Has anyone had this check on there dog's,is it really necessary or would a check by the vet just as good,I am looking to get britney heart tested as we have had her hip scored and elbows X-rayed, we have eye check booked for tomorrow and would like to be 100% sure that all is right with her do you think a vet check would show up anything,Britney is a Dogue de Bordeaux and the club has as yet no recommendation

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Dobermanns    

Echocardiogram/Doppler examination is performed by specialist canine cardiologists , the dog lies on an ultrasound table, and the transducer is positioned through a hole in the table to contact the lower chest wall

Ausculatation (listening though stethascope) which can be done by your vet is nowhere nearwhere near as accurate and is just as good as the vet listening at the time and what is happening at that time.

Another method is a Holter monitor, this is worn by the dog for 24 hours.
This is the 24 hour ECG recording so that the number of VPCs (ventricular premature complexes0 over 24 hours can be counted. The result is compared with normal numbers for Dobermanns (or relevant breed) in different age groups.

Christine

Thank you for your information, sorry I have not got back to you earlier