I’ve been thinking a bit lately about a conversation I have frequently with my colleagues. It’s one that questions the need for and the appropriateness of ultrasound use in a general companion animal practice. I repeatedly hear veterinarians bemoaning the time required to learn to perform ultrasound, the expense of implementing it, and the potential liability in interpreting it. They often tell me that they have a “wonderful traveling radiologist/internist” who comes in at a regular interval to conduct ultrasound exams on their accumulated cases.

Fetal aging via ultrasound exam is another big benefit of imaging over traditional palpation in bovine reproduction, as being able to visually assess the pregnancy improves accuracy significantly. Aging is employed in many situations; it can be done to delineate AI from bull-bred pregnancies, to separate animals into calving groups and monitor for dystocias, and to maximize nutritional efficiency throughout the stages of pregnancy, to name a few. While aging via ultrasound is traditionally done prior to 120 days of gestation, we are able to obtain measurements later than ever with the advent of deeper-penetrating, wider field-of-view transducers.

Identification of fetal anomalies or accidents of gestation can not be done in a practical manner during gestation without the use of diagnostic ultrasound, and is one of many examples that demonstrate the superiority of reproductive ultrasound over manual palpation and other manners of pregnancy diagnosis in cattle.

This week we have showcased some of the more common disorders seen in the bovine fetus.

Image #1...FEMALE

Established in 1995, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located in the beautiful Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserve, close to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. The sanctuary covers 100 acres of important rainforest and watershed.

Tacugama was established in 1995 to home and rehabilitate confiscated, orphaned and abandoned chimps. It is illegal in Sierra Leone to hunt, capture, kill or keep chimpanzees—the sanctuary now takes care of over 90 chimps. Much work is also undertaken towards stopping the illegal trade of this endangered species and supporting the protection and conservation of chimpanzees in the wild through education, communication and legal enforcement.

Did you know about our student programs?

At E.I Medical Imaging we are dedicated to the teaching and development of students. We understand that while in school it may be hard to get hands on experience with ultrasound. That’s why we have launched a program to help prepare you for your future as a veterinarian. 

IBEX^® PRO/c

The new high definition CLi4HD, hard-wired to an updated PRO platform. Designed specifically for bovine and equine reproduction. New technology provides clear, high definition scans seen only on higher end ultrasound units. More information...

On a recent bikepacking trip in the UK, E.I. Medical Imaging staff vet Dr. Erika Wierman had this charming encounter...