Your veterinarian may recommend X-rays if your pet is experiencing:

• Lameness or suspected fractures
• Arthritis or joint problems
• Difficulty breathing or persistent coughing
• Vomiting or suspected intestinal obstruction
• Swallowed foreign objects
• Abdominal pain
• Unexplained illness requiring further investigation

Following a thorough examination, we’ll discuss whether radiographs are the most appropriate next step.

Most pets are admitted to the hospital for a short stay while their X-rays are taken. Unless your pet is being seen as an emergency, we usually ask that they arrive without breakfast, as many patients require sedation or a short general anaesthetic.

Once the X-rays have been completed, one of our veterinarians will review the images, explain the findings and discuss the recommended treatment plan with you.

Unlike people, pets don’t understand that they need to remain completely still for an X-ray. Even small movements can blur the images and make them difficult to interpret.

For this reason, many pets require sedation or a light anaesthetic so they can be positioned safely and comfortably while we obtain the highest quality images possible.

X-rays create images of the inside of your pet’s body by passing low doses of radiation through different tissues. Bones appear white, soft tissues appear in shades of grey, and air-filled areas such as the lungs appear darker. This allows our veterinarians to assess your pet’s condition and identify problems that cannot be seen during a physical examination.