My dog is tired. What does his heart X-ray mean with conflicting vet opinions?

Question

Last question I posted, someone said I needed a VD of the heart. Here it is. I had one doc said his heart look bad and he recommended a ultrasound. second opinion said he looks normal and a third said his head looked ehhhhh. I don’t know who to believe. So here I am. How does his heart look? Does it look normal? Reason for this, He’s been getting tired more easily and takes more breaks. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 2 years and 3 months old | 20.08 lbs

Stacey Anstaett, DVM · Accepted Answer

I don’t think the heart looks terribly enlarged, maybe on the big side of normal. Ask the vet who took the rads if they are able to submit them to a radiologist for review. (A radiologist is a vet who spent at least 3 additional years to do a residency to specialize and study only imaging. Their expertise is really valuable in cases that are not clear cut and obvious.) If his lab work is all normal, and a radiologist is concerned about the appearance of the heart, then it’s logical to seek out an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) by a veterinary cardiologist. If a radiologist does NOT think the heart looks questionable, and Boo’s lab work is all normal, it might be worth considering an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram of the belly) to see if there are any abnormalities there (enlarged lymph nodes, abnormal spleen, any abnormality in GI or urinary tract, etc). I hope that’s helpful, sorry there is no easy clear cut answer. Interpreting X-rays is like looking at 1 piece of a puzzle. History and clinical signs, physical exam, lab work, and other imaging all tie in to the bigger picture. If you would like to have a consult, I may be able to help you further with more information, and would do my best to help point you in the right direction. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My dog is tired. What does his heart X-ray mean with conflicting vet opinions?

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