Here at Camberwell Vet Clinic, we are one of only 9 veterinary facilities in Victoria to have a 16-slice CT scanner on-site.
We also extend this service to other clinics, to provide diagnostic images to assist your vet in treating your pet. If your vet requests to perform a scan on your pet with us, either your vet or yourself can call us to book this day procedure. A comprehensive report is sent to your vet the following morning, to ensure a speedy diagnosis, and your vet can start treatment ASAP. See below for important information about this service.
What is a CT scan?
Computed Tomography is commonly referred to as a CT scan or CAT scan. This technology is very useful when looking at parts of the body such as lungs, nasal passage and sinuses, ears, abdomen and some bones and joints.
The animal is anaesthetised and laid on the CT table, which is slowly advanced through the scanning tube. An x-ray tube rotates 360˚ around the patient to record the x-rays from many angles, creating “slices”. The computer stacks these slices together to create a 3-D image of your pet’s body parts.
What do we use it for?
Patients that may have been recommended a CT scan include those with lung disease, screening for cancer spread prior to surgery, disease in the nose or ears, suspected brain tumour, abdominal conditions and some orthopaedic conditions.
CT scans provide better differentiation of bones and soft tissues than ordinary x-rays because this slice-based technology avoids superimposition of body parts, in other words we can single out particular organs/bones/areas that would otherwise appear flattened with surrounding structures on an ordinary x-ray film.
A contrast media is usually injected intravenously to further increase differentiation.
The the images created will help your veterinarian make a definitive diagnosis and therefore offer you the best options for treating your pet.
Imaging Only Service
- The form for vets to fill out is available for download. Request forms can either be faxed, emailed, or brought along on the day with the owner and patient. Click below to download.
- The scan is done with the patient anaesthetised, therefore fasting from both food and water (unless advised otherwise by us when booking) is required from midnight the night prior
- The CT report is only available from your referring vet; please contact them for the results.
- This service is a SCAN ONLY. Therefore, no consultation fee is applied, however an appointment time must be scheduled so one of our vets can go through anaesthetic risks with you.
- Price is inclusive of anaesthetic, CT report and ward fees. It does not include any necessary treatment in the case of an emergency.
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