✶ Digital radiographs may represent the greatest technical advancement in medical imaging over the last decade. The use of photographic films for x-ray imaging will be obsolete in a few years. Images can be taken immediately, examined, deleted, corrected and subsequently sent to a network of computers in a matter of minutes. One of the most useful advantages of digital radiographs is the ability it gives clinicians to send images to other practitioners in a matter of minutes, even while talking on the telephone.

✶ Ultrasound diagnostic procedures can be done to determine organ health, and to identify growths or masses that may be harder to see on a radiograph (x-ray), or used to get more specific information about something previously found on a radiograph. Using ultrasound can also assist in determining if a pet is pregnant and a possible gestation timeline.

✶ Echocardiography is the art of using ultrasound to view the structure and function of the heart in real time. It is considered the best test for the diagnosis of heart disease because it gives the cardiologist an image of the inside of the heart to determine how well the heart muscle is pumping, how well the valves are working a nd whether any defects are present inside the heart. Because pets are living longer, they may experience increased problems with chronic illness. The earlier a problem is diagnosed and a treatment plan is started, the better the outcome.