Can A Dog Eat Or Drink Before An Ultrasound (Informative Guide) – PetDogsLife
Can a dog eat or drink before an ultrasound? No, dogs cannot eat or drink before an ultrasound exam. It is recommended that you should never feed your dog for 12 hours prior to an ultrasound examination.
The reason is that if the food has been in his gastrointestinal tract too long it can cause distension of the stomach which could lead to aspiration pneumonia during the procedure.
So, if you are interested in knowing more about whether a dog should eat or drink before an ultrasound then just keep reading this article.
Can A Dog Eat Or Drink Before An Ultrasound?
No, dogs cannot eat or swallow any type of liquid before the procedure because they may aspirate them into their lungs causing injury and respiratory distress.
Therefore, it is important that owners must make arrangements to care for their pets while they go through the procedure.
How Should I Prepare My Dog For The Ultrasound?
You should prepare your dog before the ultrasound by giving water before 4 pm on the day before the procedure. This will help reduce vomiting and soothe him from any discomfort caused by the procedure.
Make sure that he has not eaten for at least eight hours prior to the appointment. Do not allow your dog to have solid foods such as meatballs or kibble for the entire 24 hour period preceding the test.
What Is The Purpose Of Doing This Examination In Dogs?
An ultrasound scan is often used in many aspects of veterinary medicine, including:
1. Pregnancy Diagnosis
Pregnant females need frequent ultrasounds because their puppies grow rapidly between 10-20 weeks. They also are usually done around 35 days gestation (when there is still some evidence of fetal heart activity).
2. Heart Murmurs
Heart murmurs are common when a puppy gets older. There are no risk factors associated with a heart murmur except the age of the animal.
3. Abdominal Pain/trauma
This can be due to a number of reasons. It includes kidney disease, liver disease, trauma, and neoplasms.
Pros And Cons Of Doing An Ultrasound Exam On Your Dog
There are pros and cons to doing an ultrasound scan on a dog’s body. Here is what the Pros and Cons are for a dog having an ultrasound.
Pros
1. Accuracy & Validity
A trained veterinarian performs the ultrasound exam and reads the images as they come through the machine. Therefore, we know exactly where the condition exists and how serious it is.
2. Ease of Use
Using ultrasound machines is much easier compared to X-ray equipment.
3. Safety
Our veterinarians have years of experience treating animals using ultrasound. By using ultrasound, our vets avoid harmful radiation exposure, unlike regular X-rays.
Cons
1. Cost
Ultrasound scans are the most expensive part of the whole process. If you are planning to have the test every three months then expect to pay $200 per test plus $30-$40 per visit to the vet.
2. Time
Having an ultrasound exam takes longer than other diagnostic tests. Sometimes it can take up to two hours.
3. Discomfort
It is very uncomfortable for the dog. You must hold the dog down firmly while the technician does the test.
Why Not Have Your Dog Eat Or Drink Within 12 Hours Prior To The Procedure?
Giving your dog water and all substances like kibble, meats, etc. for 12 hours before the ultrasound would increase the chances of gastric obstruction happening. These obstructions can result in abdominal pain and even death.
So keep your dog away from these things until his ultrasound scan.
Are There Any Precautions That I Should Follow When Performing An Ultrasound Study On My Dog?
If you want to perform an ultrasound study on your dog, here are the precautions you need to follow.
- Do not expose your dog to any type of medication for the time being, as the drugs may interfere with the results.
- When performing the study, make sure that your dog is well restrained, either in a crate or under a table.
- Do not disturb your pet during the study unless it becomes necessary.
- Make sure that your dog is calm. Don’t let him get excited or scared during the study. During this period, he might start panting, which could interfere with the data collection.
Conclusion
In the end, I hope you understand the topic Can a dog eat or drink before an ultrasound? and why dogs shouldn’t eat or drink within 12 hours prior to the ultrasound. Thanks for reading!