Ultrasound-Guided Cytologies & Biopsies

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a procedure in which we use the ultrasound machine to see exactly where we are inserting a very fine needle. This allows us to safely extract a small sample of cells or fluid from an internal organ.

It is similar to a vaccination or blood draw. We use needles of the same thickness or even finer. The discomfort is minimal and most animals barely notice thanks to our precision.

It depends on the area to be sampled and the animal's temperament. Many superficial punctures (skin, lymph nodes, liver) can be done without sedation in calm patients. For deeper organs or nervous animals, we may recommend very light sedation to ensure precision.

The sample is stained and examined under the microscope. In many cases we can give you a preliminary impression the same day, but the final diagnosis requires sending the sample to the pathology laboratory, whose results may take 2-5 working days.