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Veterinary Cardiology Consultants

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Novi, MI
Veterinary Cardiology Consultants

Veterinary Cardiology Consultants is a veterinary specialty practice that is 100% focused on diagnosing and treating cardiac disease in pets.
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06/17/2024

HEAT ADVISORY! ☀️🌡 CAUTION TO OUR CARDIAC PATIENTS!

Weather reports are predicting temperatures in the high-80s and low 90’s for the next week straight. Nice weather for summer, but it can be extremely dangerous for our pets living with heart disease.

When ambient temperatures and humidity rise, the heart has to beat faster and work harder to pump blood to assist with sweating to cool the body. Heart disease decreases cardiac output and affects the heart's ability to contract and properly pump blood through the body’s tissues. If the heart cannot meet the higher demand, congestive heart failure (CHF), collapse and even sudden death can occur.

Restricting exposure to warm weather and high humidity is crucial in helping prevent an emergency situation. Only walk in the morning before temps start to rise, and reduce time spent outside in the heat/humidity. Keep your pets nice and cool in air conditioning!

05/22/2024

One of our patients, Jambo (pictured in the left), had a cameo on the news last weekend during the Michigan Humane Society’s fundraising Mutt March! 😎

05/02/2024

NOTICE re: Novi office phone system

Our voicemail system in the Novi office is currently experiencing issues. We are able to receive phone calls but are unable to retrieve voicemails. This issue may not be resolved for several days.

Our Rochester office is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8am-4pm and can receive calls and voicemails. 248-402-4322

We do not have receptionists - our cardiology nurses answer our phones. Therefore, if there is no answer when you call, please be patient as we may be assisting with other patients or phone calls.

We apologize for the inconvenience and hope this issue will be resolved soon!

04/16/2024

Skye thoroughly enjoyed her belly rubs from Dr. Brown at her visit yesterday! 😊 She is a definite success story! ❤️

Skye first came to our office a year ago for coughing and an enlarged heart. Her echocardiogram showed severe heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy / DCM). DCM is a disease characterized by significant loss of pumping function (myocardial failure) that leads to heart enlargement and heart failure. DCM can happen if a dog carries the genetic mutation for the disease, in which case the disease is incurable and progressive.

However, DCM-like changes can also be seen in dogs eating diets containing high levels of peas, chickpeas, pea fibers, lentils and other legumes. These ingredients are most commonly found in grain-free formulations of dog foods. It is thought that these specific ingredients lead to a toxicity over time that affects the heart muscle and causes myocardial failure.

When we first saw Skye, she had been eating one of these diets so she was immediately transitioned to a diet that did not include these ingredients. She was also started on several heart medications to support her heart function and to attempt to keep her out of heart failure.

It’s impossible to know for sure whether an individual has the genetic form of DCM versus nutritional DCM until response to medications/diet change can be documented. The former will not improve and will continue to progress, while the latter can sometimes improve or resolve completely with a diet change and medications.

Thankfully, Skye responded very well to the diet change and medications and we saw gradual improvement in her heart dimensions and function over the past year. Yesterday’s echocardiogram showed that her heart is now back to a normal size with normal function! This is the absolute best case scenario and (sadly) doesn’t happen for every dog who has nutritional DCM.

Not all dogs who eats these diets will develop heart disease, but pet owners should be aware of the potential risks of feeding diets high in these specific ingredients. They are still widely available in pet food stores so make sure to read the ingredient labels.

We were so happy to give Skye’s owner the good news! She was also happy to start safely cutting back on her medications 😊❤️

03/05/2024

Have you ever struggled to give your cat a pill? 💊 Most people have! Here are some tips and tricks that I’ve learned over my 22 year career of working with cats to help make it easier! 😺

Special thanks to Stitch for being my helper for this video ❤️

01/22/2024

Camper is a mix of 2 breeds - can you guess which ones? Hint: both breeds get heart disease… one breed is prone to congenital heart disease (birth defect) and the other breed commonly gets acquired (adult onset) heart disease. What’s your guess??

