When do you schedule nuclear scans?
Scans are performed Monday-Thursday.

What do I need to do to get my horse ready for a scan?
Your horse will need to be at the hospital by 8:30 the day they are getting scanned. This is very important, as there are very strict time frames from when the horse gets injected with the radioactive isotope that the doctors and technicians must work within. Keeping your horse as warm as possible overnight and the day of the scan with blankets (depending on the time of year) and leg wraps will help to improve the quality of the scan. If it is possible, giving your horse a small dose of Acepromazine prior to getting on the trailer the morning of the scan will also help to improve the quality of the scan.

Is it dangerous to handle my horse after they have been scanned?
It is safe for you to handle your horse after it has been scanned, but because it has been injected with a radioactive substance your horse will go home with a set of instructions from the Nuclear Regulatory Committee explaining how they should be handled. You will not want your horse to be handled by young children or women who are pregnant for one week after the scan. When cleaning your horse’s stall during the week after the scan, you will want to set the manure and soiled bedding aside for that one week prior to disposing of it as you normally would.

When will I have the results of the scan?
In most cases, the doctors will not have the results for you until the morning after the horse has been scanned. They will contact you that morning to discuss these results, the subsequent diagnostics they need to do, as well as a treatment plan for your horse. 

When can my horse go home after being scanned?
The Nuclear Regulatory Committee requires that the horse not go home before 2 PM the day after they are injected with the radioactive isotope. Depending on the follow up diagnostics and treatment plan that you have discussed with your doctor, your horse might have to stay longer than this.