Echocardiography

Service Description

otherwise known as a heart scan. This is used to investigate heart problems when there is a new heart murmur, there is a heart rhythm disturbance, the patient is fainting or coughing.... or occasionally for pre-breeding screening (to try and prevent inherited heart problems from being passed on). We try very hard not to sedate animals during an echo as it can alter some of the readings. The examination usually takes somewhere between 20 and 45 minutes. Sometimes other tests (blood tests, ECG, blood pressure checks, radiographs) are needed to fully understand the problem. The final result of the examination takes a day or two as Dr Marlies will need to do a bunch of calculations on stored images. She will then send a report including treatment / management options to the referring vet as well as the owner