Veterinary Cardiologists in Nebraska
2 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in Nebraska, across 1 city.
Cardiology access in Nebraska
All 2 of the board-certified veterinary cardiologists we have verified in Nebraska practise in Omaha. That single point of concentration is the defining fact about cardiology access here — wherever you live in the state, the appointment is in Omaha, and how far you drive is simply a function of how far you live from it.
All 2 of the Nebraska practices listed below were accepting new patients when we last checked, and 2 offer some form of telehealth — useful for medication rechecks and follow-up staging discussions, though never a substitute for the initial echocardiogram. 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.
Nebraska has a veterinary program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, but its students complete their clinical training at Iowa State, and the full teaching hospital is in Ames. In-state cardiology is concentrated entirely in Omaha.
The nearest veterinary teaching hospital to Nebraska
Nebraska does not have an accredited college of veterinary medicine. That matters because teaching hospitals are frequently cheaper than private specialty practice, run most of the veterinary cardiology clinical trials, and often have capacity when private referral centres do not. The closest options for Nebraska owners are:
- Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine — Ames, Iowa
- Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine — Manhattan, Kansas
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 Nebraska by city
Listings are grouped by city. Each city links directly — you can share a link straight to a section.
Omaha, Nebraska (2 cardiologists)
Dr. Luis Braz-RuivoDVM, DVSc, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Companion Animal Cardiac Care
Omaha area (mobile practice)
Dr. Kevin ChristiansenDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Vogal Veterinary Cardiology
10371 Ellison Circle
What a cardiology workup costs in Nebraska
Prices are set practice by practice, so nobody can quote you a Nebraska 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 — worth weighing against the extra mileage if you are driving out of Nebraska anyway. 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
Nebraska is among the closest states with board-certified veterinary cardiologists for dog owners in:
Crossing the state line from Nebraska
Referral cardiology does not respect state boundaries, and for a lot of Nebraska owners the shortest wait is over the border rather than across the state.
Of the states bordering Nebraska, Iowa (5 cardiologists), Kansas (3 cardiologists) and Missouri (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 Nebraska 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.