Information for Pet Owners

How will an MRI help my pet?
What is MRI and how does it work?
Why has my veterinarian recommended an MRI for my pet?
Is anesthesia necessary?
Will my pet have to be hospitalized or stay overnight?
Is the MRI painful for my pet?
Is the MRI safe?
How long will the MRI take?
When will I get results?
Can I be in the room when the procedure is done?
How do I prepare my pet for an MRI?
What happens when I bring my pet to PetsDx for an MRI?
Will the MRI affect my pets behavior?
Services and Cost
How do I make an appointment?
When do I get the results?

Why has my veterinarian recommended an MRI for my pet?

Our pets can't talk, so figuring out what's making them sick is often complicated. If the more common diagnostic tests have failed to determine your pet's problem, your veterinarian needs the detailed information provided by an MRI to give your pet the same dependable quality of care you get from your physician.

The highly detailed anatomical and physiologic information provided by an MRI allows your veterinarian to provide your pet better care. A good example of this is a comparison of diagnostic procedures for identifying elbow joint fractures. In a 1997 study presented in the Journal of Veterinary Research, fractures of the elbow were detected with X-Ray's only 33% of the time. MRI, on the other hand, was able to detect fractures 95% of the time. MRI is also valuable in helping your veterinarian minimize anesthesia time and reduce post-operative complications if surgery is needed. The end result is a better outcome for your pet.

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How will an MRI help my pet?

With the help of an MRI, your veterinarian can identify the true nature of your pet's problem, giving you peace of mind and allowing your veterinarian to more effectively treat your pet.

MRI is a very powerful imaging tool. With an MRI, your veterinarian and veterinary radiologist can see soft tissues such as the brain or spine, joints, and cardiovascular structures in even better detail than with radiographs (x-rays) or CT-scan.

In fact, one of the leading publications in veterinary medicine (DVM Sept 1, 2000) recently stated that MRI is now considered the best test for imaging soft tissues, especially the brain and spine.

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What is MRI and how does it work?

MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It is an advanced imaging tool that's been safely used by human doctors and radiologists for the past two decades to look with great detail at the internal structures of the body. See the examples below

MRI image of canine brain

Unlike x-rays and CT, MRI does not use ionizing radiation. Instead, it uses magnetic fields and pulses of radio waves to temporarily and harmlessly energize molecules in your pet's body. As they relax, these energized molecules give off a signal that is made into an image by a computer.

The image produced gives your veterinarian and veterinary radiologist highly detailed information about any functional or structural abnormalities your pet may have. Consequently, your veterinarian can better determine the specific cause of your pets' problem.

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Is anesthesia necessary?

For the MRI to give your veterinarian the answers they need, your pet must remain very still. If any motion occurs, test results will be negatively affected. Since we can't ask your pet to hold still, they must be anesthetized.

Your consent is required before any anesthesia will be given.

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Will my pet have to be hospitalized or stay overnight?

Hospitalization is not necessary after an MRI. Your pet will go home after the MRI has been performed and they have recovered from the anesthesia.

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Is the MRI painful for my pet?

No. The MRI is painless. Some pets are uncomfortable because of other health problems. We will take great care in ensuring their comfort.

Is the MRI safe?

The safety of MRI has been tested in human medicine for nearly twenty years. Complication rates for the nearly 8 million people who have had an MRI are very low. Any risk to your pet arises from the need for anesthesia during the procedure. While risk can't be completely eliminated, we take extreme care in anesthetizing your pet. In fact, your pet will be anesthetized using many of the same medications that human anesthesiologists use when anesthetizing pediatric and critically ill patients.

To ensure your pet's well-being:

• Your family veterinarian will complete blood work and any other testing needed and submit results to us before we anesthetize your pet. This way, we can tailor our anesthetic plan specifically to your pet.
• Your pet will be closely monitored by an experienced veterinarian and veterinary technician before, during, and after the procedure. Your pet's heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen concentration, and other parameters will be closely watched

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How long will the MRI take? When will I get results?

