Guidance forpet families

Your primary veterinarian is at the center of your pet’s care. When heart disease is suspected or diagnosed, a board-certified veterinary cardiologist can add specialized expertise to help clarify the diagnosis and guide treatment and monitoring. Working together can make a meaningful difference. Dogs with congestive heart failure lived significantly longer when their primary veterinarian and a veterinary cardiologist collaborated on their care. AAHA also recommends collaboration between primary and specialty veterinary teams to help provide the best possible care.

References: Lefbom BK, Peckens NK. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2016;249(1):72–76. doi:10.2460/javma.249.1.72. American Animal Hospital Association. 2025 AAHA Referral Guidelines.

To see if your clinic is already within our network, please begin by reviewing the list of partner hospitals on this page. If your primary veterinarian is outside of our current service area, you can ask them to schedule a visit with SCOUT directly at their clinic. Alternatively, feel free to email us at info@scoutvetcardio.com with your veterinarian’s name and contact information, and we will gladly reach out to them with the services we offer.

Your pet should arrive at the veterinary hospital before SCOUT’s scheduled visit and be ready for their cardiac evaluation. Echocardiography is most successful when pets are able to remain relatively still and comfortable. If your pet tends to become anxious or is difficult to handle at the veterinary hospital, please speak with your primary veterinarian ahead of time about whether a calming medication, such as trazodone or gabapentin, may be appropriate before the appointment. You will also be asked whether you authorize additional sedation, including IV sedation, if it is needed to safely and comfortably complete your pet’s evaluation. Occasionally, a small amount of hair may need to be clipped so that we can obtain the clearest possible images.

All billing for your pet’s SCOUT visit is handled through the veterinary hospital where your pet is seen. For information about pricing, please contact that hospital directly.

Your primary veterinarian will receive SCOUT’s findings and recommendations and will discuss them with you as part of your pet’s overall care. If you would also like to speak directly with our veterinary cardiologist, you may request a Client Consultation through your primary veterinarian. With this service, our cardiologist will call you on the day of your pet’s evaluation to discuss the findings, answer your questions, and explain what they mean for your pet. You will also receive an easy-to-understand written summary by email within 24 hours.