Q&A with a Vet: CT Scans
CT scans provide a detailed look at your pet’s health, helping vets detect issues that X-rays might miss.
Getting the right diagnosis is one of the most important things when your pet isn’t feeling well. But some conditions, like tumors, fractures, and internal injuries, aren’t always visible on a standard X-ray. That’s where computed tomography (CT) scans come in!
At Sage Veterinary Imaging (SVI), we use advanced 128-slice CT technology to provide clear, high-resolution images, helping veterinarians detect complex pet health issues with greater accuracy and speed, helping you get the answers you need.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
What a CT scan reveals that an X-ray can’t
What to expect if your pet needs a CT scan
How fast you’ll get results, and what happens next
Keep reading as our veterinary experts answer your most common questions about CT scans for dogs and cats and explain how this technology helps your furry friends get the treatment they need.
Dr. Jaime Sage analyzes a scan to uncover hidden health issues and provide a precise diagnosis for pets.
What is a CT Scan for Pets?
A veterinary CT scan is an advanced diagnostic imaging technique that provides detailed, cross-sectional images of your pet’s body.
Unlike traditional X-rays, which offer a flat, two-dimensional view, CT scans create high-resolution, 3D images, allowing veterinarians to see internal structures with incredible clarity.
By providing a clearer and more precise picture, CT scans enable faster diagnoses and better treatment planning, ensuring your pet gets the care they need as quickly as possible.
What Can a Veterinarian Do with a CT scan?
If a standard X-ray is like looking at a shadowy outline, a CT scan is like opening a detailed blueprint of your pet’s body. This advanced imaging technology provides a layer-by-layer view of bones, organs, and soft tissues, allowing veterinarians to uncover issues that might otherwise go undetected.
Here’s how a CT scan helps veterinarians make more accurate diagnoses:
Uncover hidden bone and joint problems
Diagnose neurological and spinal conditions
Pinpoint tumors, infections, and blood clots
Guide complex procedures
Monitor chronic diseases
Detect internal trauma
With exceptional image quality and 3D detail, CT scans give veterinarians the insights they need to diagnose and treat conditions with confidence, ensuring your pet gets the best possible care.
What Happens During a Veterinary CT Scan?
The SVI team provides expert, compassionate care to ensure pets are safe and comfortable during CT scans.
When your pet comes in for a CT scan, the process is designed to be safe, quick, and stress-free. Here’s what you can expect:
Drop-Off & Preparation
Your pet will spend the day with us, receiving expert care and monitoring from our veterinary team. Depending on the type of scan needed, we may use mild sedation or full anesthesia to ensure they remain completely still for accurate imaging.
The Scanning Process
Using a high-speed 128-slice CT scanner, a narrow X-ray beam rotates around your pet, capturing multiple cross-sectional images from different angles. These images are digitally combined to create a detailed 3D model of their internal structures, allowing veterinarians to detect tumors, fractures, infections, or other concerns that may not be visible on standard X-rays.
Speed & Comfort
With quick scan times and gentle care, the SVI team keeps pets relaxed throughout the process.
Thanks to a CT scanner's advanced technology, the scan takes only a few seconds. Because of this speed, many pets do not require full anesthesia, but our doctors make this decision during the initial exam. If anesthesia is necessary, you’ll be asked to sign a consent form beforehand.
Aftercare for Your Pet
After the scan, we’ll keep a close eye on your pet as they wake up from sedation, if it was needed. Our team will update you throughout the process, so you’re never left wondering what’s next.
We’re here to make the experience as seamless as possible, delivering fast, accurate results to help you and your veterinarian make the best decisions for your pet’s care.
Will My Pet Be Anxious Without Me?
We know leaving your pet for any procedure can be stressful, but most pets handle their CT scan visit really well. Our team takes every precaution to keep them comfortable and relaxed.
If needed, we use gentle anti-anxiety or sedative medications to help them stay calm and still for imaging. Rest assured, your pet will be in caring, expert hands throughout their stay!
When Will I Get My Pet’s CT Scan Results?
We know you’re eager for answers. In most cases, CT scan results are ready within 24 hours. Our board-certified radiologists carefully review the images, create a detailed report, and send it to your primary veterinarian. If you’d like a copy for yourself, just let us know.
Where to Find CT Scans for Dogs in Texas or Utah
The Sage Veterinary Imaging team in Round Rock, Texas, including doctors, vet techs, and client services staff.
If your pet is showing unusual symptoms, discomfort, or unexplained health issues, a CT scan can provide the clarity you need.
Our 128-slice CT scanner offers exceptional image quality, allowing our radiologists, surgeons, and veterinarians to get a full picture of your pet’s health, quickly and accurately. Sage Veterinary Imaging is here to help you get the answers you need to make the best decisions for your pet’s care.
