Veterinary Cardiologists in Iowa
5 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in Iowa, across 2 cities.
Cardiology access in Iowa
Iowa has 5 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in this directory, spread across 2 cities — but 4 of them, roughly 80 percent, are in Ames alone. For owners in Ames that means genuine choice: you can compare wait times, ask for a specific cardiologist by name, or get a second opinion without travelling. For everyone else in Iowa, it means the drive is the deciding factor.
All 5 of the Iowa 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.
Iowa is unusually well served for its population, and the reason is Ames: most of the state's listed cardiologists are concentrated there rather than in Des Moines. Iowa also takes referrals from Nebraska and the Dakotas.
Veterinary teaching hospitals in Iowa
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. Iowa has one:
- Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine — Ames, Iowa
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 Iowa by city
Listings are grouped by city. Each city links directly — you can share a link straight to a section.
Ames, Iowa (4 cardiologists)
Dr. Kristen PoplawskiDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center
1800 Christensen Dr.
Dr. Melissa TropfDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center
1800 Christensen Dr.
Dr. Jessica WardDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center
1800 Christensen Dr.
Dr. Wendy WareDVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center
1800 Christensen Dr.
Des Moines, Iowa (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Janet OlsonDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Veterinary Cardiology Specialists at Iowa Veterinary Referral Center
4631 Merle Hay Road
What a cardiology workup costs in Iowa
Prices are set practice by practice, so nobody can quote you a Iowa 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 Ames 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.
Serving dog owners traveling from nearby states
Iowa is among the closest states with board-certified veterinary cardiologists for dog owners in:
Crossing the state line from Iowa
Referral cardiology does not respect state boundaries, and for a lot of Iowa owners the shortest wait is over the border rather than across the state.
Of the states bordering Iowa, Minnesota (3 cardiologists), Illinois (2 cardiologists) and Wisconsin (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.
What happens at a cardiology consultation
A first cardiology visit in Iowa 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.