Can you give a second opinion on my dog's x-rays? What do they show?

I don’t think the heart looks terribly enlarged, maybe on the big side of normal. Ask the vet who took the rads if they are able to submit them to a radiologist for review. (A radiologist is a vet who spent at least 3 additional years to do a residency to specialize and study only imaging. Their expertise is really valuable in cases that are not clear cut and obvious.) If his lab work is all normal, and a radiologist is concerned about the appearance of the heart, then it’s logical to seek out an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) by a veterinary cardiologist. If a radiologist does NOT think the heart looks questionable, and Boo’s lab work is all normal, it might be worth considering an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram of the belly) to see if there are any abnormalities there (enlarged lymph nodes, abnormal spleen, any abnormality in GI or urinary tract, etc). I hope that’s helpful, sorry there is no easy clear cut answer. Interpreting X-rays is like looking at 1 piece of a puzzle. History and clinical signs, physical exam, lab work, and other imaging all tie in to the bigger picture. If you would like to have a consult, I may be able to help you further with more information, and would do my best to help point you in the right direction. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is difficult to make the diagnosis from the picture you posted but the rounded, egg-shaped area in the central part of the abdomen looks abnormal. Also, a part of the kidney is surprisingly dense, which could be a sign of a disease. I would not be able to make a diagnosis without having Coco fully examined and receiving full clinical history. However, I am concerned about the large shadow in the abdomen and the dense part of the kidney. The chest looks normal for a cat of her age. If you have more x-rays of Coco (ideally a view called dorso-ventral) that would be very helpful if post them on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately the quality of the image coming through to us isn't great. If you are talking about the circular area on the upper right side of the abdomen, this is gas in the stomach and can be normal. If your vet wants to try additional diagnostics but doesn't have ultrasound, they could do a barium study, or they could send the x-rays to a radiologist for review (a veterinary radiologist has extensive training at reviewing x-rays and so can sometimes interpret things a regular vet may not). X-rays can be send electronically to a radiologist for review through various services, so I would ask them if they feel either of these options would be appropriate.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I can explain some of these findings for you: Temperature is normal. Pulse and respiratory rate are mildly elevated for a 60lb dog but this could have been due to mild stress. MM is mucous membranes, or gums, which should be pink and moist. CRT is capillary refill time, which is a test of blood perfusion of tissues - <2 seconds is normal. EENT (ears/eyes/nose/throat) WNL (within normal limits). The muffled heart sounds could be indicative of thick fur, but can also be a sign of fluid present around the heart (called pericardial effusion). Diesel's lungs sounded normal. His abdomen palpated enlarged, and free fluid in the abdomen was suspected, which is abnormal. LN/NS (lymph nodes and nervous system) within normal limits. MS (musculoskeletal) - he was limping on his right front leg after x-rays were taken, but NSF (no significant findings) were found on palpation of the leg. He was standing with his wrist (carpus) slightly flexed. No pain in hind limbs, albeit slightly decreased range of motion (ROM). I would be most concerned about the muffled heart sounds (possibility of pericardial effusion) and abdominal fluid. It sounds like Diesel would benefit from chest x-rays and abdominal x-rays and/or abdominal ultrasound to evaluate his heart and abdominal organs, to see if there is evidence of cancer that may warrant a visit to an oncologist. I hope this is helpful!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sparkie. It is difficult to say with only one view, but I think that his heart looks enlarged on the x-ray. His trachea also appears elevated. This can cause coughing. Did he have any blood work performed to look for internal abnormalities? I would also evaluate his joints and mobility as this can be a significant source of pain in an older dog. It is worth seeking a second opinion if you are not happy with his exam. You know your dog. I hope this information helps!

Unfortunately, the x-rays are not showing up as well here as the originals would, so I'll comment on what I see, but I could easily be missing something. The heart does not appear enlarged, but their are some distended arteries in the x-ray that make me suspicious of heart disease and more specifically heartworm. The abdomen is generally distended and the liver appears somewhat enlarged. This can happen with the heart disease I mentioned or some other condition affecting the liver. I do not see an obvious pyometra on the x-rays or ultrasound (sonogram). I wish I could help you with the other questions, but it's impossible without me knowing the cat's full history, or having the opportunity to examine the cat myself. One thing we can offer on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach is a consultation. This is a service that you would have to pay for, but it would allow you to text back-and-forth with one of our experts and send as many pictures as you want. With these consultations, we can help to identify the problems by gaining all the necessary information. Otherwise, you may seek a second opinion from another veterinarian in your area. I hope this is somewhat helpful and everything turns out OK Maicah.

Hi and thanks for your request The trachea does not seem collapsed but there may be a radiopacity superimposed on top of the trachea at the level of thoracic inlet. This may be on the left or right side, pushing the trachea sideway. A ventro-dorsal view or an ultrasound should be performed to assess this.