Dog Ultrasound


Plen Medical-Dog Ultrasound Machine Center

Your Reliable Dog Ultrasound machine manufacturer in China



What is dog ultrasound?

A dog ultrasound machine helps veterinarians detect a lot of information about their internal functions, allowing them to find abnormalities. For small animals like dogs and cats, ultrasound can be beneficial as it reaches places unreachable by other diagnostic imaging methods.

Using x-rays, you can only see the size and shape of the organ, but a dog ultrasound scanning machine allows you to view internal structures and the tissues that make up the dog’s organs.

Ultrasound scanning machine for dogs is an overall invaluable, non-invasive diagnostic tool to protect your dog’s well-being.



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FAQ



Fasting is recommended before a dog’s abdominal ultrasound because when your dog eats, the air trapped in the abdomen later impedes the ultrasound process as the US waves fail to penetrate the atmosphere.

This will affect the image quality. Hence, if you prevent your dog from eating before the process, a better image will be produced.


Water is permitted, although make sure your dog doesn’t urinate within 3 hours before its study.


A dog ultrasound examination is not necessarily accurate in determining the number of puppies and the size of the litter. 

When to ultrasound a pregnant dog is a significant question. 

Having your dog scanned between 30 – 35 days of gestation is a good time for estimating the number of puppies, but again this is only an estimate.


A dog pregnancy ultrasound is very accurate, provided it is done at the right time with the right equipment by a trained professional.

4 weeks after the last mating is an excellent time to confirm pregnancy through dog pregnancy ultrasound. 4 weeks after ovulation, the puppies are big enough to see but small enough to count how many. 


Ultrasound can be wrong about the number of puppies in the dog’s womb.

Although the best time to get a dog pregnancy ultrasound done is 30 days from ovulation, the scans can miss small litters even at 5 weeks.

If you get the ultrasound done within 3-4 weeks, it might not confirm pregnancy at that stage.


Ultrasound is a very safe and humane technique as the pitch of ultrasound used in the dog ultrasound scanning machine cannot be heard even by dogs.

The water-based gel used as a facilitator for the probe to work is also harmless.

There is no need for anesthesia unless your dog is moving too much or in the case of higher operations like surgery.


The ultrasound gel is used before using the dog ultrasound machine to get pictures of the internal organs of dogs. It is entirely safe and has no side effects.


A dog ultrasound is a pain-free process. The ultrasound waves are so high-pitched that even your dog won’t be able to catch them.

Getting the fur of a particular region shaved is a prerequisite for the gel to work in a dog ultrasound and conduct the diagnosis.

The gel is harmless and shouldn’t cause any irritation to your dog.


Anesthesia is not usually required for ultrasound examination as the technique is entirely painless and won’t hurt your dog.

Biopsies are an exception as they require anesthesia.

But otherwise, most dogs will get through the dog ultrasound scan comfortably. If your dog gets restless or scared during an ultrasound, a sedative may be administered to it. 

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Dog Ultrasound Machine: The Definitive Guide

An ultrasound examination is an imaging technique that is non-invasive and lets you look at the internal body structures by recording echoes or reflections of ultrasonic waves.

Ultrasound waves are considered safer as compared to x-rays. The ultrasound technique is also called ultrasonography.

This is the best technique for examining internal organs, and in the case of veterinarians, ultrasound is most commonly used at the time of animal pregnancy.

This is very safe because, unlike other methods, it doesn’t release radiation, so it’s the preferred method to observe a developing fetus. 

Apart from pregnancy, the ultrasound technique is also invaluable in checking heart conditions and spotting variations in abdominal organs.

Ultrasonography is indispensable in the detection of cysts and tumors.

Ultrasound can take varied forms depending on the kind of images produced.

A B-mode veterinary ultrasound is the most popularly used for veterinary treatments.

It’s called 2-D ultrasound, and it gives a 2-dimensional image of the scanned organ.

This type of ultrasound is used to examine abdominal areas, conduct pregnancy diagnosis, cardiac functions, examine eyes and bladder etc., for animals like dogs.

Does my dog need an ultrasound?

If your dog is facing health conditions such as vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, loss of appetite, etc., you must schedule an appointment as soon as possible and take it to the vet to get a dog ultrasound scanning done.

Why does a dog need an ultrasound?

Many situations could call for an ultrasound for dogs:

●A blood test showing abnormal results

● Severe diarrhea and nausea

● Constant weight loss with no attached reason

● Fluid congestion in chest or abdomen

● Pregnancy check

● Chronic infections, especially bacterial or viral

● Re-examination of a previous problem

When can a dog have an ultrasound?

You should book an appointment for a dog pregnancy ultrasound scan with your vet after your dog has at least a 30 days gestation period.

Keep track of how many days pregnant your dog is by performing progesterone testing. 

Remember to use the number of days post the latest mating date if your criteria are for booking an appointment for dog pregnancy ultrasound scanning

Having your dog scanned super early can cause problems because:

● Any experienced professional would confirm pregnancy to you by studying the viability of the unborn puppies.

Gestation sacs can’t help determine that. The veterinarian has to check the movement and heartbeats.

