Cardiology

Pets can be born with heart disease (congenital) or they may develop heart issues with age. Veterinary Specialty Center’s Cardiology team concentrates on diseases related to your pet’s heart and lungs. In particular, they focus on the diagnosis and treatment of congestive heart failure, damage to the heart muscle or valves, cardiac arrhythmias, congenital defects, diseases of the pericardium, high blood pressure, coughing, and other breathing issues.

Some pets with heart disease may show symptoms such as trouble breathing, coughing, lethargy, weakness, and fainting. Other conditions, such as a heart murmur, may not show outward signs of heart disease, but typically requires routine monitoring with or without treatment based on cause and severity.

Some of the tests that may be performed by our cardiology team include:

• Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart)
• Chest x-rays
• Blood pressure measurement
• Electrocardiography (ECG; heart rhythm evaluation)
• Holter monitoring (home ECG monitors)
• Blood work