Pet Heart Disease · Abu Dhabi
Dog Heart Murmur
& Pet Heart Disease
in Abu Dhabi
Your vet heard a murmur. Your dog coughs at night. Your cat is breathing faster than usual. These are not things to wait out. Senior veterinarians — full cardiac examination, echocardiography, ECG, blood pressure and lab results in one visit.
What Brought You Here?
Start With What You Know
Most owners arrive here because something changed — or because another vet said something they need to understand. Click what applies to you.
Heart Murmur Detected
Another vet heard a murmur — what does it mean and what happens next?
Heart Murmur in Dogs & Cats — What It Actually Means
A heart murmur is a sound — an audible turbulence in blood flow heard through a stethoscope. Your vet graded it 1 through 6. The grade tells you how loud it is. It does not tell you how serious it is.
A Grade 2 murmur from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in a Dobermann may require immediate medication. A Grade 4 murmur in a young dog may be an innocent “flow murmur” requiring only annual monitoring. The only way to know which you are dealing with is echocardiography — a real-time ultrasound image of the heart chambers, valves and wall thickness.
At Best Pet Vet, murmur assessment includes: cardiac auscultation with full grading, echocardiography (heart ultrasound), ECG for arrhythmia detection, blood pressure measurement and cardiac blood markers — all in one visit. You leave with a clear written diagnosis and a specific management plan.
Dog Keeps Coughing
Persistent cough, especially at night or after rest — could this be the heart?
Dog Coughing — When It’s the Heart, Not the Throat
A persistent soft cough — especially at night, after lying down, or after mild exercise — is one of the earliest signs of congestive heart failure in dogs. It is not a kennel cough. It is not a respiratory infection. As the left side of the heart weakens, fluid accumulates in the lungs (pulmonary oedema) and triggers a reflexive cough.
The key diagnostic question: is this a heart cough or a respiratory cough? A physical examination alone cannot reliably answer that. Echocardiography shows whether the heart is enlarged and whether lung congestion is present. Cardiac blood markers from our in-house lab — results in under 15 minutes — provide additional confirmation.
If your dog has been coughing for more than 2–3 days, or if the cough comes with faster breathing, reduced energy or reluctance to lie flat, book a cardiac examination. Do not accept “it’s probably kennel cough” without a proper cardiac workup in any dog over 5 years old.
Breathing Too Fast
Pet breathing rapidly at rest or while sleeping — when is this serious?
Fast Breathing at Rest — One of the Most Reliable Home Warning Signs
Resting respiratory rate is one of the most useful things an owner can monitor at home. Count your pet’s breaths per minute while they are fully relaxed or asleep. In dogs: more than 30 breaths per minute consistently is abnormal. In cats: more than 25–30 breaths per minute at rest warrants same-day assessment.
Fast resting breathing — especially in cats — is often the first visible sign of heart failure or pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs). By the time it is obvious to the naked eye, the condition may already be advanced. In cats, this can escalate to respiratory crisis very quickly.
If your pet’s breathing seems faster than normal at rest, or you notice flared nostrils, open-mouth breathing in a cat, or visible chest movement during sleep, contact us the same day. This is not something to monitor for a week.
Fatigue & Low Energy
Tires faster on walks, reluctant to play — could the heart be the cause?
Reduced Energy & Exercise Intolerance — The Symptom Owners Explain Away
A dog that tires earlier on walks than six months ago. A cat that no longer jumps to its favourite spot. An older pet that sleeps more. These are easy to attribute to age — and they may be age-related. But reduced exercise tolerance is also a classic sign of declining cardiac output.
When the heart cannot pump efficiently, the body compensates by diverting blood away from muscles. The result: fatigue at lower levels of effort, reluctance to exercise, sleeping more. In large and giant breed dogs — Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Dobermanns — this can be the first and only sign of dilated cardiomyopathy for months before the disease becomes critical.
If your pet’s energy has declined noticeably over the past 3–6 months, a full cardiac examination including echocardiography will determine whether the heart is involved — and if so, at what stage.
Cat Heart Disease
HCM in cats — no symptoms until it’s serious. What you need to know.
HCM in Cats — Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. The heart muscle thickens abnormally, reducing the heart’s ability to fill with blood. Most cats with HCM show no symptoms for years. The heart compensates, the cat seems normal, and then suddenly — respiratory distress, open-mouth breathing, or hind-limb paralysis (aortic thromboembolism, or “saddle thrombus”).