We saw Camper for a screening today and his echocardiogram was normal ❤️

01/18/2024

Mocha the 3 month old Labrador retriever came to visit us today to check out a heart murmur. We performed an echocardiogram and found that Mocha has tiny leaks in her mitral and tricuspid valves. These leaks are not hemodynamically significant, and she does not have any serious congenital abnormalities that requires any treatment or follow-up. Thankfully, this gives Mocha an excellent prognosis! ❤️🐾

01/02/2024

Pebbles the British Shorthair came in for her recheck echocardiogram today 🩺

We diagnosed her with a heart condition 10 YEARS AGO in 2014! She has been on medication since she was 8 months old, and she’s still doing great! 💪❤️

10/25/2023

Sent in from a owner:

“We absolutely love Dr. DeSana and the 3 1/2 hour trip it takes us to get there from Traverse City is well worth the drive. We will not take Bubba anywhere else! We feel like family when we come in ❤️”

Thank you for the kind words and love, Diane! We love seeing you, Larry and Bubba! We appreciate you driving all this way to see us! 🙏

09/14/2023

Please be aware that our reminder and texting system has been down for the past few days. We thought the provider had it resolved yesterday but we are still experiencing problems.

If you are trying to text or respond to confirmation requests, please call our office instead. We are not currently receiving any texts through our system.

Sorry for the inconvenience! We hope this will be resolved soon.

Novi office: 248-946-4322
Rochester office: 248-402-4322

08/08/2023

Dex was such a good girl for her appointment today! High five! 🙌 Literally!

08/07/2023

We echo’d 9 Maine C***s for breeding screens and this male was especially handsome 😍 He’s considered a “high black smoke” coat color. Very unique and he had a great personality too!

His cardiac screening went well and he’s all set to make more gorgeous Maine C**n babies for another couple years 😸

04/27/2023

The cuteness is too much to handle! 😍

This little guy had a large-looking heart on chest x-rays, but thankfully his echocardiogram was completely normal! We love giving good news ❤️

04/24/2023

Lesson time! 🩺📕

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (also known has arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy or ARVC) is a genetic cardiac disease found primarily in boxers, though it can also rarely affect English bulldogs and cats. ARVC is caused by a genetic mutation that is passed down from the parents. It is an adult onset disease (average diagnosis between 5-7 years old) and results in a ventricular arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) that can cause episodes of weakness, collapse and sudden death.

ARVC causes replacement of normal cardiac muscle tissue with fatty and fibrous tissue. This abnormal tissue in the heart muscle disrupts the normal pathways for the electrical impulse of the heartbeat and causes electrical instability in the heart. The electrical instability manifests as an arrhythmia that can often, but not always, be detected when listening to the heart with a stethoscope.

The specific arrhythmia caused by ARVC is a ventricular arrhythmia. This means there are premature impulses that originate in the ventricular tissue, rather than the sinoatrial node like it normally should. These premature beats are called ventricular premature contractions, or “VPCs”. If the VPCs are very frequent or they are strung together in combinations (2 or more VPCs together), there is an increased likelihood of clinical signs (weakness / collapse).

Unfortunately, ARVC is an incurable and often progressive disease. Early in the disease, dogs are often asymptomatic and the only abnormality is an irregular heartbeat on a routine physical exam at the vet’s office. However, the most common clinical symptom of affected individuals is collapse during exercise or excitement. As ARVC progresses, individuals can experience myocardial failure (loss of cardiac pumping power) which leads to congestive heart failure (coughing / difficulty breathing).

ARVC is diagnosed with an echocardiogram and ECG (electrocardiogram), and sometimes a Holter monitor. Medications are often recommended to help control the arrhythmia and make it less dangerous. Exercise restriction is also important since the arrhythmia can be made worse by exercise and excitement, which predisposes the dog to collapse and sudden death. Many boxers with ARVC can live for years if managed appropriately. Since ARVC is typically progressive, regular follow up is needed to adjust medications based on diagnostic testing.

DNA tests for ARVC are available to owners to test for copies of the mutation, which can help determine an individual’s risk for developing the disease later in life. All boxer breeders should be DNA testing their dogs and doing annual echocardiograms and Holter monitors to screen for ARVC prior to breeding. Unfortunately, ARVC is a very common problem in boxers so potential owners should be aware of the disease and the symptoms in this breed.

