“I always try to help vets feel confident about what they’re seeing and able to take the next step with clarity.”
Dr Jennifer Judd BVMS GCertSAUA MANZCVS (Small Animal Radiology)
Clear, Confident Cardiac Ultrasound Support
Echocardiography provides detailed, real-time information about a patient’s cardiac structure and function, helping vets make informed decisions with confidence. SA Veterinary Sonography brings vet echocardiography directly to your clinic, offering accurate measurements, calm handling and same-day verbal findings.
From clarifying heart murmurs to evaluating a variety of cardiac diseases, including but not limited to degenerative mitral valve disease, we provide referral-level cardiac imaging without requiring external transport. Your patients remain under your care while we support your diagnostic plan with clear, clinically precise cardiac assessment.
Staging Heart Disease Accurately
Accurate staging is essential for managing the variety of cardiac diseases seen in small-animal practice, including but not limited to degenerative mitral valve disease. Echocardiography for dogs helps determine the stage and severity of cardiac disease, guiding when evidence-based medications may become appropriate.
SA Veterinary Sonography measures key cardiac structures and function using standard cardiac indices to support accurate disease staging. Same-day interpretation helps you identify clinically significant murmurs and provides clarity for treatment timing and ongoing monitoring.
Gentle, Clinically Informed Cardiac Assessment
Echocardiography requires gentle handling, patient stability and sedation choices that do not alter cardiac function. We use low-stress positioning and minimal sedation where needed, avoiding agents such as medetomidine that impact cardiovascular accuracy. For dyspnoeic cats, stabilisation and POCUS are always prioritised before attempting a full echocardiogram, as many of these patients are extremely fragile and require careful timing.
This approach reduces stress and ensures reliable results. With extensive experience in veterinary ultrasound, SA Veterinary Sonography provides accurate assessment even in fragile or complex patients, supporting your clinical judgement.
Benefits of Mobile Echocardiography
Mobile cardiac imaging brings echocardiography directly to your clinic, which is especially helpful for older dogs, anxious patients and cats that do not tolerate travel. It keeps the patient in a controlled, familiar environment and avoids the stress of referral, while ensuring you receive immediate verbal findings to inform treatment decisions.
This approach supports timely heart-disease staging, guides medication decisions and keeps care anchored within your clinic.
Collaborative Imaging That Supports Clinical Decisions
We provide echocardiography that supports clear cardiac staging, practical guidance and timely reporting. Our goal is to support your clinical workflow with accurate information, consistent communication and a collaborative approach that keeps the patient and client relationship within your clinic.
If you would like to arrange an echocardiogram or discuss a patient, please get in touch.
Mobile Veterinary Ultrasound Services
Advanced in-clinic ultrasound for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning, delivered through abdominal, thoracic, cardiac and reproductive imaging.
Abdominal
Comprehensive abdominal imaging assessing organs, effusion, masses, inflammation, and gastrointestinal changes.
Thoracic
Targeted thoracic ultrasound evaluating pleural effusion, lung changes, and masses, ideal for unstable or dyspneic patients.
Echocardiogram
Detailed cardiac imaging assessing structure, chamber size, function, and mitral valve disease staging for informed treatment.
Reproductive
Focused urogenital imaging assessing pregnancy, pyometra, prostatic changes, urinary tract issues, and suspected bladder stones.
Abdominal
Comprehensive abdominal imaging assessing organs, effusion, masses, inflammation, and gastrointestinal changes.
Thoracic
Targeted thoracic ultrasound evaluating pleural effusion, lung changes, and masses, ideal for unstable or dyspneic patients.
Echocardiogram
Detailed cardiac imaging assessing structure, chamber size, function, and mitral valve disease staging for informed treatment.
Reproductive
Focused urogenital imaging assessing pregnancy, pyometra, prostatic changes, urinary tract issues, and suspected bladder stones.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Have questions? We’re here to support you. Below are answers to common queries about our veterinary ultrasound services.
When should I book a vet echocardiography for a dog with a new heart murmur?
Most small-breed adult dogs with a new murmur benefit from vet echocardiography to determine if the murmur is clinically significant. An echo identifies whether the patient is still in Stage B1 or has progressed to B2, when medications like pimobendan become appropriate. This supports early, accurate management for clinics across SA.
Do you perform echocardiography on dyspnoeic cats, and when is it safe to scan them?
Cats in respiratory distress need stabilisation before a full echocardiogram. Many arrive “on a knife-edge”, and attempting to scan too early can be dangerous. We begin with POCUS to check for pleural effusion, provide mild sedation if appropriate, and support oxygenation until the patient is stable enough for echocardiography. This approach helps SA vets manage fragile cardiac cats safely while still obtaining the necessary information.
What does echocardiography show that thoracic radiographs cannot?
Echocardiography provides direct assessment of valve motion, chamber size, regurgitation severity, and cardiac function, which radiographs cannot measure. It is essential for accurate staging of degenerative mitral valve disease and helps SA vets determine the right time to begin treatment. Radiographs remain useful for pulmonary changes, but are not a substitute for echo.
Can echocardiography for dogs be performed in-clinic, or should I refer externally?
Yes, echocardiography for dogs can be performed directly in your clinic through SA Veterinary Sonography. This allows the patient to remain with their regular vet, reduces stress, and provides immediate verbal findings. External referral may still be recommended for congenital abnormalities or advanced disease requiring specialist management.
What should I do if I have a dyspnoeic cat needing cardiac assessment?
Unstable cats should be stabilised first before a full echo is attempted. We begin with POCUS to assess for pleural effusion or other urgent issues and then perform echocardiography once the patient is stable. This approach supports clinics across Adelaide and regional SA and reduces the risk associated with handling dyspnoeic patients.
How does vet echocardiography help me decide when to start cardiac medications?
Echocardiography identifies left atrial enlargement, ventricular changes, and the severity of regurgitation, which determine whether a patient has entered Stage B2 of mitral valve disease. This is the stage where pimobendan is shown to be beneficial. Accurate staging through vet echocardiography supports consistent, evidence-based treatment decisions for SA vets.
How quickly can SA vets receive results from an echocardiogram?
We provide same-day verbal findings and a detailed written report within 24 to 48 hours. This rapid turnaround supports timely treatment planning for clinics across Adelaide and regional SA, helping you manage heart murmurs, suspected heart failure, and complex cardiac cases with confidence.