Veterinary Cardiologists in South Carolina
6 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in South Carolina, across 4 cities.
Cardiology access in South Carolina
South Carolina has 6 board-certified veterinary cardiologists in this directory, distributed across 4 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 South Carolina 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.
South Carolina has no long-established veterinary teaching hospital, yet it is one of the better-covered states in this directory, with cardiologists in the Charleston area, the Upstate around Greenville, and the Midlands.
The nearest veterinary teaching hospital to South Carolina
South Carolina 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 South Carolina owners are:
- University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine — Athens, Georgia
- NC State College of Veterinary Medicine — Raleigh, North Carolina
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 South Carolina by city
Listings are grouped by city. Each city links directly — you can share a link straight to a section.
Charleston, South Carolina (2 cardiologists)
Dr. Sophy JestyDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Charleston Veterinary Referral Center
3484 Shelby Ray Court
Dr. Rebecca SaundersDVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Charleston Veterinary Referral Center
3484 Shelby Ray Court
Columbia, South Carolina (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Rebecca KennerlyDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Columbia Veterinary Emergency Trauma and Specialty (CVETS)
1321 Oakcrest Dr.
Greenville, South Carolina (2 cardiologists)
Dr. Amanda LaRoseDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Upstate Vet Emergency & Specialty Care
393 Woods Lake Rd.
Dr. Monica TschosikDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Upstate Vet Emergency & Specialty Care
393 Woods Lake Rd.
North Charleston, South Carolina (1 cardiologist)
Dr. Jake JacobsonDVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Charleston Veterinary Cardiology
3163 West Montague Ave.
What a cardiology workup costs in South Carolina
Prices are set practice by practice, so nobody can quote you a South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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.
Crossing the state line from South Carolina
Referral cardiology does not respect state boundaries, and for a lot of South Carolina owners the shortest wait is over the border rather than across the state.
Of the states bordering South Carolina, Florida (4 cardiologists), North Carolina (2 cardiologists) and Georgia (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 South Carolina 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.