Besides listening to your dog’s heart for evidence of a heart murmur, your veterinarian may recommend some other tests to help diagnose your dog’s condition.
Common tests include:
-
Radiograph—commonly known as an X-ray, to allow a veterinarian to view your dog’s internal organs, such as the heart, and identify abnormalities
-
Blood testing—to assess your dog’s cardiovascular health through:
- Identification of a cardiac biomarker called NT-proBNP that signifies stretching of the heart’s chambers
- Analysis of chemistry and complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate different elements of your dog’s blood
-
Blood pressure test—to find out if your dog’s blood is flowing properly or if there is resistance in the bloodstream
-
Electrocardiogram (ECG)—to evaluate the electrical activity of your dog’s heart to measure and diagnose abnormal heart rhythms
-
Echocardiogram—an ultrasound evaluation of your dog’s heart that can assess valvular function, identify leaking valves, and measure cardiac output