is easiest, like the stomach, and follow to the colon . Here’s an image of a very subtle change in the muscularis of a cat’s intestine—would I have found it if I just scanned through, or did I find it because I followed the entire GI tract? I think after 10 years of scanning I would’ve spotted it but I’m just very thorough. How many of you scan the entire G.I ?
It’s “Bring My Dog to Work Month,” and I’m excited for him to meet all the adorable greeters that put a smile on my face.
Advanced cardiac course because one should never stop learning and improve one’s skill. An echocardiogram …. Left Atrium (LA) Size
Left Ventricle (LV) Size
Wall Thickness
Right Atrium (RA) and Right Ventricle (RV) Size
Valve Morphology and Function
Pericardium
Left Ventricular Dimensions M-Mode and 2D
Fractional Shortening (FS)
Ejection Fraction (EF)
Blood Flow Velocities Doppler
Pressure Gradients
Regurgitation Assessment
Shunt Detection
Myocardial Velocity TDI
Flow Mapping CFD
High-Velocity Flows CW
Specific Site Velocities PW
Waveform Analysis Spectral Doppler
Volume Measurements left atrial function
Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE)
Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (RVOT) Velocity
Acceleration Time to Ejection Time (AT
) Ratio
Right Pulmonary Artery (RPA) Dispersion Index. And more! What views and measurements do you capture?
Braving the snow for that pup cup fix at Starbucks: 8 miles of paw-some determination! Walked Tahoe City to Squaw. #pupcup #snow #laketahoe #pupcupstarbucks #foster #8mile #tahoecitytosquawvalley #truckeeriver #howispendmydayoff
TEER is a minimally invasive beating-heart intervention for treatment of severe mitral regurgitation secondary to chronic valvular disease. The TEER procedure in dogs is performed under general anesthesia through a small incision (2″ to 3″) in the chest wall and transapical cardiac approach in the beating heart under fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic guidance with a device called the V-Clamp. On this patient The mitral valve appears thickened. There are two V-clamp devices attached to the mitral valve. A centrally- placed device appears to be affixed to both anterior and posterior leaflets. A second device positioned more posteriorly/medially to the first appears to be associated with the anterior leaflet only, as reported. Both devices appear to be stable in placement with no evidence of independent oscillation. There is trivial to mild mitral regurgitation present noted on color Doppler. The mitral regurgitant jet appears to be centrally-to- anteriorly directed. #teer #mitralvalverepair #canine #echocardiogram #veterinarysonographer #cardiacultrasound #veterinary
9 year old dog presented with a heart murmur. emphasizing the importance of not dismissing the possibility of congenital defects even in older dogs or cats. Vigilance and thorough evaluation remain paramount in ensuring the best diagnosis. #VSD Echocardiogram revealed a small ventricular septal defect (VSD). VSDs are a congenital defect in which there is a hole in the muscle of the heart, which separates the left and right ventricle (the main muscular pumps of the heart). This defect has resulted in blood leaking from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart that quickly shunts through the pulmonary artery in systole and back to the left heart. This results in a larger than normal volume of blood returning to the left side of the heart. If there is a large amount of leakage of blood across the VSD, over time, this increase in blood flow to the left side of the heart can result in progressive heart enlargement and even heart failure. Fortunately, the patients’s VSD appears to be very small and is unlikely to cause any negative consequences as it is not allowing a large amount of blood across.
Most dogs with small VSDs live normal lives.
As this patient is mature (9 years old) and without heart enlagement secondary to the VSD, her prognosis is considered excellent. Periodic recheck cardiac evaluations will allow us to monitor for progression of cardiac disease.
