If you’ve seen the image of an unborn child inside a mother’s womb, you’ve witnessed the power of ultrasound. The same technology can provide a window into your pet’s body, revealing problems and aiding treatment.

Ultrasound waves emitted from a transducer are reflected as they pass through tissues. Recorded data are then translated into a real-time image of the body’s organs at work.

Where surgery was once the only way to diagnose certain diseases, ultrasound now provides a non-invasive and relatively inexpensive alternative. Some treatments, like fluid removal from body cavities, are also facilitated by ultrasound imaging. In other cases, visualizing a foreign object or mass can confirm the need for surgery.

Ironically, invisible ultrasound waves have shed light on a previously hidden world. Now that’s an ultra-useful tool.