Michelle Rose, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), Robert George, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), and Rima Kharbush, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) are our board-certified veterinary cardiologists. They are dedicated to diagnosing, managing, and treating disorders of the heart and cardiovascular system.
Our Cardiology Department sees dogs, cats, and exotic pets that are referred because their primary veterinarians either suspect that these pets might have heart disease, or have already confirmed that they have heart disease and are seeking to optimize their therapy.
Our number one priority is that our patients have a good quality of life at home, for as long as possible.
Our Cardiology Department performs the following specialized procedures:
• Echocardiography – A complete ultrasound study of the heart, evaluating the four heart valves; strength and thickness of the heart muscle; the pericardium; the great veins and arteries; and the diastolic (filling) and systolic (pumping) function of the heart.
• Electrocardiography (ECG) – The electrical activity of the heart is evaluated from 6-12 different angles to determine whether an arrhythmia (irregularity of the heart’s rhythm) exists, and how benign or malignant the arrhythmia is.
• Holter monitors – see video! These special monitors record the heart’s electrical activity for up to 96 hours at a time, storing every single heart beat digitally so that the heart rhythms can be evaluated closely at the conclusion of the study.
• Blood tests – Various blood tests are available (NT-proBNP, cardiac troponin I) to help stage and prognosticate heart disease.
• Blood pressure – Cardiology technicians are often the best in the business at obtaining accurate blood pressures. Blood pressure is known to vary based on the stress level of the patient, time elapsed since medications were administered, and method used to obtain the blood pressure.
Cardiology services are available Monday through Friday at our Oakdale location. In some cases, our cardiologists can travel to your veterinary clinic with a portable echocardiogram.
If your pet has heart-related problems or disease, call us at (651) 501-3766 today, or ask your family veterinarian for a referral.