For veterinary clinics
A board-certified internist on your team, on your schedule.
AIM comes to your hospital with a portable ultrasound unit and a technician, scans your patient, and sends you a written report the same day. Your client stays with you, and you stay in charge of the case.
Downloads
Prefer paper? Fill out the PDF request form and email it to info@animalinternalmed.com. The consent form is optional and yours to use.
What a visit looks like
Quiet room, calm patient, clear answers
Dr. Sikorski arrives with a portable ultrasound unit and, in almost every case, her own technician. The patient rests on a cushion in a dimmed exam room; most are scanned without sedation. Images and measurements are recorded for the file, and your written report with findings and recommendations follows the same day.
If sampling is indicated and consent is in place, a fine needle aspirate is done at the same visit, so the client is not asked to come back.
Appointment essentials
Six things that make every visit go smoothly
-
Clip at admit
Shave the patient before Dr. Sikorski arrives, ideally at admit and before kenneling. We will show your team the margins for an echo or abdominal scan.
-
Arrive one hour early
Patients should be at the hospital one hour before their scheduled appointment time.
-
Fast for abdominal scans
12 hours without food for abdominal ultrasound only. Water is always fine. No fasting for echocardiograms.
-
Plan sedation early
A pre-visit oral sedative such as trazodone, acepromazine or gabapentin keeps anxious patients calm and images sharp.
-
A quiet room
Dim or adjustable lighting, an exam table and a power outlet are all we need.
-
Consent for sampling
If an aspirate or biopsy is possible, discuss it with the owner beforehand so it can be done at the same visit. Biopsies need a coagulation profile; aspirates do not.
Clinic FAQ
Questions from referring veterinarians
Something not covered here? Call or text 877-775-2467 with your specific scenario.
How do I schedule an appointment for an ultrasound or on-site consultation?
Fill out and submit the online ultrasound request form. After you submit it, we will contact you with our availability to accommodate your request. You can also call or text 877-775-2467.
How should we prepare patients for their scan?
Shave the patient before Dr. Sikorski’s arrival. We recommend clipping at admit, prior to kenneling, which greatly helps with patient stress and case efficiency. If your staff is unfamiliar with the clipping margins for an echocardiogram or abdominal ultrasound, we are happy to provide instruction.
When should patients arrive on the day of the appointment?
Please have patients arrive one hour before their scheduled appointment time.
What consent do we need to obtain in advance?
If you anticipate that Dr. Sikorski will need to sample an organ, speak with the client beforehand so the ultrasound and the sampling procedure can happen at the same visit. A coagulation profile is necessary for all biopsies but not for fine needle aspiration. We provide a general consent form that you are welcome to use for ultrasound appointments, although AIM does not require it.
Does an AIM technician accompany every appointment?
We make every attempt to bring our own technician, though on rare occasions we may need to rely on a member of your staff for assistance. For pets over 50 lb, please have staff available to help position and hold the patient during the examination.
What type of room is needed?
A quiet space with adjustable or dim lighting, an examination table and a power outlet.
How does patient sedation work?
If you anticipate that a patient will need a light plane of sedation, consider a pre-visit, cost-effective oral sedative such as trazodone, acepromazine or gabapentin. Occasionally a patient will need injectable medication; if possible, obtain owner permission in advance. If you would like help formulating a sedation plan, please ask. A calm, restrainable patient captures the best images and maximizes the chance of reaching a diagnosis.
Do patients need to fast before appointments?
For abdominal ultrasound only, a 12-hour withholding of food (water is always fine) is ideal. Echocardiograms do not require fasting. We recognize that some patients, such as diabetics or juveniles, cannot safely fast. If a pet is accidentally fed there is a reasonable chance it will not make a significant clinical difference, so if you have any concerns, contact us with your specific scenario.
Request an appointment
Submit the online request form and we will get back to you with availability. Urgent case? Call or text and we will do our best to fit you in.