X-rays are like a window into your pet’s body. X-rays (also referred to as radiographs) are an important diagnostic tool used to look at the different organs in the body of your pet. Air, fluid, soft tissue, fat, and bone are seen on the radiograph by different shades of black, gray, and white. X-rays can help the veterinarian diagnose a variety of problems with your pet such as a mass in the abdomen, a foreign body in the GI tract, bladder stones, heart problems, asthma, bloating of the stomach, or twisting of the stomach (referred to as gastric torsion) and fractures of bones. Taking X-rays is a low risk of exposure to radiation for your pet. It is a non-invasive way to look at the internal organs of the animal’s body.