Most portable dog ultrasound scanning machines fail to catch the fetus’s heart when scanned before 30 days have passed. 

● Pregnancies at earlier stages can be quickly resorbed, so just because your dog is pregnant at 20 days doesn’t mean the pregnancy will sustain later at 30 days.

It will also be a waste of money because you will likely have to get a re-scanning done.

So don’t accept if anyone offers you to do a dog ultrasound pregnancy scanning before 30 days.

There’s a high chance they are not adequately trained, are unethical and want to mint money from you in the short term at any cost, or both.

Even highly experienced dog ultrasound scanners which are confident to identify early pregnancies in their dogs accurately are unlikely to offer this as a service to others because of the reasons above.

This could lead to getting a false positive or a false negative and only mar their reputation.

Where to get a dog ultrasound?

Earlier, there weren’t many options of choosing where to get a dog ultrasound scan done.

Any veterinarian nearby who owned a dog ultrasound scanner would be a go-to option.

With multiple veterinarians and non-vets using dog ultrasound scanning machines, it is easier to find one.

However, you must avoid going to non-vets because sometimes a dog ultrasound scan can reveal unexpected conditions that might require urgent veterinary attention.

So, it’s better to go to someone trained not to put your dog’s life at stake.

You can search your postcode in online directories to know where to get a dog ultrasound near you. 

How to ultrasound a dog?

An instrument called a ‘transducer’ emits high-frequency sound waves when placed on your dog’s body.

The transducer picks up these reflections as these waves are reflected from the body’s internal structures.

A computer screen then converts these echoes into images that indicate the size, design, and development of organs.

The images are displayed on a television-type monitor dog ultrasound scanner during the examination and captured electronically from a recorded videotape as instant pictures.

It is a zero discomfort process for your dog during these scans. The only thing done to your dog’s body is that its hair is shaved and gel applied between the skin and transducer.

If your dog is getting restless, sedation or anesthesia may be needed to keep it still for detailed study using the dog ultrasound scanning machine.

● Dog ultrasound preparation

Before you take your dog for an ultrasound procedure, remember to follow these steps:

1. Fasting is essential. Feeding your dog the night before the ultrasound procedure should be avoided using it.

It is necessary because a full stomach will impede the imaging of the organs near the stomach.

2. Water is allowed but make sure your dog doesn’t urinate 3 hours before its study. Having a full or partially full urinary bladder aids the examination to be more effective.

● Dog ultrasound process

A dog ultrasound scanning machine focuses a narrow beam of high-frequency sound waves into the area of the problem.

The tissues may absorb, reflect or transmit the ultrasound waves that they encounter.

The ultrasound waves are then mirrored, and the reflected waves come as echoes which get converted into an image that can then be assessed to find out any issues.

The idea is displayed as a 2-D picture on the monitor, and the visible tissues can be observed and examined.

What dog can ultrasound check?

A dog ultrasound machine can check the following:

● Dog pregnancy ultrasound

A dog pregnancy ultrasound is done using the dog ultrasound scanner. It is carried out just as it is done in humans. A dog pregnancy ultrasound can tell the veterinarian if the dog is pregnant and determines the puppies’ heartbeat.

● Dog abdominal ultrasound

A dog abdominal ultrasound may be recommended by your veterinarian if there are any abnormalities found in your dog’s blood or urine tests.

It allows for the visibility of the internal organs of dogs to determine the reason for the said abnormalities.

● Dog ultrasound liver

Dog ultrasound scanning is the most common method to test dogs with suspected liver disease, including vascular anomalies.

Contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasound (CEHU) is a non-invasive and accurate method of differentiating benign from malignant hepatic nodules in dogs.

This also covers dog gallbladder ultrasound, which is present near the liver. It can help detect gallbladder disease. 

● Dog bladder ultrasound

Dog ultrasound scanner allows us to peek inside the bladder, the kidneys, the prostate or uterus.

An ultrasound is recommended if your pet has difficulties urinating, has recurrent infections, or a blood test shows kidney problems or disease.

Dog bladder ultrasound also makes the diagnosis of a bladder tumor easier. Dog kidney ultrasound helps in the evaluation of canine kidneys.

● Dog heart ultrasound

Your veterinarian may recommend a dog heart ultrasound if your dog has a heart condition.

A dog heart ultrasound is referred to as an echocardiogram, and it helps you know whether your dog needs heart medication or not.

● Ultrasound of Some Other Tissues

Every soft tissue in the body of the dog can undergo an ultrasound. A dog ultrasound scanning machine can evaluate any abnormalities in the thyroid glands, eyes, ligaments and tendons.

Suppose abnormal tissue is detected during a dog ultrasound scan. Samples of the tissue can be collected using ultrasound.

What does a dog ultrasound show?

Since your dog can’t talk, a dog ultrasound scanning machine is used as a medium to speak on behalf of your dog.

Non-invasive scanning using a dog ultrasound scanner can be carried out in most internal organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, bowel, spleen, bladder, prostate and uterus.

Information can be gathered on the size and texture of organs, which helps diagnose disease. 

