What can I expect from a dog diagnostic imaging session?

Again, because we're talking about four or five, potentially different modalities of imaging, it's hard to answer that question with one answer. I guess the biggest thing with some of those imaging studies would require an animal to be very still. Not all animals are very still, especially when they're ill or painful or things like that. So sometimes mild or sometimes not so mild sedation might be necessary first. Then the animal can be handled safely or stay in a position, usually a somewhat vulnerable position like being on your back, kind of stretched out for x-rays or ultrasounds, things like that for an extended period of time, that requires sedation. That's probably what comes to my mind at the forefront when I hear that question, yeah.

Most of the time we may have you drop the dog off for a little bit just because it can take some time. Not really so much for the x-ray, but for it to get processed and then be read. But really, for the most part, we'll take your dog, we'll get the x-rays done. They usually only take a few minutes, and then the majority of the time is spent reading those images, and then they'll be able to go right back to you or back to their kennel.

The process will depend on the type of imaging we're doing and the dog's condition. Most sessions are done without sedation or anesthesia and usually take less than an hour, especially for X-rays. If we're not statting the X-rays, we usually have results back in a day or two. The actual procedure itself is typically done in less than an hour, often within half an hour.