Radiography
Our hospital is fully equipped to take radiographs (X-rays) of your pet. Our veterinarians will discuss your pet’s case and perform a thorough physical examination to determine if radiographs are needed. Radiographs help us diagnose conditions involving bones, the chest, or the abdomen.
No booking is necessary for most X-rays, but some services, like Hip and Elbow scores, require an appointment.
What happens to my pet when it is booked in for radiographs?
Radiographs require pets to stay perfectly still, often in positions that feel unnatural or uncomfortable, which most pets cannot maintain on their own. Because of this, most pets cannot remain completely still long enough for us to capture accurate, high-quality images that show all the details we need. By using sedation or anaesthesia, our veterinary team can safely take clear, detailed radiographs, ensuring we gather all the important information needed to diagnose your pet correctly and provide the best possible care.
Why do pets need to be sedated or anaesthetised to have radiographs taken?
Radiographs require pets to stay perfectly still, often in positions that feel unnatural or uncomfortable for them. Most pets cannot remain completely still long enough for us to capture accurate, high-quality images. Using sedation or anaesthesia allows our team to take clear, detailed radiographs safely and ensures we get the information needed to diagnose your pet correctly.
How are radiographs made?
Taking a radiograph is very similar to taking a photo, except we use X-rays instead of light rays. The usefulness of radiography as a diagnostic tool is based upon the ability of X-rays to penetrate matter. Different tissues in the body absorb X-rays to differing degrees. Of all the tissues in the body, bone absorbs the most X-rays. This is the reason that bone appears white on a radiograph. Soft tissues, such as lungs or organs, absorb some but not all of the X-rays, so soft tissues appear on a radiograph in different shades of grey. We will demonstrate and explain the radiographs when your pet goes home.
Contact us to discuss our radiography service.