Whether we like technology or not it has undeniably transformed the way we live and work in recent years, and the use of technology in veterinary practice has come on in leaps and bounds.

Yesterday I was able to make use of a service that has truly enhanced what we can offer in first opinion practice, thanks to modern technology.

Ultrasound is something that we have been using in practice for several years, most of you will associate ultrasound with pregnancy scans but it can be used for so much more than this.

When doing an ultrasound of the heart the procedure is referred to as an Echocardiogram (or Echo for short). An echo is the most useful technique for examining the shape and size of the heart muscle, the health of the heart valves, how well the heart is contracting and much more.

As general practitioners we can carry out basic scans but to do a full echo you need to be a knowledgeable cardiologist with plenty of experience and further qualifications. Luckily nowadays, with the help of internet connections between machines, we can do a heart scan in Dorchester while a cardiology expert directs us remotely and takes all sorts of measurements.

This means that owners can have a specialist echocardiogram carried out on their pet without having the stress of travelling to a referral hospital.

These specialists can then advise us on the most up to date treatment options and provide follow on care for the patient whilst all the care is still based at their local practice.

None of this would be possible without recent advances in connectivity and it is great to be able to offer such a thorough service at our own clinic.

* Alice Moore is a vet at Castle Veterinary Clinic, Dorchester and Weymouth. Tel 01305 267083