This is Zach, who was diagnosed with ARVC and started on medication over 2 years ago. He was a good sport about taking pics for this post ❤️

03/09/2023

This is an interesting case! Milo is an 11 year old cat who has been collapsing (passing out) frequently since December. He was evaluated by a neurologist who ruled out neurological disease (seizures). An arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) was noted on an examination at his regular vet’s office, so he was referred to us for a cardiac evaluation.

Milo had an echocardiogram and ECG at our office with Dr. DeSana which showed a rhythm abnormality called 2nd degree AV block. This causes the heart to beat slowly and out of sync with itself which can lead to periods of very slow heart rate (bradycardia) and collapse. AV block can be caused by other underlying medical issues, which were all ruled out in Milo’s case. This left Milo with a diagnosis of primary cardiac conduction system disease. A pacemaker is the only solution since medications cannot treat this problem.

Milo’s owner opted to move forward with treatment and a pacemaker was implanted at Michigan State University last week. The procedure went well and Milo is doing great now! His incisions are healing well, but in the meantime, his owner bought him a stylish bomber jacket to help keep his stitches clean 😊

Milo is no longer collapsing and he is expected to have a very favorable prognosis and normal life expectancy now ❤️

01/22/2023

There’s a rebate available if you buy 2 bottles of Vetmedin through March 31st. Use the QR code or visit the website with the offer code ✅

01/19/2023

If you ever wonder what happens to your pet “in the back”, we are doing very sophisticated cardiac testing, and then taking super cute pics and loving them up! ❤️😊

(If you’re looking for a giggle today, zoom in on Delilah’s collar tag) 😜

01/13/2023

Don’t look so sad, Elsa! Your soft murmur is innocent and nothing to worry about ❤️

12/30/2022

This photo is from a client. The gray and white kitty is one of our patients, Daisy. She and her sister, Lily, watch bird shows every night before bed on their iPad 😂. Daisy falls asleep to them in bed. It’s like a drive-in movie! And that’s their little cat tree 😎

Happy New Year to all ✨

12/22/2022

All of our offices will be closed tomorrow (12/23/22). Please stay safe and warm! ❄️

12/22/2022

Veterinary Cardiology Consultants of Rochester is moving to a brand new location! 📍

The new location is located inside The Animal Emergency Center at:

278 East Auburn Rd.
Rochester Hills, MI. 48307

Please update your records with our new address. We will be closing our current Rochester office on December 22nd, 2022 and starting business at our new location on January 2nd, 2023. Our phone numbers and email addresses will remain the same, as will our website address and social media accounts. Our Novi location will remain unchanged.

We are sooo excited about this move! We look forward to continuing to serve your needs and work with you at our new location 😊

Feel free to contact us with any questions!

12/16/2022

URGENT UPDATE!

If you received an email from our office this morning that appears to be “sharing files” and looks like the below image, DO NOT OPEN or click ANY links! Our Outlook email was hacked this morning and has sent out emails to our contacts.

We apologize if you received this email and we are working with our IT expert as we speak to get it resolved.

12/15/2022

This is Minnie Mouse, a 6 year old Chihuahua who came in today to check out a new heart murmur before having anesthesia for a dental cleaning. We performed an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart performed by a board-certified cardiologist) and found that Minnie Mouse has a small leak in her mitral valve due to degenerative valve disease.

Degenerative valve disease is by far the most common type of heart disease we see in dogs. It is most commonly diagnosed in older, small breed dogs, with certain breeds being at much higher risk, such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Other commonly affected breeds include the Dachshund, Poodle, Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Maltese, Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier and Bichon Frise. However, degenerative valve disease can be found in many other breeds of any size.

Degenerative valve disease is an age-related degeneration of the valve tissue which causes the valve to leak. The first sign is an audible heart murmur, which is usually detected during a routine vet appointment. Valve disease is gradually progressive over the course of months and years. The valve tissue continues to degenerate as time goes on, which causes the leak to get bigger. As the valve leak gets bigger, the murmur usually gets louder. Large valve leaks put extra stress on the heart and leads to heart enlargement and, in many cases, heart failure.

