Your appointment time will be confirmed with a 2-3 hour window at the start of the day. Please have the pet dropped off at your clinic well before the time window given. If the owner chooses to wait, they will need to remain in the waiting room during the exam and ultrasound.
Please discuss the possibility for sedation with the owner prior to the exam if needed. Pre-visit pharmaceuticals (such as gabapentin and/or trazodone) can be very helpful in reducing anxiety in patients that are known to be nervous during veterinary visits and are safely combined with sedatives if needed. The goal is to have our patients as comfortable as possible for the exam. In addition, if you think sampling may be required (for example, a mass has already been detected and ultrasound will determine its location and extent of pathology, or in a patient with significantly elevated liver enzymes), if possible, please obtain permission in advance, as this will expedite the appointment process.
All animals should be held off food for 12 hours prior to the exam and water for a few hours before – unless there is medical necessity (i.e. a diabetic patient or a patient in renal failure should not have water restriction).
All animals should have a full bladder prior to an abdominal ultrasound.
Shave the patient prior to the exam. If you are unsure of where to shave, I will teach your technicians for future reference.
