Clients

This is a second opinion service and referral must come through your own veterinary surgeon. Please contact your own surgery first.

Once the referral has been made, the cardiologist Sue Roberts will contact you directly to discuss details and arrange a mutually convenient appointment.

The referral process involves an extended consultation. It is often necessary to conduct further investigation including:

• blood pressure measurement;
• an electrocardiogram (ECG), which is a recording a trace of the heart’s electrical activity; and
• an echocardiogram; which is a detailed ultrasound of the heart.

These procedures are not painful or invasive and are usually well tolerated. They are carried out on an animal that is wide awake wherever possible, although mild sedation may be used if your animal is very anxious or frightened.

It will be necessary to clip a small area of hair  off both sides of the chest  just behind each elbow to allow good contact between the ultrasound probe and the skin surface. A non-toxic, water-soluble ultrasound gel is applied to increase the skin contact.

The results of the examination will be given to you at the time of the examination and a report will be sent to your veterinary practice on the same day.

Heart testing – breed clubs

For enquiries about heart testing only please contact Sue Roberts directly.