The average scan can take between 45-75 minutes to perform. The duration may be longer or shorter depending on the region(s) of the pet that are imaged.

Once complete, all images will be submitted to a board certified veterinary radiologist. The radiologist's report will be submitted to your veterinarian within 24-48 hours.

You must contact your veterinarian for the MRI results. The final report will be submitted to your veterinarian, who will diagnose yours pet's condition and agree upon the appropriate treatment with you.

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Can I be in the room when the procedure is done?

Your pet's well-being is very important to us. We will prepare your pet for and care for them during the MRI with the same discipline and seriousness of any complex surgical procedure. It is especially important to avoid interruptions and possible distractions to allow the PetsDx veterinary staff and MRI technologist to fully concentrate on caring for your pet and performing the MRI expediently and properly. The MRI will be completed much more rapidly when only trained staff is present.

Of course, you are welcome to wait in our offices during the procedure. We will be happy to let you be with your pet as soon as he or she wakes up.

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How do I prepare my pet for an MRI?

Because your pet must be anesthetized for the MRI, withhold all food, including treats, starting at 10:00 p.m. the night before the MRI. Water is permissible until 6 a.m. on the day of the procedure.

If your pet is currently on any medications, please ask your veterinarian if they should be given the morning of the scan.

During the admission process, the PetsDx Veterinary Imaging professionals will be happy to answer any additional questions you might have regarding the MRI. We will also ask that you sign a consent form for the procedure and for the administration of general anesthesia.

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What happens when I bring my pet to PetsDx for an MRI?

The PetsDx Imaging Center provides a reception area you can use during your pet's MRI. The entire process will take between two to three hours.

If you don't want to wait, you can leave your pet with us and schedule a time to return after the procedure. If you leave the center, please make sure our staff has an immediate contact phone number in the event of a question or scheduling change.

After you enter our facility, the following will take place:

• The staff veterinarian will answer any questions you may have and perform a physical exam before anesthetizing your pet
• If needed, your pet will be given a mild sedative and pain killer. Both are very safe
• An intravenous catheter will be placed for the administration of anesthetic agents. Hair around the catheter site will be clipped
• Your pet will be anesthetized and the MRI performed
• Following the MRI, your pet will be moved to a warm, comfortable recovery area. Once your pet has recovered from the anesthesia, they will be ready to go home
• A board-certified veterinary radiologist will review the images and provide a written report. The report will be sent to your veterinarian between 24-48 hours
• When your pet is discharged, one of the veterinary staff will discuss care at home following anesthesia in detail

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Will the MRI affect my pets behavior?

Pets are usually quiet and may be off-balance following general anesthesia. Do not be alarmed if your pet shows less interest in food the day of the procedure. Your pet should return to normal in one to two days.

Pets may also experience a mild cough following anesthesia, due to the breathing tube used during the MRI procedure. This usually disappears after a few days.

However, if you observe any unusual behavior, or have any concerns, always contact your veterinarian immediately.

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Services and Cost

Your veterinarian will be able to discuss the cost of the MRI once they have talked to the Imaging Center's staff veterinarian about your pet's needs.

The cost of your pet's MRI covers the following:

• Evaluation of your pet in preparation for anesthesia
• Intensive patient monitoring and care before, during and after the MRI. This includes giving intravenous fluids and monitoring vital signs and patient status with specialized equipment
• Interpretation of test results by our highly qualified board certified veterinary radiologists with extensive experience in veterinary MRI

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How do I make an appointment?

Veterinary referrals are required to schedule an appointment.

After we have spoken with your veterinarian, we will be able to quickly schedule an appointment for your pet.

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When do I get the results?

Veterinary radiologists trained in MRI will read the images and create an interpretative report within 2 days of your pet's MRI.

The final report will be submitted to your veterinarian, who will diagnose your pet's condition and agree upon the appropriate treatment with you.

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