Finding out your pet has a “heart murmur” during a routine check-up can be a scary moment. The vet listens with a stethoscope and hear a whoosh instead of a crisp lub-dub.
But a stethoscope can only tell us that there is turbulence; it can’t tell us why.
To truly understand what is happening inside your pet’s heart, we need to look inside the pump itself. At Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital, we do this using Echocardiography (or “Echo” for short).
It is for diagnosing heart disease in animals, allowing us to see the valves opening and closing in real-time.
What is an Echocardiogram?
An Echocardiogram is simply an Ultrasound of the heart.
However, it is much more technical than a standard tummy scan. It uses specialized high-frequency probes to create a live video of the heart beating.
Think of the heart like a house:
- The ECG checks the Electrical Wiring (Rhythm).
- The X-ray checks the Architecture (Is the house too big?).
- The Echocardiogram checks the Plumbing (Are the valves leaking? Is the pump weak?).
The Magic of “Doppler”
The most impressive part of an Echo is the Color Flow Doppler.
When you watch a weather report, you see radar showing rain moving towards or away from you. We use the same physics. On our screen, blood flowing towards the probe shows up as Red, and blood flowing away shows up as Blue.
If a heart valve is leaking (a murmur), we see a chaotic burst of Green/Yellow turbulence jetting backward. This allows us to measure exactly how severe the leak is.
When Would a Samford Village Vet Recommend It?
We typically recommend an Echo in three specific scenarios:
1. Investigating a Murmur
Common in small breeds (like Cavaliers or Poodles), the Mitral Valve often wears out with age. An Echo tells our Samford Village Vet if the leak is mild (no treatment needed yet) or severe (medication required immediately).
2. Screening for “Silent” Heart Disease (Cats)
Cats are masters of disguise. They often suffer from HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy), where the heart muscle thickens inward. This is often invisible on X-rays and silent on a stethoscope. An Echo is the only way to see it.
3. Pre-Breeding Screens
Large breeds (like Dobermans or Great Danes) are prone to DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy), where the heart becomes a flabby, weak balloon. Responsible breeders use Echo screening to ensure they aren’t passing this dangerous gene to puppies.
What to Expect During the Visit
An Echocardiogram is a specialist procedure that takes time and precision.
1. The “Cardio Table”
Your pet will usually lie on a specialized table with a cutout hole in the mattress. This allows us to place the probe underneath the table, scanning up through the chest wall to get the best view of the heart.
2. The Shave
Sound waves struggle to get through the thick fur on the chest. We almost always need to shave a small square behind the elbow on both sides of the chest.
3. The Procedure
Your pet lies on their side. Most pets find this quite relaxing (and they get plenty of pats from our nurses!).
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Is it painful? No.
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Do they need sedation? Rarely. Most dogs tolerate it well. We sometimes use a mild sedative for anxious cats to keep their heart rate lower, which helps us get better measurements.
