Successful appointment procedures

1. Scheduling an appointment.
For non-urgent exams, select a day when the patient may be properly prepared (see exams and preparations page). If outside the Ottawa area, then coordinating two or more patients on the same day will reduce travel fees to the clinic.

If modifications need to be made to a prior booking, please contact me directly. Same day or emergency exams must be made over the phone.

Note: I do not work directly with the general public. Only veterinary staff members may book an ultrasound appointment.

2. Fill out the ultrasound requisition.
Please go to the Request a Booking page to schedule the appointment. This should be completed before my arrival in order to avoid delays. Please make sure all fields are filled out

3. Ask the owner to bring the animal 60 minutes prior to the appointment time.
It can be difficult to give exact appointment times when running a mobile business; however, I respect your time and the owner’s time, and strive to stay on schedule. Traffic, weather, “add on/emergency” cases, extended procedures, cancellations and difficult animals are several factors that can affect scheduling.

4. Give the owner the proper exam preparations.
See Exams and Preparations (add hyperlink) for details.

5. Shaving
Whenever possible, please have the animal shaved prior to my arrival.

Note: cosmetic and/or incomplete shaving will result in poor image quality and cannot be accommodated.

Abdominal Ultrasounds: Please shave from the xyphoid process to the pubis with very wide margins extending laterally similar to an exploratory laparotomy. The patient’s right side may need to be clipped higher due to the anatomy of the right liver, kidneys, adrenal gland, pancreas, etc. Please shave to the skin (#40 blade).

Cardiac Ultrasounds: Please shave a square (2″x2″) in the right axillary region. The left side will be shaved once the patient is correctly positioned.

Thoracic Ultrasounds: Both sides should be shaved from the shoulders caudal to the last ribs and from the epaxial musculature to just above the sternum.

6. Medical Records
Please have a copy of the patient’s medical record printed to permit a timely review and ensure the appropriate exam(s) and recommendations can be made.

7. Sedation
Sedation is not required when performing an ultrasound, however, in most cases it improves the quality of the images and ensures a complete exam. Please obtain written permission from the owner regarding sedation prior to the exam. Sedation will only be used if images are suboptimal due to motion, panting and/or a tense abdomen. Painful patients should always have appropriate analgesia – please call if you are uncertain which medications to administer prior to the ultrasound exam (i.e. hydromorphone may cause excessive panting and should only be used if other appropriate analgesics are not available).

8. Ultrasound-Guided Procedures
Essentially all patients who are undergoing an aspirate and/or biopsy will require sedation. An IV catheter should be in place prior to the exam if you are scheduling an ultrasound-guided procedure. Please ensure sterile prep is readily available along with appropriate supplies, as necessary (i.e. oxygen, microscope slides, formalin jars, etc.).

9. Veterinary Personnel
At least 1-2 dedicated veterinary staff is required to be present during the entire ultrasound exam to monitor and restrain the patient. A thorough ultrasound exam usually takes 30-60 minutes.