Your primary care practitioner (PCP) should be your go-to when you feel unwell. Your doctor may suggest seeing an expert if he or she thinks your condition is particularly complex or if you want a second opinion. Comparable standards of care can be expected in veterinary medicine. Usually, the first port of call is to a general practice doctor. In the same way, doctors in the human healthcare field can confer with specialists; veterinarians now have access to many veterinary specialists. 

When Should My Pet See a Veterinary Cardiologist?

After you read more and suppose your pet has mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy. In that case, your regular vet may have suggested seeing a veterinary cardiologist because of symptoms like a heart murmur, an enlarged heart, or an elevated proBNP test. 

A board-certified veterinary cardiologist is the best person to evaluate your cat and determine the cause, severity, and course of therapy for heart disease. An expert can examine and perform diagnostic testing tailored to your pet’s unique cardiac requirements by bringing your pet to a cardiologist.

What Is the Difference Between a Vet Cardiologist and My Regular Veterinarian? 

Specialists in cat and dog cardiology deal with various challenging cases every day. Some cardiologists only treat heart-related conditions. They take on complicated cardiology cases that other veterinarians cannot handle, and they help guide and advise their colleagues who are struggling in this area. They gain a deeper understanding of heart conditions and become accustomed to novel manifestations of diseases thanks to their exposure to a wide variety of patients. 

What Exactly Does a Veterinary Cardiologist Do?

After completing veterinary school, a vet cardiologist pursues specialized training to become a specialist in heart conditions. Heart and lung conditions in dogs are completely within their diagnostic and treatment capabilities. If your pet is encountering any of these cardiac symptoms, it may be time to speak with a pet cardiologist.

  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Breathing problems or shortness of breath
  • Irregular heart rate
  • Coughing
  • Weakness
  • Fainting 

 

Methods for keeping pets with heart disease secure and comfortable over the long term may be discussed during the consultation. No matter the approach, it is essential to prioritize the pet’s comfort and happiness.

What Technologies Do Veterinary Cardiologists Use to Make a Diagnosis? 

The cardiology vets in Orange CA can determine if the pet has heart or lung disease with the help of several non-invasive devices. It’s easy to draw parallels between these and human-centered tools. In this category are well-known sonification tools like echo cardiology instruments, which create images of the heart using sound waves to assess its condition.

Others are:

  • Radiology devices. They give vital information about everything that is contained within the chest cavity.
  • Electrocardiography. Generates recordings that evaluate the pet’s heart rate and any possible irregularities.
  • Blood tests. They are used to assess the pet’s kidney function, thyroid status, and other essential factors.
  • Other critical and specialized tests. These can be used to identify the presence and severity of pet heart disease.

Conclusion

A veterinary cardiologist should be consulted if your pet is found to have a cardiac condition. If your pet needs to see a cardiologist, your normal vet can make the referral. Due to the extensive training, they receive in school and throughout their careers, veterinary cardiologists are in a prime situation to treat a wide variety of complex heart and circulatory conditions. In addition to cutting-edge diagnostic tools and therapy methods, they also have access to state-of-the-art facilities. 

 

By Kenneth