Portable Ultrasounds: A Must-Have For The Dynamic Country Vet

An ultrasound enables you to provide more effective care as a veterinarian. Whether you're using the created image to biopsy diseased tissue on a sick pig or to diagnose a horse's abdominal condition, ultrasounds speed up the process of treating your patients.

But if you're a country vet, traveling to the location of the animal is a job requirement. Traditional console ultrasounds found in an office practice won't serve. Since you often log several hours each day on the road. Your ultrasound needs to be as mobile as you are.

Portable Ultrasounds: Compact

Portable ultrasound units come in a variety of sizes ranging from 10 to 30 pounds.  The unit you ultimately choose should be based on several factors: your strength and size, your needs, and whether or not you work with an assistant. Also, consider the availability of power sources.

Portable Ultrasounds: Battery Powered

Moving a large, sick animal closer to a power source is difficult for the owner and harder on the animal. Luckily, plenty of today's portable ultrasounds are battery-powered, enabling you to go directly to the pen, stable, or pasture where the animal is located, making diagnosis easier.

Portable Ultrasounds: High Quality

In years past, the quality of the images created by portable ultrasounds lagged behind the console units found in office practices. But today, that's not the case. Many modern portable ultrasounds offer image qualities comparable to small console ultrasounds.

Create Revenue Streams

Portable ultrasounds can cost up to $30,000, depending on the variety of probes and features included in the software. This seems prohibitively expensive. However, the cost is offset by the increased profitability of your practice thanks to having the machine.

According to a 2015 study by the AAHA, the average price for an animal ultrasound performed rurally is $121. This number was based only on ultrasounds performed to diagnose an animal's abdominal issues and did not include ultrasounds for pregnancy tests and echocardiography.  You only need to use the machine a few times a week to cover its cost in a few years.

Still, many country vets remain reluctant to purchase such an expensive machine. But their hesitation is your gain because you'll quickly be able to capitalize on referrals, especially if you're the only vet in the area with a portable ultrasound.

The Bottom Line

Loading a sick horse into a trailer and then hauling it 50 miles to a vet's office isn't easy. A large part of any successful country vet practice is offering your customers convenience.  A portable ultrasound allows you to do just that. 

Additionally, you'll be able to gain their trust and confidence by utilizing the latest technology to care for their sick or injured animals effectively. Can you really afford not to have a portable ultrasound?

Contact a local portable ultrasound supplier to learn more.