An echocardiogram is needed to definitively diagnose the disease and provide specific recommendations for treatment based on the stage of disease. In dogs, degenerative valve disease is managed with medications to help support the heart function and delay / prevent the onset of congestive heart failure. If caught early, dogs can often live for years with this disease!

Don’t just “watch” your dog’s heart murmur! Get it checked out. We want to give you as much happy and quality time with your furry friend as possible. Minnie Mouse can still safely have her teeth cleaned and will enjoy many more happy years with her owner ❤️

11/02/2022

The cutest baby kitty came in today! Lil Guy is an 8 week old Persian kitten who came to see us to check out a heart murmur. Look at how tiny and fluffy he is! 😍

Turns out he has a ventricular septal defect (VSD) which is a hole in the muscular wall that separates the left and right ventricles. This is a congenital (birth) defect that is common in cats. Sometimes the VSD will decrease in size, or close completely, as the individual grows. Cats with small VSD’s can live normal lives with a normal life expectancy. Larger VSD’s cause more stress on the heart and can lead to heart enlargement and heart failure. A repeat echocardiogram at near-adult size will give the cardiologist a better idea of long term prognosis.

Lil Guy was a joy to see at our office today and we wish him all the best! ❤️ He is pictured here with Julie 😊

11/01/2022

Share your Halloween pics! 🎃 These pics were sent to us yesterday. Luna is a bumblebee and Aegon is a very angry pumpkin 😜

09/01/2022

Did you know that cats can develop serious heart disease from untreated systemic hypertension (high blood pressure) and hyperthyroidism?💡 In addition, hypertension in cats is often caused by underlying kidney disease and hyperthyroidism which can be easily diagnosed by your regular veterinarian.

This is why it’s important for older cats (10 years and over) to have regular physical exams, blood pressure checks and annual blood work. Early diagnosis and treatment can save your kitty a trip to the cardiologist later!

Pictured here is Dr. DeSana who has been treating this kitty’s severe heart disease for the past 3 years ❤️

08/29/2022

Happy 9th birthday to Mango! She is a Cavalier King Charles spaniel who we have been treating for degenerative mitral valve disease for the past 3 years. Hope you had a great birthday, Mango! ❤️

08/12/2022

This adorable little guy is Simon. He is a 10-month old male neared Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He was born with a serious congenital heart defect, but he is doing very well on medication prescribed by Dr. DeSana. Simon is currently being fostered by The Lucky Star Cavalier Rescue. He is looking for his forever home. Simon will require life-long cardiac medication and yearly echocardiograms. If you are interested, please contact the Lucky Star Rescue group at https://www.luckystarcavalierrescue.org/

07/20/2022

Bruno was super nervous to come see us today. We understand, it’s stressful to come to the vet office! Sometimes even more so for pet owners 😉

Thankfully, echocardiograms are completely non-invasive and painless. We don’t even have to shave any fur! A water-based ultrasound gel is used, which is completely non-toxic and safe for animals to lick afterwards. Sedation is not even needed aside from the rare cases of a pet being too aggressive to safely handle.

The echocardiogram only takes about 10-15 minutes and then worried pets like Bruno are back in their owners arms before they know it!

Dr. Brown and the nurses gave Bruno lots of encouragement and he was a very good boy for his testing today ❤️

06/30/2022

VCC will be closed on Monday, July 4th. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend! 🇺🇸❤️

Address

24360 Novi Road
Novi, MI
48375

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12489464322

Website

http://www.vetcardiologyconsultants.com/

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Videos

How to give a cat a pill

Have you ever struggled to give your cat a pill? 💊 Most people have! Here are some tips and tricks that I’ve learned over my 22 year career of working with cats to help make it easier! 😺 Special thanks to Stitch for being my helper for this video ❤️

Dex was such a good girl for her appointment today! High five! 🙌 Literally!

Our first day seeing appointments in our brand new building in Rochester! 🤩 We’re so excited!

Brie wanted to see what was on the other side of the door leading into the hospital 😂 She was happy when we finally took her back for her echocardiogram. And WE were happy that her murmur turned out to be nothing to worry about! 😊