Importance of fasting in preparing dogs for abdominal ultrasound examination of specific organs.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the effect of fasting on the technical success of abdominal ultrasonography specifically in respect of examination of the gall bladder, duodenum, pancreas, adrenal glands and portal vein in dogs.


METHODS
Randomised, prospective study of 150 dogs with a variety of physical characteristics. Animals were divided into two groups of 75 dogs each. Dogs in Group 1 were fasted for 8 to 12 hours before ultrasonographic evaluation and those in Group 2 were not but received food anytime between 10 minutes and 2 hours before the procedure.


RESULTS
Intraluminal gas can influence the visibility of organs, but intraluminal gas accumulation occurred independently of fasting status. The assessment of abdominal organs was not affected by whether or not an animal was fasted.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine fasting of dogs before abdominal ultrasonography is not essential.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
D A A
DA
Garcia
T R
TR
Froes
D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D004386:Duodenum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography