For your Dog or Cat
At Dutton Referrals, we are committed to providing a specialist-level cardiac service for your beloved pets with the highest standards of customer service and compassionate care. Whether your vet has detected a heart murmur, an abnormal rhythm, or recommends heart screening prior to breeding, we are here to offer our expertise.
Once your vet has recommended a specialist consultation and the referral is made, we can arrange to examine your pet at your local practice, eliminating the need for you to travel to a distant referral centre. This seamless approach not only minimises stress for your pet but also ensures continuity of care within a familiar environment.
When your pet visits us, the process typically begins with us taking a history to fully understand any concerning symptoms you have detected. This is then followed by a comprehensive heart scan. Depending on the findings from our history taking, physical examination and heart scan, we may recommend additional diagnostics such as blood samples, blood pressure measurement, ECGs, or x-rays. Generally, your pet can go home the same day, and we will thoroughly discuss the outcome of their review, their long-term needs and any follow-up care. You will receive a full report within 24 hours, and we are always available to answer any queries you or your vets may have.
After the initial consultation and diagnostics, ongoing care and treatment will be locally and conveniently managed by your own vet. We will remain involved by conducting periodic follow-up heart scans and other investigations as needed.
Our goal at Dutton Referrals is to ensure that your pet receives the highest quality of cardiac care, supported by a seamless collaboration with your primary vet. We strive to provide compassionate, comprehensive, and continuous care to help your pet live a healthy and happy life.
Asked Questions
We’re sure you’re concerned and we want to reassure you as best we can. Here are the answers to some of the more frequently asked questions, if you need any further information please don’t hesitate to contact us.
A referral occurs when your primary care vet believes your pet needs specialised care beyond the scope of general practice. They will send your pet's medical information to us, allowing our cardiology specialist to provide the advanced diagnostics and treatment your pet requires.
Your vet may have detected a heart murmur, abnormal rhythm, or other signs of heart disease that require specialised equipment and expertise to diagnose and treat properly. Our specialists at Dutton Referrals have extensive training and experience in veterinary cardiology to ensure your pet receives the best possible care.
We offer a wide range of cardiology services, including Doppler echocardiography (detailed heart scan), ECG, ambulatory Holter monitoring (an ECG monitor your pet wears at home), thoracic radiography interpretation, blood pressure monitoring, blood tests, and emergency procedures such as draining fluid from the chest or from around the heart.
We pride ourselves on maintaining a quiet and calm consultation environment where your pet should feel at ease therefore sedation is generally not required for most of our diagnostic tests, such as echocardiography and ECGs. However, if chest x-rays are necessary, sedation may be needed. We only use drugs that are known to have minimal cardiac side-effects, and in cases where pets get particularly stressed during vet visits, often prescribing drugs to help keep them calm during the visit is beneficial. If based on the history provided by your vets, we feel your pet may benefit from anti-anxiety medication prior to their appointment with us we will contact you beforehand to help to arrange this.
Your pet will have a thorough initial assessment followed by a comprehensive heart scan. Additional tests, such as blood samples, blood pressure measurement, ECGs, or x-rays, may also be conducted. Your pet will typically be ready to go home later the same day, and we will provide detailed information about their long-term care and follow-up needs.
Please follow any specific instructions provided by your vet or our team. Generally, it is best to keep your pet calm and avoid feeding them the day of the appointment unless otherwise advised.
After the initial consultation and diagnostics, your primary care vet will manage your pet’s ongoing treatment, with input from our specialists as needed. We will conduct periodic follow-up exams to monitor your pet’s condition and adjust treatment plans as necessary. The model can be likened to a human GP seeking referral and support from a human cardiologist. For example, we may ask your vet to perform a blood test after a new treatment is started, and we are involved in helping interpret and recommend further actions.
Absolutely! We are always available to discuss any concerns or questions you may have about your pet’s condition, treatment, or medications. You can reach us by phone or email for ongoing support.
Speak to your primary care vet about your concerns. If they believe a referral is necessary, they will contact us directly to arrange an appointment. Once the referral is made, we will coordinate with your vet to schedule your pet’s visit at your local practice.
Our mobile service model allows your pet to receive specialised cardiac care in a familiar environment, reducing stress and improving welfare. We understand that pet owners know and trust their primary care vet, therefore seeing a cardiologist they also know and trust is crucial to allowing continuity of care, as your primary care vet remains closely involved in the diagnostic and treatment process.
In order for us to obtain the highest quality images possible of the heart, there must be direct contact between the ultrasound probe and the skin. Therefore in most cases your pet will have a small clipped patch of fur on the chest on both the left and right side.
As we invoice the vet practices directly, enquiring about pricing, payment and insurance claims are all handled the same way as for your primary practices’ other services.