Veterinary cardiology
Heart disease can develop for years before clear symptoms appear. At the MultiVet clinic in Lutynia near Wrocław we provide full cardiac diagnostics - including echocardiography (heart ultrasound) - so problems can be caught early and treated effectively. Cardiology consultations are led by Beata Bonowska, DVM.
When should your pet's heart be checked?
Some dog and cat breeds are particularly predisposed to heart disease. We also recommend a cardiac check before procedures under general anaesthesia and for older patients.
- Coughing, tiring easily, breathlessness after exercise
- Fainting and episodes of weakness
- A heart murmur detected on examination
- Pre-anaesthetic assessment
- Check-ups for predisposed breeds and seniors
Diagnostics we offer
Echocardiography (heart ultrasound)
Real-time assessment of the heart's structure and function.
ECG
Heart rhythm assessment and arrhythmia detection.
Blood pressure measurement
Important in heart and kidney disease.
Look after your pet's heart
Book a cardiac examination and heart echo at the MultiVet clinic in Lutynia.
When a heart check makes sense
Heart disease rarely announces itself. In dogs the first sign is usually a change in stamina: the same walk takes longer, the animal sits down halfway, or a cough appears at night and after excitement rather than during exercise. In cats there may be nothing at all until breathing becomes laboured, which is one reason feline cardiology relies so heavily on imaging rather than on symptoms.
A murmur heard during a routine examination is a reason to look further, not a diagnosis in itself. Some murmurs are harmless, some are the first audible sign of a valve that is beginning to leak. The only way to tell them apart is to look at the heart while it works.
What the examination involves
A cardiac consultation combines the clinical examination with an ultrasound of the heart. We measure the chambers, watch the valves close, assess the direction and speed of blood flow, and compare the numbers against the range expected for that size and breed. Where the rhythm rather than the structure is in question, an ECG is added.
The examination is done with the animal awake. Most patients tolerate it well; a small patch of fur is clipped on the chest so the probe makes proper contact. You will get the findings and the reasoning during the same visit, not a report sent later.
Living with a diagnosed heart condition
Most cardiac disease in dogs and cats is managed rather than cured. That is not a pessimistic statement: a well-controlled patient on the right medication can stay comfortable for years. What changes is the rhythm of care - regular re-examinations, dose adjustments as the disease progresses, and attention to weight, because every extra kilogram makes a compromised heart work harder.
We do not promise outcomes. What we can do is explain what the images show, what the treatment is meant to achieve and which signs at home mean the plan needs revisiting.
Practical details
Cardiac consultations take longer than a standard appointment, so tell us when booking that the heart is the reason for the visit. Bring any previous results, including reports from another country - a comparison over time is more informative than a single snapshot.
The clinic is at ul. Kościuszki 61 in Lutynia, in the Miękinia municipality, about 18 km west of Wrocław. Parking along the street is free, with no paid zone. We are open Monday to Friday 10:00-20:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00; Sunday is closed, which is worth planning around if you are driving in from further away.
Book by phone on +48 533 557 247 or through the online system. If writing is easier than speaking, e-mail kontakt@multivetlutynia.pl with a short description of the problem and a preferred day.
We see dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits and ornamental birds. Horses are covered for rehabilitation only. We do not treat farm animals.
Worth reading before your visit
Coughing and lower stamina are a signal to check when an echocardiogram is needed.
Changes worth watching after the eighth year are described under senior dog care.
Every extra kilogram loads the joints, so we cover overweight in pets separately.