There are a couple of things the ultrasound is useful for...It can help determine if the liver has atrophied(shrunk) due to liver problems. It can also show if there are any bladder stones which are very common in dogs with liver problems. The type of stone that is consistent with liver problems is called ammonium urate and can ONLY be seen on ultrasound. They are NOT seen in x-rays.
If neither of these things are found, then an ultrasound could be inconclusive and further testing will be needed anyway. Ultrasounds do not typically show a liver shunt. The shunt could be positioned in an area that cannot be seen by ultrasound. Also, an ultrasound won't show if your dog has MVD.
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