{"id":89356,"date":"2026-06-11T03:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T03:25:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-06-15T11:59:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T11:59:11","slug":"news-how-ultrasonography-changed-my-veterinary-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vet.solutions\/en\/2026\/06\/news-how-ultrasonography-changed-my-veterinary-career\/","title":{"rendered":"How ultrasonography changed my veterinary career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Fiona McFarland BVSc GPAdvCert (US) MRCVS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span>Estimated reading time: <\/span>13<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who am I?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I graduated from Bristol Veterinary School in 2004 with one clear goal in mind – becoming a farm animal vet. At that stage, I couldn\u2019t imagine doing anything else. Farm practice was all I wanted to do, and I threw myself into it wholeheartedly for many years working in both Somerset, England and then moving back to Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life, however, has a way of changing our plans. Following a serious horse-riding accident several years into my farm animal career and adapting to my new right knee with bits of metal added to the mix, I found myself being reluctantly forced to move into the world of small animal practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was fortunate to be offered a job in a small animal referral hospital in Belfast, NI, initially looking after their first opinion work. I worked with the internal medicine team for a few years where I gained so much experience and then moved on to oversee and manage their first opinion branch practice as the lead vet and practice manager. After that, I took a leap of faith and went out on my own working as a full-time locum for 6 years where I undertook work in over 50 practices in NI. Throughout this time, I started to realise that diagnostic imaging is one of the most important skills we as clinicians can develop and I learnt how much it can bring to clinical decision making. With this passion in my mind, I was then fortunate to be offered a position within IMV Imaging. Ultrasonography then became my real <\/em>passion; previously I only thought I knew how to do a good abdominal ultrasound scan, but I soon learnt that I really didn\u2019t, I was only playing with it and only thought I knew what I was looking at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the first couple of years working in the company I began to really appreciate that there are two main things that makes ultrasonography a proper tool 1) The standard of equipment that you have and if you know how to drive it and 2) the skill you can develop to know what you are looking at. Both things are equally important when it comes to setting your sights on being a true ultrasonographer. Many people have a great system but they don\u2019t have training on how to actually get the best image they can. I was that person and I was there, ask yourself the question \u2013 do you know what all the buttons do and how they can make things different? Driving the machine properly can make all the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, I moved back into practice part time alongside staying in a part time role within IMV as a Clinical Sales Manager<\/a>, providing support to clinics in NI and providing clinical training throughout the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was so enthused by my work with IMV that I embarked on a new learning journey, and I have just last month completed the Advanced Certificate in Small Animal Ultrasound (GPAdvCert US).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never thought I could complete something like this at my stage (over 20 years qualified and in my 40\u2019s) but I got there, who would have thought it, I certainly didn\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made Ultrasonography easier for me?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the outset of my certificate qualification, when returning to clinical practice, I made a deliberate decision to invest in high-quality equipment that would support my long-term professional development and enable progression towards referral level work. This investment has proven valuable, and I am now accepting referral cases for abdominal ultrasonography as part of my role in clinical practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making that decision was not easy as there are so many options available currently. We have a wide portfolio of equipment within IMV, all of which I would be delighted to be presented with if I was asked to do an ultrasound examination. However, having used so many systems, my clinical heart fell in love with the GE Logiq e R9<\/a>. Pros outway cons and image quality makes life so much easier when trying to diagnose pathological changes. This system in my opinion performs above and beyond what you would need or expect both in terms of abdominal and echocardiographic examinations. We know that every system has its unique features, and it sometimes boils down to personal taste. However, I personally couldn\u2019t go past the fact that the GE systems allow so much more image manipulation and when you really want a good picture you must have the right controls. The high end processing capabilities that comes with GE systems in general makes that a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of us perform abdominal ultrasound<\/a> using a microconvex probe alone, and for the vast majority of cases it does an excellent job. However, if you’re looking to elevate your imaging and unlock a whole new level of detail, adding a linear probe to your toolkit can be transformative. The improvement in image resolution and the ability to assess superficial structures in greater detail often changes not only what you can interpret, but also the confidence with which you can make clinical decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am absolutely in love with the new Linear probe for the GE Logiq R9<\/a>! It\u2019s like turning on the lights \u2013 you see things you have not been able to see before. The detail is so much more that I have ever experienced, so if you get excited at all about ultrasound, put this on your Xmas or birthday wish list! You will not be disappointed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve used so many systems in my journey across so many clinics, both working as a locum and now visiting clinics across Ireland. There are many options available and you have to be comfortable with what you like and what you need, but I know what has made me very happy and what has helped me to get where I am today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, lets work through a case and show you what the Logiq R9<\/a> can help you with on your journey\u2026follow me through this interesting medical case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Patient X<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A 10-year-old Maltese crossbreed terrier weighing 7.6kg was presented due to an eight week history of lethargy, waxing and waning appetite and intermittent diarrhoea including haematochezia and occasional mucus and tenesmus. He had shown a 2.4kg weigh loss over three months. Previous symptomatic treatment with diet changes and probiotics had initially alleviated the diarrhoea but it was not resolved and continued in a chronic pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full clinical examination did not reveal any abnormalities with the exception of a low body condition score. The problem list consists of: chronic diarrhoea, weight loss and inappetence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your differentials for chronic diarrhoea in this case?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

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