Cardiology

A veterinary cardiologist is trained to diagnose, treat, and manage diseases of the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels). SSVI’s veterinary cardiology department is dedicated to working with your primary care veterinarian to provide options for treatment of pets with cardiac conditions with the aim of maintaining comfort and quality of life for as long as is possible.

Common cardiovascular diseases in dogs and cats include:

• Chronic degenerative valve disease (CDVD), also referred to as endocardiosis or myxomatous mitral valve disease

• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

• Congenital (born with) abnormalities such as a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonic stenosis (PS) or subaortic stenosis (SAS)

• Pulmonary hypertension

• Systemic hypertension

• Arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, or ventricular tachycardia

• Heart failure

Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease often involves the use of specialized equipment to image the heart in motion, measure the chambers of the heart and its function, and map the electrical activity in the heart. Diagnostic tests that may be recommended for your pet include:

• Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart)

• Electrocardiography (analysis of electrical activity in the heart and heart rhythm)

• Blood pressure measurement

• Radiography

• Contrast studies