How Can Technology Be Used in Veterinary Sciences?

Laser Surgery

• Laser surgery is a tiny beam that cuts through the skin for a biopsy, eye surgery or the removal of a tumor. In addition, it actually seals up the small blood vessels and nerve endings around the cut. It is useful in spaying and neutering as well as thyroidectomies--the removal of the thyroid gland.

Endoscopy

• Veterinarians can see inside your pet using a long, flexible tube that's inserted into the animal. There's a chip and strobe light at one end that captures images and sends them to a video monitor for review by the veterinarian. This technology eliminates invasive surgery. In some cases, the vet may also use the tube to insert instruments and obtain a sample for a biopsy.

Ultrasound

• Ultrasounds are painless for the animal. The vet holds a scanner-like device in his hand and moves it over the affected area of the animal. While doing this, images appear on a screen nearby. The vet can get an internal image of delicate tissue like the retina, spinal cord and developing fetuses.

  The scanner is called a transducer. It emits high-frequency sound waves that go through the animal's skin and bounce back. The nearby computer then reads the waves and translates it into a picture image.

Echocardiography

• An endocardiography is a special ultrasound that is used to take images of the heart. Similar to a regular ultrasound, the transducer emits sound waves that a computer translates into an image. An endocardiography is also used for issues pertaining to the aorta, carotid arteries and renal arteries.

MRI

• MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. Where the ultrasound uses sound waves, the MRI uses a combination of powerful magnets and radio wave technology. The MRI can take pictures through bones, and is commonly used for issues concerning soft tissue, the brain, spinal cord, joints and the abdomen.