Introduction

Uses

• Detection of pregnancy.
• Assessment of fetal well-being.
• Estimation of gestational age.
• Investigation of:
  • Vaginal discharge.
  • Infertility.
  • Palpable or radiographic caudal or mid-abdominal mass.

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirate or biopsy to be performed.
  Time required will reduce with operator experience.

Disadvantages

• May require patient's coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate restraint of patient.
• Operator inexperience.
• Patient has urinated prior to examination of the uterus so the bladder is empty.

Alternatives

• Plain Radiography: abdomen or contrast radiography.

Equipment

Patient Preparation

Technique

Normal Anatomy

Pregnancy

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Cruz-Arámbulo R & Wrigley R (2003) Ultrasonography of the acute abdomen. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 18 (1), 20-31 PubMed.
• Hartzband L E (1994) Case of the day. 2. Diagnosis - pyometra. J Ultrasound Med 13 (4), 331 PubMed.
• Dickie M B, Arbeiter K et al (1993) Diagnosis and therapy of the subinvolution of placental sites in the bitch. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 47, 471-475 PubMed.
• England G C, Yeager A E (1993) Ultrasonographic appearance of the ovary and uterus of the bitch during oestrus, ovulation and early pregnancy. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 47, 107-117 PubMed.
• Renton J P, Boyd J S, Harvey M J et al (1993) Observations on the treatment and diagnosis of open pyometra in the bitch (Canis familiaris). J Reprod Fertil Suppl 47, 465-469 PubMed.
• Yeager A E, Mohammed H O, Meyers-Wallen V et al (1992) Ultrasonographic appearance of the uterus, placenta, fetus, and fetal membranes throughout accurately timed pregnancy in beagles. Am J Vet Res 53 (3), 342-351 PubMed.
• Rivers B, Johnston G R (1991) Diagnostic imaging of the reproductive organs of the bitch. Methods and limitations. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 21 (3), 437-466 PubMed.
• England G C, Allen W E (1989) Real-time ultrasonic imaging of the ovary and uterus of the dog. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 39, 91-100 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• England G C W (1995) Small Animal Reproductive Ultrasonography. In: Veterinary Ultrasonography. Ed: Goddard P J. CAB International, Cambridge. pp 55-85.