Xrays

Zingy

My dog has to have an xray on her back leg soon, ligament damage apparently, so I was wondering what they are going to do with her.

Will she need an anesthetic for it? And how long is it going to take. She is a very nervous dog so i'm really worried about having to leave her there and her being in a cage. She's from a rescue centre.

Last thing, how much is it going to cost? She is insured and I know it depends on the area so I'm just after a rough idea.

Thanks

snowman2_2

She will need an anaesthetic, both to keep her still an enable an accurate view to be taken but also as it is against health & safety rules to manually restrain an animal for xray - and much more stressful for her. It will take 1 hour ish depending on how many xrays they take but she is likely to be in all day. She can be sedated early on the take the edge of any anxiety, the vet wont want an anxious stressed dog any more than you do. Cost - ask them for an estimate first.

Zingy

Don't think i'm going to cope with her being there all day, I was hoping it would be an hour or two at the most! Its likely she's going to need an op so I guess i'll have to get used to it.

Just got to wait for the phone call to say when she go in, slightly nervous.

pug_in_a_bed

Not necessarily, my vet has xrayed our big lurcher without g.a, best speak to your vet

Darlyd

He needs to be very still for it, Talk to your vet about it .

Wish him very well xxxx

suki1964

When my last lad was in for xrays etc I would often be called up to collect him earlier then originally suggested because he would get himself in such a state he was safer at home with me ( mind I lived two block from the vets at the time)

Be guided by your vet. Let them know your concerns and see how it goes. Wee Springer I had took to being in the vets for three days in his stride

Good luck

lisawood78

My (now with my ex) ETT was xrayed without an aneasthetic, he was told to lie down and stay and did so, but he was very chilled out with vets etc.
If yours is nervous then a GA is highly likely.
Good luck.

Zingy

She wont be nervous about being there, its just being with people she doesnt know and possibly being stuck in a cage for a few hours
Im on a course in the afternoon so I wont be able to pick her up early either, it was the only day this week she could go.

Im sure she'l be fine with it all

snowman2_2

pug_in_a_bed wrote: »

Not necessarily, my vet has xrayed our big lurcher without g.a, best speak to your vet

You aren't going to be able to xray a leg for ligament damage properly in a concious dog. The leg needs to be in fairly precise positions to get the information you need. Some good dogs with certain xrays can be done conscious eg checking for a metallic foreign body but high 90's% will need sedation / anaesthesia.

lisawood78

My ETT was xrayed for a luxating patella, in a few different positions and it was fine, but I agree that it doesn't seem possible in most situations.

snowman2_2

From the guidance notes for Hip Scores in dogs - it is a safety issue to not manually restrain any animal. Only quiet, calm animals can be radiographed without any kind of anaesthesia or sedation. I might want more kids!!

3.1 Protection of Personnel
The Guidance Notes for the Protection of Persons Against Ionising Radiations Arising from Veterinary Use (1988)
explain that only in EXCEPTIONAL circumstances should dogs be manually restrained for radiography. Since the
radiography of dogs for the purposes of this Scheme would not constitute exceptional circumstances:
(a) it is NECESSARY to employ general anaesthesia, narcosis or deep sedation to enable only mechanical (ie nonmanual) restraint for the positioning of the animal;
(b) collimation of the primary beam should be clearly visible on the radiograph.