Cardiology
Cardiology is the study of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Veterinarians use many different tools to observe and analyze the heart to see if it is healthy.
- A stethoscope is used to “auscultate,” or listen, to the heart to identify murmurs or septal defects (holes in compartments of the heart).
- X-rays can show the size of the heart and the appearance of the blood vessels to help diagnose diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart).
- An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the electrical activity of the heart over time to help the veterinarian diagnose cardiac arrhythmias (irregular contractions of the heart muscle).
- Ultrasound allows veterinarians to observe blood flow through the heart.
