Our cardiology doctors evaluate, diagnose, and treat congenital and acquired heart diseases. This comprehensive practice offers specialized diagnostics and invasive procedures relevant to management of cardiovascular diseases in pets.

As a specialized practice within a multi-specialty hospital, we provide integrated specialized care for pets with complex, multi-systemic diseases and assist in the management of cardiac complications of other disease processes. When necessary, we make recommendations for and facilitate transfer to our surgeons when surgical intervention or therapy is required.

We work closely with your primary care veterinarian to keep them updated on our findings and recommendations and partner with them to provide your pet with ongoing, comprehensive care.

Our Services

Echocardiogram

The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. Our highly sophisticated echocardiograph is the same equipment used in human hospitals such as Akron General and the Cleveland Clinic. With this machine, we obtain two dimensional views of the heart, including all four chambers of the heart, valves and major blood vessels. Using Doppler, we can also evaluate the speed, direction, and quality of blood flow. The picture from an echocardiogram is much more detailed information about the heart than a radiograph and involves no radiation exposure. The echocardiogram is non-invasive and does not require anesthesia, although a light sedative may be used, on rare occasions, for some of our uncooperative patients or in puppies and kittens.

Chest Radiographs

Radiographs are one of the most common diagnostics performed. Radiographs, or x-rays, of the chest are usually done to evaluate heart size and the lung fields. Congestive heart failure is diagnosed when the radiographs show evidence of fluid in the lungs in conjunction with cardiac changes. X-rays are a non-invasive test. The patient is placed on their side for one view and then on their back for the second view. The results are ready within seconds and available for interpretation by our team of cardiologists and our radiologists (IDEXX Teleradiology). We do not interpret or consult on radiographs taken on non-established patients.

Blood Pressure

Monitoring your pet’s blood pressure is often important in caring for him/her in the face of heart disease. This is another non-invasive procedure performed a little differently than in human medicine. We measure your pet’s front leg (tail and rear legs work as well) and based on that measurement choose the proper cuff size for the limb. Instead of using a stethoscope to listen for blood flow return after inflating and then slowly deflating the cuff, we use a Doppler device which amplifies the sound of the blood flow. With the Doppler, we are able to measure the systolic (top number) blood pressure. Normal blood pressure in a dog is 100-160 mmHg, and in a cat is 110-160 mmHg.

Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)

An ECG is a recording of the electrical activity in your pet’s heart. ECG is typically used to diagnose arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, in your pet. Changes in the ECG can also suggest enlargement of specific heart chambers. This is a non-invasive procedure where we have the capability to evaluate your pet’s heart rhythm by a rhythm strip (leads I, II, and III), 6-lead, and 12-lead ECGs. We look at multiple leads to evaluate the electrical activity from different locations of your pet’s body. Our cardiologists do offer EGC consultations for non-cardiology patients for a fee.

Holter Monitor

A Holter monitor is a special ECG recording device that pets can wear at home for heart rhythm monitoring purposes. Holter Monitors are worn for 24 hours, but in some cases can be worn for up to a week. A Holter Monitor is typically used to identify transient arrhythmias that may be missed on an in-clinic ECG, to evaluate frequency and severity of an arrhythmia, and to monitor response to anti-arrhythmic therapy.

Loop Recorder

A Loop Recorder is also a way to look for transient arrhythmia in a pet that is having collapse or other unexplained symptoms. This device is implanted superficially under the skin over the heart during a very brief anesthesia. This monitor has a battery life of up to three years and has a several-minute period of heart rhythm in its memory that is consistently updated. When certain criteria are met, or when the Owner witnesses an event and triggers the device, that period of heart rhythm (about 7 minutes) around the trigger is stored for later retrieval. Once an animal has an event, we can download the information from the device non-invasively at a quick appointment. These monitors are used to investigate intermittent episodes of collapse when no other reason for the collapse can be identified with a thorough work-up.

Cardiac catheterization and angiography

Because pets do not commonly suffer from coronary disease (unlike their human owners) and since most congenital and acquired diseases can be diagnosed non-invasively by echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, and angiography are most often performed in association with invasive procedures or in cases which a definitive diagnosis cannot be made by echocardiography. Cardiac catheterizations are performed in anesthetized pets and most commonly involve passing specialized catheters via either the jugular vein or carotid artery in the neck or femoral artery or vein in the leg into the great vessels and heart. Pressures can be measured and special dye studies (angiography) can be used to outline cardiac structures.

Invasive Procedures

The most common cardiac invasive procedures performed at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital are pacemaker implantation, balloon valvuloplasty, and ductal occlusion of patient ductus arteriosus. Pacemakers are implanted for abnormal heart rhythms that cause the heart to beat too slowly or result in pauses in the heartbeat. Balloon valvuloplasty is typically used for palliation of a birth defect of the pulmonic valve that prevents this valve from opening normally. A specialized balloon catheter is passed across the abnormal valve and inflated to tear open the valve and allow easier passage of blood into the lungs. The Amplatz Canine Ductal Occluder (ACDO) is a device that can be delivered via a catheter to occlude (correct) a patent ductus artriosus – a common birth defect in dogs. This defect can also be corrected by thoracic surgery in animals that are too small for the ACDO device.

Getting Treatment

To schedule an appointment, call our office at:

• Akron: (330) 670-2376

• Cleveland: (216) 201-9844

For after-hours emergencies, call:

• Akron: (330) 666-2976

• Cleveland East: (440) 673-3483

What to Expect During My Pet's Appointment & FAQs:

You can view the forms in PDF format by downloading the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

• Cardiology FAQs

• Pet Owner FAQs – What to Expect

Current Clinical Trials

Our team is committed to bringing the highest level of medicine to our community, and we are excited to share the clinical trials available to our patients. Use the button below to access additional information:

• View Current Clinical Trials >