That last scenario — a saddle thrombus — is one of the most acute emergencies in feline medicine. A blood clot forms in the heart and lodges at the aortic bifurcation, cutting off blood supply to the hind legs. It is extremely painful and has a guarded prognosis. Many of these cats had never shown a single symptom.
The only way to detect HCM before a crisis is echocardiography. Regular screening — particularly in predisposed breeds — is how outcomes are improved. At Best Pet Vet, cat cardiac examinations are performed with the same structured protocol as for dogs.
Breed Screening
Cavalier, Dobermann, Boxer, Maine Coon — routine heart checks by breed.
Which Breeds Need Regular Heart Checks — and When
If your dog or cat is on this list, routine cardiac screening is not optional — it is the responsible standard of care for that breed.
| Breed | Main Condition | When to Start Screening | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) | Age 2.5 years (MVD Protocol) | Very High |
| Dobermann Pinscher | Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) | Age 3 years — annual echo + ECG | Very High |
| Boxer | Boxer Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) | Age 2 years — echo + ECG essential | Very High |
| Great Dane & Irish Wolfhound | Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) | Age 2 years — earlier than most breeds | High |
| Dachshund | Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) | Annual auscultation from middle age | Moderate–High |
| Maine Coon | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) | Age 1–2 years — annual echocardiogram | Very High |
| Ragdoll | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) | Age 1–2 years — annual echocardiogram | High |
| Sphynx | HCM — juvenile onset possible | From age 1 — more frequent checks | Very High |
| British Shorthair & Persian | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) | Annual screening from early adulthood | Moderate–High |
| All dogs & cats 7+ years | Age-related cardiac disease | Annual cardiac check as part of senior wellness | Increases with age |
*This table reflects general breed screening recommendations. Your vet will advise a personalised schedule after the initial examination.
The Examination
What Happens During a Cardiac Check
at Best Pet Vet
Every component contributes to the complete picture. This is not a single test —
it is a structured diagnostic examination that results in a clear, actionable plan.
Full Cardiac Examination — All Included
One Visit. Full Picture. Clear Plan.
Heart ultrasound (echocardiography) is performed only as part of this complete examination — not as an isolated procedure. This is the clinically correct approach and the only way to properly interpret what the images show.
- Cardiac Auscultation Full stethoscope assessment — murmur grading (1–6), rhythm, rate and character of heart sounds
- Echocardiography (Heart Ultrasound) Real-time imaging of chambers, valves, wall thickness and cardiac function — the essential diagnostic tool
- ECG (Electrocardiogram) Arrhythmia detection, conduction abnormalities, rate irregularities
- Blood Pressure Measurement Hypertension is both a cause and a consequence of cardiac disease — assessed in every examination
- Cardiac Blood Markers — In-House Lab CBC, biochemistry (24 parameters), cardiac markers, hormones — results in under 15 minutes
- Written Diagnosis & Follow-Up Plan Condition staging, medication if needed, monitoring schedule and clear next steps in writing
We do not perform cardiac surgery. Our expertise is in diagnosis, medical management and structured long-term monitoring.
Step by Step
What to Expect at Your Appointment
No surprises. Every step explained. You leave with complete clarity — not more questions.
01
History Review
Full medical history, current symptoms, medications, breed risk factors. Your concerns heard first.
02
Auscultation
Systematic stethoscope exam. Murmur graded, rhythm characterised, any arrhythmias noted.
03
Echo + ECG + BP
Echocardiography, ECG and blood pressure performed in sequence. The complete diagnostic picture.
04
Lab Results
In-house cardiac markers, CBC and biochemistry — complete results in under 15 minutes.
05
Your Plan
Clear verbal and written summary: diagnosis, stage, treatment and monitoring schedule.
“Most owners come in having been told ‘your dog has a murmur’ — and nothing else. That is not enough information to manage a patient properly. Our job is to tell you exactly what the murmur means, whether treatment is needed today or in six months, and what to watch for at home. That clarity is what we offer.”
— Dr. Davor, Head Vet · Best Pet Vet · 25+ Years Clinical Experience
Why Best Pet Vet
Senior Expertise.
No Referral. One Visit.
Most clinics in Abu Dhabi refer cardiac cases. We assess them here — with 25+ years of senior clinical experience and full diagnostic capability on-site.
Echocardiography On-Site — No Referral Needed
Full heart ultrasound is available at your regular clinic appointment. No waiting weeks for a specialist slot. No extra cost of a separate hospital visit. The answer is available the same day.
Senior Veterinarians Educated at Respected European Universities
Dr. Davor and Dr. Maya bring over 25 years of hands-on clinical experience and university training at respected European institutions. All doctors hold valid UAE licenses. This is a rarity in Abu Dhabi and directly affects the quality of cardiac interpretation.
