Being an equine veterinarian certainly comes with its challenges, one of which is being able to bring all of your equipment and supplies with you when you make barn calls. It can be hard to keep a balance between having the necessary portable equipment and bringing along too much. One item you may want to consider adding to your portable collection, however, is a portable ultrasound machine. Here are some ways that this piece of equipment will benefit you and your clients:

Fewer Lost Clients

If you don't have your own portable ultrasound and are simply referring patients in need of ultrasound to the nearest vet hospital, this presents a unique problem. Once they get the ultrasound at the vet hospital, a certain number of clients are going to stick with the vet hospital for the remainder of their horse's treatment for that particular injury. If you have the ultrasound machine yourself, you'll keep them on as clients rather than losing them to the vet hospital as soon as an ultrasound is needed.

Faster Diagnosis

Clients can get antsy when they don't know what is wrong with their horse. The faster you can get answers, the happier they will be with your service -- and the better the results will be for the animal. If you have a portable ultrasound, you'll have a greater chance of diagnosing an injury during the first appointment rather than having to refer the client and come back later. This means treatment can be started sooner -- which as you know, is vital for a lot of leg injuries like bowed tendons and strained ligaments.

Fewer "Guesses" 

Clients often have the option of assuming the injury is what it appears to be and treating it as such -- or paying an expensive vet hospital to find out for sure. When the budget is limited, they're likely to choose the former, which is not always best for the animal since the diagnosis without an ultrasound is sometimes incorrect. If you have your own ultrasound machine, you can offer ultrasound services to your clients for less than a vet hospital will charge. This will allow clients with smaller budgets to confirm the diagnosis before treatment, which will yield better outcomes for many horses.

Though many equine vets do make it by without a portable ultrasound machine, this is a piece of equipment that will really benefit your practice and your clients. Contact a company that offers a portable ultrasound for sale for more information and assistance.