Can a vet blood test show if my pet has heart disease or failure?

An enlarged heart could mean that your dog is developing heart disease but it could also just be normal for your dog. Your vet could submit a blood test called a proBNP which helps detect heart disease. You could also have a cardiologist perform an ultrasound of her heart to evaluate the function of her hear and measure the size.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! When we listen to a patient with a stethoscope to diagnose heart disease / heart failure, we are listening for multiple things. Does the dog have an audible heart murmur and if so, is there evidence of congestive heart failure (CHF). We listen for evidence of fluid in the lungs that would indicate heart failure. Just the presence of a heart murmur does not indicate heart failure. X-rays and echocardiography also aid in the diagnosis of CHF. So yes, CHF can be diagnosed with the stethoscope but some cases require further testing. BNP testing can also aid in the diagnosis. I hope this helps!

The BNP has been shown to have a low specificity for heart disease, meaning that there are many things that can cause a false positive. While a negative can be a fairly good indicator that there is no significant structural heart disease, a positive may or may not mean the heart is affected. I typically recommend following up with an echocardiogram (not sure if that is what is scheduled, EKG usually refers to electrocardiogram which is different) to look for structural heart disease. There may or may not be a problem with the heart so I would try not to worry too much until you have more information.

Pro-BNP doesn't determine the level of heart disease. It is commonly used to help determine if the symptoms we are seeing are related to the heart vs the lungs. It shouldn't be affected by the blood pressure, though some heart diseases can be worsened by elevated blood pressure. Here are a couple articles you may find helpful: http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/bnp-testing-cats-with-suspected-cardiomyopathy http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/journal-scan-potential-prognostic-value-nt-probnp-assays-cats-with-congestive-heart-failure

All the conditions you mentioned except cancer are easily spotted on a full panel blood labwork, Cancer is the exception and is usually very difficult to diagnose when growing internally. a minority of cancers can be spotted on bloodwork, others can be spotted on xray, ultrasound, endoscopy and advanced imaging such as CT scan and MRI.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm so sorry to hear Smudge was diagnosed with kidney issues. Unfortunately, a complete blood chemistry panel that includes a urinalysis is very accurate for kidney disease. If you have concerns about Smudge's diagnosis, I would recommend you reach out to Smudge's veterinarian to discuss what the findings were, and what steps may need to be taken. Good luck.

That is an enzyme found in the liver, red blood cells (RBCs) and in skeletal and heart muscle tissue. Damage to any of these can result in increased levels of SGOT in the blood. If your vet thinks she has a heart condition then there may be other signs associated with her heart. Your vet could repeat the blood-work in 3-4 weeks to see how the value has changed, especially since it is only slightly elevated. You could also take her to a cardiologist to have an echocardiogram of her heart to see how her heart is functioning.