About Us

At Small Animal Insights, our mission is to collaborate with primary care veterinarians in the Greater Boston area to help provide excellent care for small animal patients in a familiar environment. Ultrasound is one of the best diagnostic tools we have in veterinary medicine—it provides detailed information that is both non-invasive and cost-effective.

Ultrasound can:

  • Provide new insight into cases where the diagnosis is unknown
  • Help practitioners fine-tune a clinical diagnosis by supplying new detail
  • Guide prognosis and treatment discussions with families
  • Assist in obtaining diagnostic cytology and histopathology samples
  • Function as a health screening tool and disease monitoring modality
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Amy P. Cordner DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

Amy P. Cordner DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

 

Dr. Cordner received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University in 2006.  She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at The Ohio State University in 2007 and an internal medicine residency at the University of Minnesota in 2010. She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2010 and has been in private specialty practice since that time (NYC, Washington DC metro area, Vermont). Dr. Cordner moved to Cambridge, MA in February 2018 and has been doing telemedicine ultrasound consulting. She is now very excited to have started Small Animal Insights, PLLC. Ultrasound imaging has been a favorite and most useful tool in her case management for the past 10+ years. Outside of work, Dr. Cordner enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Ultrasound Services

Ultrasound is an essential tool to elevate patient care and provide insight into diagnosis and disease management. Let us provide these services while allowing your patients and clients to stay in your care. A detailed ultrasound report with initial recommendations is provided at the time of service or within 24 hours of the appointment.

  • Abdominal

    Service includes a physical exam and assessment of all abdominal organs and the peritoneal space. A complete abdominal ultrasound includes assessment of liver, gallbladder & biliary tree, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder, prostate, uterus, ovaries, testicles, bowel, vasculature, lymph nodes, mesentery & serosal surfaces. 

  • Thoracic (non-echocardiogram)

    Service includes a physical exam and assessment of the lung tissue, mediastinum, lymph nodes, and pleural space. The heart is examined for pericardial effusion and mass lesions. 

  • Bicavitary

    Service includes a physical exam and complete abdominal and thoracic evaluations. This service can be beneficial for a variety of reasons but is often helpful for patients with neoplasia where metastatic screening is desired.

  • Cervical

    Service includes a physical exam and complete assessment of lymph nodes, salivary tissue, parathyroid and thyroid glands.

  • Reproductive

    Service is intended to confirm pregnancy, estimate litter size (radiographs are better for this goal), and assess viability. For males, this service can be elected in preparation for cryptorchid surgery.

  • Recheck Abdominal

    Service includes a full abdominal ultrasound for a lower cost. This option is intended as a follow-up exam to a previous study (within 4 months) for the purpose of disease monitoring.

  • Recheck Focal

    Service is intended as a limited exam to follow-up on an acute condition diagnosed within the previous 7 days.

Procedures

Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspirate or Cavity Centesis

This service can be added to an ultrasound exam and can be used to obtain samples of mass lesions or internal organs, cavitary effusions, urine, or bile as indicated. If an FNA or centesis procedure is elected, the attending clinician manages patient screening (platelet quantification +/- clotting parameters), sedation (if indicated), and sample submission. IV catheterization and ECG are also indicated for pericardiocentesis.

cytology

Consultations

An in-house internal medicine consultation can be elected as a stand-alone service or added to an ultrasound exam. Dr. Cordner will review complete medical records and incorporate current case findings to create a detailed assessment and plan for the attending clinician to consider. The final consultation report includes an assessment and differential diagnosis, further diagnostic and treatment options, and longer-term follow-up recommendations. Where appropriate, recommendations will be divided into conservative and proactive plans so that vets can help their clients find the best fit for care. The final report will be made available within 24 hours of the appointment.  

Cat in Sun

Appointment Process

Scheduling

Appointment times are available Monday from 9:30am to 3:00pm and Tuesday through Friday from 9:30am to 5:00pm. Appointments should be made by the primary care veterinarian after obtaining pet owner consent. Pets should arrive at the clinic at least 30 minutes prior to their appointment time to allow for check-in and any needed consent forms. Please contact us to set up your initial appointment with us. If you are already a client, please log in to the client portal to request additional appointments. 

Fasting & Preparation

In most cases, it is recommended that patients do not eat for 12 hours prior to their appointment time (water is perfectly fine). At the attending veterinarian’s discretion, certain patients may continue eating normally before their ultrasound (particularly diabetics) or take important medications with small amounts of food. Urinary studies are best performed with a full bladder (at least 4 hours after the last voiding).

Sedation

The majority of ultrasound exams and aspirates are able to be performed in a relaxed setting without any sedation. Uncommonly, a sedative will be beneficial to help patients remain calm and comfortable for an examination or procedure – in these cases, the attending primary care veterinarian will prescribe an appropriate medication.

  • “I have been a veterinarian for 35 years now and have always been impressed with the quality of people that make this profession theirs.  Even within this group of special, dedicated people, my experience of interacting with Dr. Cordner makes me feel that she is a remarkable veterinarian.  Her knowledge level and organizational skills make me feel that referring a case to her is like taking a refresher course in veterinary diagnostics. And my clients are uniformly impressed by her veterinary skills and so appreciate her communication and compassion. To me, that’s the whole package.”

    Gary Sturgis, DVM
    Animal Housecalls, Essex Junction, Vermont

  • “Dr. Cordner is confident in her imaging, has vast experience with clinical cases, and is exceptionally accurate with her ultrasound findings.  I trust her whole-heartedly and have found her findings and recommendations to be of significant benefit to my oncology practice.” 

    Joanna Schmit, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
    Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists, Williston, VT

  • “Dr. Amy Cordner is a detailed internist and thorough ultrasonographer.  I routinely consult with her about cases and appreciate her thoughtfulness.  She is a pet lover and a great listener.  Clients and technicians respect her opinion, and I would trust her completely with my own pets.”

    Kelly Gisselman, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM)
    Hope Advanced Veterinary Center, Vienna VA

Get in Touch!

Hours

Monday: 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Tuesday – Friday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Small Animal Insights does not have regular emergency hours and is closed on national holidays.

If you are already a client, please contact us via the client portal.

Email: acordner@smallanimalinsights.com
Phone: 857-600-8260

Mailing Address
770 Massachusetts Avenue
PO Box 390447
Cambridge, MA 02139

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