Cardiac Lab Results in Under 15 Minutes
In-house CBC, biochemistry up to 24 parameters, cardiac markers and hormones. We begin interpreting findings while you are still in the clinic. Not the next day. Not 48 hours later.
A Clear Plan — Not Just a Report
A diagnosis without a management plan is incomplete. You leave with a written summary: what was found, how serious it is, whether medication is needed, what to monitor at home and when to return. That structure is what long-term cardiac management requires.
Calm Environment — Better Readings, Less Stress
Blood pressure and heart rate are directly affected by stress. A panicked animal in an unfamiliar environment gives different readings than a settled one. Our handling approach is designed to reduce that variable — because accurate readings lead to accurate diagnosis.
Serving All of Abu Dhabi
Veterinary Lab Near You
Al Raha Beach location with free parking — easy to reach from every part of Abu Dhabi.
Book a Lab Visit
Book a Cardiac Examination Today
Same-day and next-day appointments available. When you contact us, tell us your pet’s breed, age and what symptoms or findings prompted you to reach out — our team will prioritise accordingly.
Clinic Information
FAQ
Your Questions About Pet Heart Disease
The essential next step is a full cardiac examination including echocardiography. A murmur grade tells you how loud the turbulence is — it does not tell you what is causing it or whether treatment is needed. Echocardiography lets us visualise the heart chambers and valves in real time, stage any underlying disease and decide whether medication should start now or can wait. At Best Pet Vet, this examination — including ECG, blood pressure and cardiac blood markers — is all done in one visit.
A persistent soft cough at night or after rest, especially in a dog over 5 years old or a predisposed breed, should be taken seriously as a potential cardiac symptom. As the heart weakens, fluid accumulates in the lungs and triggers a cough reflex. This is different from kennel cough — but a physical examination alone cannot reliably distinguish them. A cardiac workup including echocardiography and cardiac blood markers will clarify the cause. If the cough has lasted more than 2–3 days, or comes with faster breathing or reduced energy, book an appointment this week.
Yes, potentially. Increased resting respiratory rate in cats — above 25–30 breaths per minute while relaxed — is one of the key early warning signs of heart failure or fluid around the lungs. Cats can deteriorate quickly. If your cat is breathing noticeably faster than usual, especially with any open-mouth breathing or obvious effort, contact us the same day. This is not something to observe for a few days.
Murmur grades reflect loudness — from Grade 1 (barely audible, experienced examiner only) to Grade 6 (audible without a stethoscope, felt as a vibration through the chest wall). The important thing to understand: grade does not equal severity. A Grade 2 murmur from dilated cardiomyopathy in a Dobermann may require urgent medication. A Grade 4 murmur in a young, otherwise healthy dog may be an innocent flow murmur requiring only annual monitoring. The only way to know is echocardiography.
Many forms of pet heart disease can be effectively managed with cardiac medication. Mitral valve disease — the most common condition in dogs — can often be controlled with heart medication that slows progression, reduces symptoms and maintains quality of life for years. Feline HCM is also managed medically. The right medication and the right timing both depend on the stage of disease, which is determined by echocardiography. We do not perform cardiac surgery; our expertise is in diagnosis, medical management and monitoring.
Yes — especially these breeds. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have such a high predisposition to Mitral Valve Disease that breed-specific screening protocols recommend echo checks from age 2.5 years, before any symptoms appear. Dobermanns should be screened for DCM from age 3 with annual echo and ECG, as sudden death can be the first clinical sign. Maine Coons and Ragdolls have known genetic links to HCM — annual echocardiographic screening from age 1–2 is the standard recommendation. “Healthy” means no visible symptoms, not no disease.
The cost depends on your pet’s size, any additional laboratory tests required and the complexity of the findings. We focus on the highest standard of veterinary care, not the lowest price. What we can confirm: the cost of a full cardiac examination is almost always significantly less than the cost of treating a cardiac crisis that could have been managed earlier. Contact us directly for an accurate estimate — describe your pet’s breed, age and any symptoms when you reach out.
Yes — resting respiratory rate is the most useful home monitoring tool. Count the number of full breaths (in + out = 1) per minute while your pet is fully relaxed or asleep. For dogs: over 30 breaths per minute consistently is worth reporting. For cats: over 25–30 is a flag. Smartphone apps are available to help you count and track this easily. Our team will advise you on target ranges and other signs to watch for based on your pet’s specific condition after the examination.