A dog ultrasound machine enables a minimally invasive biopsy probe that helps collect tissue samples without large incisions in the abdomen.

Ultrasounds are the most reliable form of pregnancy diagnosis for dogs.

How to read dog ultrasound?

The first step for reading the ultrasound image is to know the anatomy that you are imaging.

Different body tissues conduct sound in various manners. Some tissues absorb ultrasound waves while others reflect them.

Also, the speed at which the echoes return is determined by the density of the tissue.

In the dog ultrasound images, remember that fluid is always black, and tissue is gray.

As the density of the tissue increases, it will appear more white, the brightest white being the bone.

How long does dog ultrasound take?

A dog abdominal ultrasound can take 20-60 minutes to be performed.

This dog ultrasound time includes the whole procedure from shaving the fur to applying the gel to the probe to obtain an image in the dog ultrasound scanning machine.

How Much Does Dog ultrasound cost?

The cost of a dog ultrasound varies. When performed at a hospital, dog ultrasound scans can be more expensive than those achieved in stand-alone facilities.

Ultrasound performed by a licensed professional can cost between $100 and $500, depending on where you get it done. 

Biopsies, fine needle aspirates, anesthesia or IV fluids will attract additional costs if indicated.

● Dog pregnancy ultrasound cost

The dog pregnancy ultrasound cost is approximately $300-$500, depending on where you get it done.

● Dog abdominal ultrasound price

The dog’s abdominal ultrasound cost is approximate $300-$350 with a general practice veterinarian and $400-$500 with a specialist.

● Dog liver ultrasound cost

The cost of a dog liver ultrasound scan differs depending on the operator’s experience, but the expected price is around $200.

The cost of histology by an outside laboratory usually is around $80 – $100, excluding additional expenses.

A dog’s size and length of the dog liver ultrasound procedure determine the cost of anesthesia and laparotomy. A ballpark estimate would be $750. 

If a liver biopsy has to be performed on the dog, extra fees might be incurred, such as intravenous fluids, which cost around $50 or drugs such as vitamin K injections. 

● Dog heart ultrasound cost

The dog heart ultrasound cost is approximately $500-$600 when done by a certified cardiologist, whereas when done by an experienced general practitioner, dog heart ultrasound costs roughly $300-$350. 

● Dog bladder ultrasound cost

dog kidney ultrasound cost

A dog bladder ultrasound may go from $130 up to $1,100 depending on the location, size, and type of facility.

If you get the dog bladder ultrasound done from a hospital, the cost will be on the higher end.

Is it necessary to shave my dog’s fur?

The fur is shaved in most cases to perform an ultrasound examination on dogs. Contact of the probe with skin is significant since ultrasound waves need a medium, which can’t be transmitted through the air.

In some cases, moistening the fur with a small amount of alcohol and applying a considerable amount of ultrasound gel is enough for the dog ultrasound scanning machine to work and produce images of the internal organs of dogs to assess the condition.

However, it is always better to shave the fur for better-quality ultrasound images.

Your dog’s fur will grow in about 3-4 weeks after the dog ultrasound.

In case the weather is cold, or your dog is kept outdoors mostly, then you can provide them with a warm sweater or extra bedding while their fur re-grows.

When will I know the results of the examination?

The dog ultrasound activity is performed in real-time, so the results are known immediately.

In some instances, the ultrasound images may be sent for further analysis if needed, in which case, it takes a few days to generate the final report.

Is the technique affordable?

Initially, the cost may seem high, but given the expensive equipment, specialized training requirement to conduct it and examine the images and the significant amount of time spent carrying out the process, it is moderate.

Dog ultrasound machines are great tools for the diagnosis of your dogs’ medical conditions.

They are instrumental in pregnancy examinations, internal organ evaluation, cardiac testing and eye disease diagnosis. 

Who Is Qualified to Give Dogs an Ultrasound?

Not all vets are qualified to perform ultrasound examinations on dogs. Only vets who have a certification in ultrasonography can do it.

Dog Ultrasonic Device

Ultrasonic dog training uses specific dog ultrasonic devices such as dog repellents and deterrents to train the dogs.

You may find reviews that make you question the effectiveness of these tools in training dogs. However, these dog ultrasonic devices are harm-free to train dogs. 

Ultrasonic sound is anything higher than 20 kHz (20,000 hertz), which is approximately the highest frequency of sound that a human ear can hear. 

Dog ultrasonic devices are a humane way to keep your dog at bay. Even though you are good to your dogs, they might not listen to you or follow your instructions.

This is a common problem while training dogs. No matter what size or breed, they may exhibit certain destructive behaviors such as excessive barking. 

If you’ve adopted a rescue dog or a stray dog, training it would be even more complex.

Constant barking can prove to be a headache to you and your family. For keeping dogs under control, dog ultrasonic devices are great.

The best anti-bark dog ultrasonic device options will train your dog to be quieter and calmer.

An anti-barking device serves as a deterrent and rids your dog of excessive barking behaviors.

You can find a great list of bark control dog ultrasonic devices through Amazon reviews, expert opinions, and informative videos to aid you in knowing about all the possible features of a dog barking deterrent.