The resulting CT images allow identification of soft tissue, air, fluid, bone, and blood vessels all at the same time, as well as any abnormalities that may be present.  Often, an intravenous contract medium (dye) is used during the CT scan to help highlight abnormal areas. These images are more in-depth than conventional x-rays.  A computer generates cross-sections, otherwise known as 'slices', which can also be used to create a 3-D image of the body.  Unlike a CT, x-rays take pictures in one plane only therefore resulting in a 2-D image.  

3-D CT imaging gives us more diagnostic information.

 

 

As with any other sedation or general anaesthetic, your pet must have food removed at midnight the night prior to the scan.  Please ensure their water is always available for your pet to drink including on the morning of surgery.  Don't forget to remove other food sources, which your pet may have access to e.g. other pet members of the family or bird seed in the garden!

 

We will book you a admission appointment with either the vet or nurse.  We will go through details such as health status, medications, dietary requirements and complete a consent form.

Some patients will need to be given a contrast injection which highlights certain parts of their bodies during their scan.  Patients receiving this will need a pre-operative blood test to check kidney and liver function amongst other parameters.  We may also recommend a blood test for other patients not receiving contrast depending on the patient's health status and needs. 
 
The contrast is a dye containing iodine that is injected into the vein just prior to scanning the patient, it blocks the x-ray radiation and appears white on the image, helping to emphasize blood vessels, intestines, and other structures in the body.

The patient will be either sedated or under a full general anaesthetic depending on the type of scan we are carrying out and the patient. Once the scan has been completed the vet will examine the images.  The patient will be woken up from their sedation/general anaesthetic.  Their anaesthetic and recovery period is monitored by a member of our Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) team and student nurses in training, under the watchful eye of the RVN.

Patients that have received the contrast will be given intravenous fluid therapy on recovery for 2 hours, this helps to flush out the contrast substance from the body. Patients that haven’t received contrast will be discharged home when recovered.

In some cases where the finding on the CT image needs further investigation and/or further procedures are needed, the patient will need to be in the practice for a longer period.  The vet will discuss all of this with you in advance and keep you updated when required.

Generally, the images will be referred to an external platform, called VetCT, where a team of specialists study the images and provide a report back to us.  Your vet will contact you with the results and a plan of action. This can take up to 4 working days, depending on the necessity for a quick report turnaround with the case, funds, etc.
 

CT scans expose patients to a small amount of ionising radiation, with the amount dependent on the type and size of the scan that is being carried out. The vet will ensure that the benefits of performing a CT scan outweighs any risks associated with the radiation dose.

 

PLEASE NOTE: A FIXED FEE IS APPLIED TO OUR CT SERVICE.  If you have any further questions, then please just ask.  While this service is readily available to all patients registered with Millennium Vets, it is also available for patients from other veterinary practices.  Not all practices have a CT scanner, so we may be your nearest one.  You will need to discuss your wishes with your own vet who will help organise a referral to Millennium.  We will then have a discussion with you regarding your pet’s needs and organise a referral consultation with one of our vets.  Please note that CT scanning will be covered under your pet's insurance - different conditions will apply with different policies and the value of any claims already made.  Click here, for more information.