Ultrasound Essentials: Act FAST with Emergency Case-side Ultrasound 

This lecture provides a comprehensive introduction to the emergency use of bedside ultrasound in veterinary practice, focusing on the key techniques AFAST (Abdominal Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma), TFAST/VetBLUE (Thoracic Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma), and a brief overview of focused cardiac ultrasound. We will explore critical skills for rapid, non-invasive diagnostic assessments in emergency settings, including how to evaluate left atrium to aorta ratio (La:Ao), left atrial dilation (LAD), and assess a patient’s volume status based on cardiac chamber evaluation.

Through this lecture, participants will:

1. Understand the AFAST exam and its role in guiding emergency treatment decisions.
2. Gain proficiency in the TFAST/VetBLUE exam and its insights.
3. Acquire skills for evaluating left atrial dilation (LAD) and left atrial dimension(LaAo).
4. Learn to assess a patient’s volume status via cardiac chamber examination to guide fluid therapy in critical care settings.
5. Recognize the limitations of cageside ultrasound, including the importance of integrating findings with clinical context and when to pursue more advanced imaging.