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How to perform a FAST ultrasound in a dog | VETgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Videos

In this VETgirl online veterinary continuing education video, we demonstrate how to perform a FAST ultrasound in a dog. The focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) ultrasound is a 2-minute procedure that detects the presence of fluid in the abdominal cavity to allow for rapid therapeutic intervention (e.g., fluid resuscitation, abdominocentesis, cytology, clinicopathologic testing). This rapid method of ultrasound is designed to be used by health care professionals with limited ultrasonographic training and is not designed for extensive examination of the abdomen. The added benefit of the FAST examination is the ability to detect very small amounts of fluid. Typically, 5 to 25 ml/kg of fluid needs to be present to be removed by blind abdominocentesis; > 10 to 20 ml/kg of fluid has to be present before it can be detected by fluid-wave assessment on physical examination; and approximately 8.8 ml/kg of fluid needs to be present before it can be detected radiographically. On the contrary, as little as 2 ml/kg of fluid can be detected on a FAST examination, allowing for rapid diagnosis and identification of underlying pathology.

Ideally, the FAST ultrasound should be performed in the position that the patient is the most comfortable and least stressed (e.g., lateral). The FAST examination typically involves assessment of 4 sites of the abdomen: caudal to the xiphoid, cranial to the bladder, and the right and left dependent flank. The presence of fluid at any of the sites is considered positive. Evaluation of the xiphoid region allows you to check for fluid between the liver and diaphragm and the liver lobes, as well as for pericardial or pleural effusion. Evaluation of the bladder view evaluates for fluid cranial to the bladder and for the presence of a bladder. The right dependent flank allows for fluid detection between the intestines and the body wall, whereas the left dependent flank view allows for identification of the spleen, abdominal effusion near the spleen and body wall, the kidney and spleen, and the liver and spleen.

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