We have the most up to date digital radiography system, which allows xrays to be developed and ready to read within just a couple of minutes. Fionnuala is one of only a handful of Irish vets to have been awarded the postgraduate Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Certificate in Veterinary Radiology, and she loves her xrays! Xrays provide superb images of bones/lungs/internal organs and are invaluable in the diagnosis of lameness/fractures/breathing problems/intestinal disease. The pet must stay perfectly still for a few seconds while the xray is being taken, so we routinely give some sedation to facilitate that. Otherwise the pet might move at the wrong moment, causing blurring on the image, and have to be exposed to another dose of radiation to repeat the x-ray.
Ultrasound is another imaging technique available at Blessington Pet Hospital. It is particularly suitable for examining soft tissue such as muscle/abdominal organs/heart function, as well as pregnancy (just like in women!). Like x-ray, it is quick and painless, and usually does not require any sedation. It provides valuable information about the structure and function of internal organs.
