Diagnostic Tests

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