[Sandy]

I own a King Charles and my vet recently performed a blood test to check for heart disease. The name of the test is Canine CardioCare and is offered by a company at the following link - Veterinary Diagnostics Institute The test came back positive and we are now being sent for an echocardiogram. Does anyone else have experience with this test? My vet ran the test because the King Charles breed is a high risk breed for heart problems.

[Brandy]

I asked my vet about the test. Apparently this is something new that the cardiologists are pushing. The test is being used to identify dogs with underlying heart disease who are not yet symptomatic. My vet said the test is most useful as a screening test for dogs over the age of 6 and for high risk breeds. My vet charges $90 for the test which is much cheaper than a cardiac referral.