Behind the Scenes Facts
Why would an ultrasound be performed on an animal?
Veterinarians began using ultrasound technology in the early 1980s to diagnose diseases in small animals. Over the years it has been used in veterinary hospitals and teaching centers as a noninvasive, painless way of evaluating soft tissue, including the kidneys, liver, pancreas, bladder, urinary tract, gallbladder and heart. It is particularly useful in animal pregnancy because fetal heartbeats are difficult to identify early in pregnancy.
How is an ultrasound performed on a dog?
When performing an ultrasound on a dog, there is little preparation. The veterinarian will simply cut back some of the fur at the area to be scanned, because ultrasound technology cannot scan through the hair. The dog will remain awake through the entire procedure and will not be sedated unless the animal is anxious or becomes aggressive. As in an ultrasound of a human, a water-soluble coupling gel is placed on the skin surface and the transducer is moved in a circular motion to scan the organs.
Ultrasound has been able to confirm pregnancy in a dog as early as 12 days after fertilization, but experts recommend waiting until 25 to 30 days to scan a pregnant dog when attempting to count the number of pups.
How is an ultrasound performed on an elephant?
Ultrasound technology has been used with elephants for approximately six years in extraordinary zoological studies. To perform an ultrasound on an elephant, there is some preparation. First, the veterinarian will dispense an enema to remove all feces in the rectum and clear the path for the ultrasound transducer to be placed. The elephant is not typically sedated but is simply held in place by a rope or chain. With shoulder-length gloves and appropriate gear, the veterinarian inserts the probe into the rectum of the elephant to view the liver and other internal organs. Due to the size of the animal and its organs, only partial views of the organs can be seen on the ultrasound screen.
An ultrasound has been able to confirm a pregnancy in an elephant as early as 16 weeks.
How is an ultrasound performed on a dolphin?
Performing an ultrasound on a dolphin may be the easiest procedure. The dolphin is trained to float on its side in preparation for the procedure. The veterinarian or trainer will simply stretch the dolphin out in the water and run the transducer probe over the area to be scanned. Ultrasound technology has confirmed a dolphin pregnancy as early as four months into gestation.
What is the difference between a 2-D or ?conventional? ultrasound and a 3-D ultrasound?
A 2-D scan transforms sound waves into a series of single, two-dimensional pictures showing the length and width of the fetus. Although informative for veterinary professionals, a 2-D scan produces images of the fetus that can be difficult for the untrained eye to recognize. In comparison, a cutting-edge 3-D (or three-dimensional) ultrasound stores the same sound waves digitally to produce lifelike pictures that show the length, width and depth of the fetus. This clearer picture lets veterinarians see more detailed, lifelike images and detect possible abnormalities.
What is unique about a 4-D ultrasound?
Unlike the 3-D ultrasound that can show only length, width and depth in a single still frame, the 4-D (or four-dimensional) ultrasound can show length, width and depth in multiple images over a period of time to produce a video of the moving fetus. Now activities of the fetus can be seen and clearly identified. Revolutionary 3-D and 4-D ultrasound technology is being used on mammals for the first time on television to produce National Geographic Channel?s "In the Womb: Animals."
Could repeated exposure to ultrasounds be unsafe for the fetus?
After 50 years of extensive use and testing, ultrasound has not been shown to cause any harm to a human or animal fetus. Because sound waves do penetrate the body, theoretical risks to tissues may exist; however, there are no known examples of tissue damage from ultrasound imaging. In fact, ultrasound scans have become commonplace in the care and treatment of pregnant women. The same ultrasound waves are used in 2-D, 3-D and 4-D ultrasound scans, but 3-D and 4-D technology can produce a clearer picture of the growing fetus. Ultrasound scans should be performed only by medical professionals for diagnostic purposes.
