Pet Columns

The Tell-tale Murmur: Heart Problems in Puppies

Jun 17, 2019 / Cardiology / Dogs

Heart Murmurs Often Go Away By Six Months of Age Although the occurrence is rare, some puppies are born with heart conditions that should be detected and treated as soon as possible to ensure that they lead a healthy life. Dr. Jordan Vitt, a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in...

Unusual Cases of Canine Heart Disease DCM Linked to Boutique Diets

Oct 29, 2018 / Cardiology / Preventive Health

DCM on the rise in small breeds Veterinarians around the world have seen a sharp rise in cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, in which the heart is enlarged and weakened) in dogs not previously recognized as predisposed to this condition. The one linking factor: a grain-free diet based on exotic ingredients. “For the past year...

Heart Disease in Cats: Seeking Answers

Oct 8, 2018 / Advances in Medicine / Cardiology / Cats

Heart disease is harder to detect in cats than in dogs Cats and dogs may occupy similar places in people’s hearts, but when it comes to the two species’ hearts—and heart disease—there are a lot of differences. Dr. Ryan Fries, a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, explains some...

Hope for Heartworm-Positive Dogs

Mar 19, 2018 / Advances in Medicine / Cardiology

shelters often euthanize heartworm-positive dogs Reddington probably didn’t realize it, but he was in a bad spot. Not only was the dog living in an animal shelter, he had also tested positive for heartworm disease. In many cases, those two factors amount to a death sentence. But luckily for Reddington, he found an owner and...

Pacemakers Solve Canine Heart Problems

Jul 18, 2017 / Cardiology / Dogs

‘They are more common than you think’ The heart is essential to the body, regardless of the species. Luckily, when dogs have heart problems, veterinary cardiologists, like Dr. Ryan Fries at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, are able to keep things ticking along. Pacemakers have been used in human medicine since...

A Heart to Heart about Your Pup’s Heart

Nov 7, 2016 / Advances in Medicine / Cardiology / Dogs

Heart Disease: Early Detection Is Key We hear about the risks and dangers heart disease poses to human lives all the time, but did you know that forms of heart disease could also impact your dog? Heart disease—a broad term that encompasses multiple diagnoses—is a very common disease in dogs and increases in prevalence with...

Electrocardiograms Display the Electric Rhythms of Your Pet’s Heart

Nov 30, 2015 / Cardiology / Cats / Dogs

Electrical impulses flow across the heart in a current The electrocardiogram machine plays a dramatic supporting role in movies and TV shows, its flat line and piercing tone alerting the medical team to race to the bedside of a patient whose heart has stopped beating. Electrocardiograms, or ECGs, are equally important as an everyday diagnostic...