Advanced Pet Care Clinic
(319)268-0813
Is your dog or cat at risk for heart disease? Approximately 15% of dogs are at risk, and feline heart disease has always been a difficult thing to diagnose until now.
Assess your dog’s risk factors by calculating the score on the chart below, and check out our new blood test for determining heart disease.
| Risk Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| High Risk Breed (see chart below) | 10 |
| Over 6 years old | 5 |
| Cough | 5 |
| Excessive Panting | 4 |
| Labored Breathing | 3 |
| Tires Easily | 1 |
| Reduced Appetite | 1 |
| Loss of Appetite | 1 |
Heart Risk Assessment Score
Canine CardioCare is a simple blood test to detect heart disease and heart failure in dogs. In conjunction with a veterinary exam, Canine CardioCare is useful in identifying heart disease in both symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs.
Canine CardioCare is less stressful on the pet and less expensive for the owner than x-ray and/or echocardiogram.
The test detects canine NT-proBNP. NT-proBNP is secreted by the heart as a result of heart disease with levels significantly elevated during heart failure.
Many dogs with heart disease compensate for the hearts inability to function properly and show no symptoms. Canine CardioCare is intended to be used to identify dogs at an earlier disease stage that need to be referred for a cardiac work-up to include an echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist.
Fast Facts about heart disease:
- Eleven percent of dogs have heart disease
- Ninety-five percent of all heart disease is acquired (develops over time)
- Signs of heart disease may be nondescript, such as coughing, tiring easily, and panting
The following breeds are at increased risk of heart disease:
| Bassett Hound | Beagle | Belgian Malinois |
| Belgian Tervuren | Bernese Mountain Dog | Bichon Frise |
| Bloodhound | Bouvier Des Flandres | Boxer |
| Brittany | Bulldog | Bullmastiff |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Chihuahua | Chinese Shar-Pei |
| Collie | Coton De Tulear | Dachshund |
| Doberman Pinscher | Dogue De Bordeaux | German Shepherd |
| German Shorthaired Pointer | Golden Retriever | Great Dane |
| Great Pyrenees | Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | Havanese |
| Japanese Chin | Labrador Retriever | Maltese |
| Mastiff | Miniature Schnauzer | Newfoundland |
| Papillion | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Petit Basset Griffons Vendeen |
| Pomeranian | Poodle | Rhodesian Ridgeback |
| Rottweiler | Saint Bernard | Saluki |
| Shetland Sheepdog | Shih Tzu | Siberian Husky |
| Spaniel | Terrier | Vizsla |
| Weimaraner | West Highland White | Whippet |
Feline CardioCare is a simple blood test to detect heart disease and heart failure in cats. In conjunction with a veterinary exam, Feline CardioCare is useful in identifying heart disease in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cats.
Feline CardioCare is less stressful on the pet and less expensive for the owner than x-ray and/or echocardiogram.
The test detects feline NT-proBNP. NT-proBNP is secreted by the heart as a result of heart disease with levels significantly elevated during heart failure.
Feline CardioCare is intended to be used to identify cats at an earlier disease stage that need to be referred for a cardiac work-up to include an echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist.
Early stages of heart disease in cats often go unrecognized. Signs may range from lethargy, decreased activity, rapid breathing, rear leg paralysis, or NO signs until sudden death. Thirty percent of cats with heart disease will have normal hearts when listened to during an exam. One of the most common types of heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which typically looks like a normal heart on X-Rays and sounds like a normal heart on exam. This is a condition where the heart walls thicken, allowing less space inside the heart for blood to flow. Once definitively diagnosed, there are many medications to aid in treatment and control.