Tandem Vet’s Ultrasound Preparation Instructions

• Fasting: Please have your pet FAST (no food) starting at 10:00 PM the night before the ultrasound. Access to water is perfectly fine.
• Please be aware that we will need to shave your pet’s abdomen. Ultrasound waves cannot travel through fur, and we cannot obtain clear, diagnostic-quality pictures without direct skin contact.
• Communication: Please keep your phone nearby and available at all times on the ultrasound day. We may need to reach you quickly to discuss findings or make further clinical decisions.
• Sedation & Consent: To ensure a stress-free experience and clear imaging, sedation is sometimes required.
  
  • The cost of sedation is already included in the estimate provided to you.
  • Upon arrival, you will be asked to sign a sedation consent form so that we can proceed efficiently if our team determines it is in your pet’s best interest.
  • In some cases, we may recommend pre-visit medications such as gabapentin and/or trazodone. If we feel these medications would benefit your pet, our team will contact you prior to the appointment with instructions. These medications can help reduce fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in the hospital setting and may also allow for a smoother recovery if sedation becomes necessary.

Results & Timeline

• Radiologist Review: All images will be sent to a Board-Certified Radiologist for expert review.
• Follow-up: I will touch base with you this coming Tuesday with the full results and clinical recommendations.
• Urgent Findings: If anything appears urgent during the scan, we will submit a "STAT" review and notify you immediately. We will let you know beforehand if a STAT review is being initiated.