Veterinary Cardiology in Olathe, KS
Veterinary cardiology is a specialized field within veterinary medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating heart conditions in animals.
Veterinary Cardiology
At Santa Fe Pet Clinic, your dog or cat’s heart is one of the most important organs in their body. The heart is responsible for pumping life-giving blood, nutrients, and oxygen to every other organ in the body. Believe it or not, some animals are susceptible to heart disease.
Heart disease is any condition that disrupts normal function of the heart and vascular system to deliver oxygenated blood to the body. This includes cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle), arrhythmia (irregular beating), and valvular disease (causing heart murmurs).
While some pets inherit heart disease, others develop it later in life. Thankfully, many types of heart disease are treatable, especially if caught early. Left untreated, heart disease may lead to congestive heart failure sooner, a condition where the heart becomes weak and inefficient.
How do I know if my pet has Heart Disease?
Accurately diagnosing congestive heart failure is very important in the early stages. At Santa Fe Pet Clinic, we accomplish this through the following types of diagnostics:
- Chest X-rays
- Other tests (such as a heartworm antigen test)
- A thorough examination by Dr. Wegele
How do you treat congestive heart failure in pets?
To treat congestive heart failure effectively, it is important to first treat any other underlying causes such as, Heartworms, bacterial endocarditis, and some forms of congenital heart diseases.
Although your veterinarian will tailor the treatment plan to your pet’s needs, many options will include a low-sodium diet, appropriate medications to help blood flow and prevent cardiac arrhythmias, and restrictive exercise.