Veterinary Cardiologists in California
6 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in California, across 6 cities.
Cardiology access in California
California has 6 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in this directory, distributed across 6 cities rather than concentrated in one. That distribution is better than it sounds for coverage and worse than it sounds for choice: most of these cities have exactly one specialist, so a second opinion usually means travelling to a different metro area rather than a different practice across town.
All 6 of the California practices listed below were accepting new patients when we last checked. Check by phone before you drive: availability changes faster than any directory can track, and a cardiologist listed as accepting referrals may still have a six-week wait for a non-urgent echo.
Context for those numbers: fewer than 400 board-certified veterinary cardiologists (DACVIM-Cardiology) practise in the entire United States. Board certification requires a veterinary degree, a one-year internship, a three- to four-year cardiology residency, and passing the ACVIM cardiology examination. Scarcity, not indifference, is why the wait lists look the way they do.
California's listings are spread thin across an enormous state — a few in Southern California, a few in the Bay Area and Central Valley, and nothing in the far north. Distance, not availability, is usually the binding constraint here.
Veterinary teaching hospitals in California
There are roughly 33 accredited colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, and their teaching hospitals are worth knowing about for three reasons: they are frequently cheaper than private specialty practice, they are where most veterinary cardiology clinical trials are run, and they often have capacity when private referral centres do not. California has 2:
- UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine — Davis, California
- Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine — Pomona, California
Before you drive there, call and ask three things: whether the hospital currently runs a small-animal cardiology service (not every veterinary college does, and services open and close with staffing); whether they require a referral letter from your primary vet, which most teaching hospitals do; and whether any cardiac clinical trial is currently enrolling that your dog might qualify for — trial enrolment can cover the cost of echocardiograms and Holter monitoring that you would otherwise pay for.
Cardiologists in California by city
Listings are grouped by city. Each city links directly — you can share a link straight to a section.
Fresno, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Richard KienleDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Fresno Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center
6606 North Blackstone Avenue
Hermosa Beach, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Danielle YuhasDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
MOVES Mobile Veterinary Specialists
1033 Aviation Blvd
Long Beach, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Fred BrewerDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
California Pet Cardiology
6444 E Spring St, Suite 549
Roseville, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Brian MackieDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
MarQueen Pet Emergency & Specialty Group
9205 Sierra College Blvd, Suite 120
San Diego, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Timothy HodgeDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego
10435 Sorrento Valley Road
San Jose, California (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Chloe BlockDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
MedVet Silicon Valley
75 E Trimble Rd
What a cardiology workup costs in California
Prices are set practice by practice, so nobody can quote you a California figure that holds everywhere. As a working range in the United States, a specialist cardiology consultation with an echocardiogram typically runs somewhere around $300–$600, and a 24-hour Holter monitor somewhere around $200–$500 including the analysis fee. Expect the top of those ranges in high-cost metros and the bottom in smaller markets.
Veterinary teaching hospitals are usually the cheaper end of the market, which is one reason the Davis option above is worth a phone call even if it is not the closest practice to you. Ask for an itemised estimate when you book, and ask specifically whether the echocardiogram fee includes the consultation or is charged on top of it. That single question accounts for most of the surprise on the invoice.
If cost is the blocker, read our guides on financial help for cardiac treatment and pet insurance and heart disease, and ask the practice about clinical trial enrolment before you decline the test.
Crossing the state line from California
Referral cardiology does not respect state boundaries, and for a lot of California owners the shortest wait is over the border rather than across the state.
Of the states bordering California, Nevada (3 cardiologists), Oregon (2 cardiologists) and Arizona (2 cardiologists) havethe most listed capacity. If you live within an hour or two of the line, call across it before you accept a long wait at home — and bring a referral letter, since many specialty practices will not book an out-of-state first appointment without one.
Flying in from Hawaii? Hawaii does have 2 board-certified cardiologistsof its own — check the Hawaii listings before booking a flight.
What happens at a cardiology consultation
A first cardiology visit in California typically includes a physical exam with auscultation, an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), sometimes a Holter monitor fitting for 24-hour rhythm analysis, and a review of any prior imaging or bloodwork. The cardiologist will stage your dog's disease (typically using the ACVIM staging system) and outline a treatment and monitoring plan. Budget 45–90 minutes depending on which tests are done, and arrive 15–20 minutes early for paperwork if you are a new patient.
The diagnoses that bring most dogs to a cardiologist are dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Depending on diagnosis and stage, the cardiologist may prescribe pimobendan or furosemide, and will usually set a recheck interval before you leave.
Preparing for your visit
- Bring any previous test results (Holter reports, echocardiograms, bloodwork)
- Write down all current medications and dosages
- Note any symptoms you've observed and when they started
- Track your dog's resting respiratory rate for a few days before the visit
- Print our 10 questions to ask your cardiologist
Directory disclaimer: Heart Dog Club provides this directory as a convenience. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement. We do not verify the current status of any practitioner's license or board certification. Please verify credentials independently through the ACVIM or your state veterinary board.