10 Questions to Ask Your Veterinary Cardiologist
Print this checklist and bring it to your appointment. These questions will help you understand your dog's condition, treatment plan, and what to watch for at home.
1. What is my dog's specific diagnosis and stage?
Understanding whether your dog has DCM (and what stage - occult, overt, or CHF) or MMVD (stages A through D) determines the treatment approach and prognosis.
Follow-up: Can you explain what the test results mean in plain language?
2. What were the key measurements from the echocardiogram?
Numbers like LVIDd, fractional shortening (FS%), LA:Ao ratio, and LVIDdN track disease progression over time. Write them down so you can compare at future visits.
Follow-up: Which of these numbers are most important to track for my dog?
3. What medications do you recommend and why?
Understanding why each medication was chosen helps you give them correctly and recognize if something isn't working. Common cardiac medications include pimobendan, furosemide, ACE inhibitors, sotalol, and spironolactone.
Follow-up: Should any be given on an empty stomach? What time of day is best?
4. What is a normal resting respiratory rate for my dog?
Establishing your dog's personal baseline is critical. Most healthy dogs breathe 15-25 times per minute at rest. A sustained increase above 30-40 can signal worsening heart failure.
Follow-up: At what number should I call you vs. go to the emergency clinic?
5. When should we recheck, and what tests will be needed?
Rechecks typically involve echocardiograms, bloodwork, and sometimes Holter monitors or x-rays. Frequency depends on stage and stability - it could be every 3 months or every 12 months.
Follow-up: How will you decide if we need to adjust medications between visits?
6. What symptoms should I watch for at home?
Early warning signs of progression include increased respiratory rate, coughing (especially at night), reduced appetite, exercise intolerance, restlessness, and fainting episodes.
Follow-up: What constitutes an emergency that needs immediate care?
7. Are there any activity restrictions?
Some dogs benefit from moderate exercise while others need strict rest. The answer depends on the specific condition, stage, and whether arrhythmias are present.
Follow-up: Can my dog still go for walks? How do I know if they're overdoing it?
8. Should we add any supplements (taurine, L-carnitine, CoQ10, fish oil)?
Certain supplements have evidence for cardiac benefit, especially taurine and L-carnitine for specific breeds with DCM. Your cardiologist can advise based on your dog's specific situation.
Follow-up: Are there any supplements I should avoid given my dog's medications?
9. What is the prognosis for my dog specifically?
Prognosis varies enormously based on condition, stage, breed, and response to treatment. A general statistic may not apply to your dog. Ask for their honest assessment.
Follow-up: What factors could improve or worsen the outlook?
10. How will we communicate between appointments if something changes?
Know the process for reaching your cardiologist if symptoms change - whether by phone, email, or through your primary vet. Have the emergency clinic number saved in your phone.
Follow-up: Should I send you respiratory rate logs or videos between visits?
Tips for your appointment
- Bring this printed checklist and a pen to write down answers
- Bring a list of all current medications and supplements with doses
- Have your respiratory rate log ready (use our free tracker at heartdogclub.com/tools/rr-tracker)
- Take photos or videos of any concerning symptoms to show the cardiologist
- It's OK to ask them to repeat or explain something differently - this is your dog's health
10 Questions to Ask Your Veterinary Cardiologist
heartdogclub.com
1. What is my dog's specific diagnosis and stage?
Understanding whether your dog has DCM (and what stage - occult, overt, or CHF) or MMVD (stages A through D) determines the treatment approach and prognosis.
Follow-up: Can you explain what the test results mean in plain language?
2. What were the key measurements from the echocardiogram?
Numbers like LVIDd, fractional shortening (FS%), LA:Ao ratio, and LVIDdN track disease progression over time. Write them down so you can compare at future visits.
Follow-up: Which of these numbers are most important to track for my dog?
3. What medications do you recommend and why?
Understanding why each medication was chosen helps you give them correctly and recognize if something isn't working. Common cardiac medications include pimobendan, furosemide, ACE inhibitors, sotalol, and spironolactone.
Follow-up: Should any be given on an empty stomach? What time of day is best?
4. What is a normal resting respiratory rate for my dog?
Establishing your dog's personal baseline is critical. Most healthy dogs breathe 15-25 times per minute at rest. A sustained increase above 30-40 can signal worsening heart failure.
Follow-up: At what number should I call you vs. go to the emergency clinic?
5. When should we recheck, and what tests will be needed?
Rechecks typically involve echocardiograms, bloodwork, and sometimes Holter monitors or x-rays. Frequency depends on stage and stability - it could be every 3 months or every 12 months.
Follow-up: How will you decide if we need to adjust medications between visits?
6. What symptoms should I watch for at home?
Early warning signs of progression include increased respiratory rate, coughing (especially at night), reduced appetite, exercise intolerance, restlessness, and fainting episodes.
Follow-up: What constitutes an emergency that needs immediate care?
7. Are there any activity restrictions?
Some dogs benefit from moderate exercise while others need strict rest. The answer depends on the specific condition, stage, and whether arrhythmias are present.
Follow-up: Can my dog still go for walks? How do I know if they're overdoing it?
8. Should we add any supplements (taurine, L-carnitine, CoQ10, fish oil)?
Certain supplements have evidence for cardiac benefit, especially taurine and L-carnitine for specific breeds with DCM. Your cardiologist can advise based on your dog's specific situation.
Follow-up: Are there any supplements I should avoid given my dog's medications?
9. What is the prognosis for my dog specifically?
Prognosis varies enormously based on condition, stage, breed, and response to treatment. A general statistic may not apply to your dog. Ask for their honest assessment.
Follow-up: What factors could improve or worsen the outlook?
10. How will we communicate between appointments if something changes?
Know the process for reaching your cardiologist if symptoms change - whether by phone, email, or through your primary vet. Have the emergency clinic number saved in your phone.
Follow-up: Should I send you respiratory rate logs or videos between visits?
Tips for your appointment
- Bring this printed checklist and a pen to write down answers
- Bring a list of all current medications and supplements with doses
- Have your respiratory rate log ready (use our free tracker at heartdogclub.com/tools/rr-tracker)
- Take photos or videos of any concerning symptoms to show the cardiologist
- It's OK to ask them to repeat or explain something differently - this is your dog's health