Veterinary Cardiology

The treatment and management of heart and some circulatory system conditions.

If your pet is suspected to be suffering from heart or circulatory system disease they will be referred to our Cardiology team. We know this can be a worrying diagnosis but heart and lung disease can be mild as well as serious. The most important thing is a thorough investigation and correct diagnosis.

We treat conditions like heart murmurs, irregular heart rhythms, and pets showing symptoms such as coughing, laboured breathing, exercise intolerance or episodes of collapse or fainting. Your pet may be admitted just for the day for tests but patients with heart failure or serious arrhythmias may need to be admitted for several days of monitoring. Sedation will sometimes be required for radiographic investigation but general anaesthesia is only usually needed for procedures. Cases assessed as requiring surgical management are referred to our soft tissue surgery service. For breeds prone to heart disease, we also offer an assessment service prior to breeding.

We are the only centre in the UK (and part of a handful in the world) to perform electrophysiology studies and radiofrequency ablation for cardiac arrhythmias. Fellow specialists often refer challenging cases needing operations like cardiovascular intervention to us.

We offer a cutting-edge range of Cardiology services, including:

– Interpretation of thoracic radiographs and electrocardiograms (ECGs) submitted by veterinary colleagues, with advice on management, or prior to referral.

– Echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) with spectral and colour flow Doppler: state-of-the-art imaging as part of the normal investigation of heart disease along with conventional chest X-rays and ECG recording.

– Holter (24hr ECG) investigation of episodic collapse/ weakness and for the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of arrhythmias.

– Artificial pacemaker treatment for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias (slow heart rate) e.g. complete heart block

– Drainage of pericardial effusions, sometimes followed by surgical removal of the pericardium.

– Surgical treatment of certain congenital cardiac defects such as patent ductus arteriosus.

– Bronchoscopic investigation of chronic airway disease and chronic coughing and for removal of inhaled foreign bodies.

– Pulmonic Stenosis (Balloon Valvuloplasty) to treat a congenital heart defect where the pulmonic valves have not developed appropriately (are fused).

– Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occlusion by advancing catheters into the vessel and releasing a special device inside which stops the flow of blood.