How much will I pay for a echo doppler test?

I just had two of my girls done at a heart clinic sponsored by the Sierra Vista LRC. The cost per dog was $160 and was for ECG w/color doppler--the only true means of accurately diagnosing TVD. I have always used club sponsored testing as it really does reduce the cost. Perhaps you might be able to find a club that has an upcoming clinic.

Good luck,

Dianne

Any clubs in California having a clinic?

If memory serves me correctly, I paid about $300 (not at a clinic). Do be careful about the "bargain" of a heart clinic. Make sure it is a reputable heart specialist that other breeders can recommend.

The Cardiologist gentleman at Sierra Vista was a local guy that does all the hearts around here. He was booked solid, it was a popular heart clinic.

Yes- he is actually the author of a veterinary cardiology textbook. Can't get much better than that!

I had mine cleared via color doppler echo at the Sierra Vista LRC Heart Clinic as well...$160 is *much* less expensive than the $350-400 I had been quoted elsewhere. It was a fantastic idea, and well-organized by the club (and well-utilized by not only those participating in the specialty shows, but also those with other breeds showing at the big all-breed shows up there the same weekend).

The cardiologist actually had one of those "toy hauler" trailers set up with the table and ultrasound machine in the rear, shades drawn (to keep things dark for the ultrasound images) and the A/C on high. After being out in the hot sunshine and 100+ degree weather, it was a nice break for us and our dogs!

If any clubs out there are thinking about possibly organizing a "heart clinic" of their own, I would definitely recommend it...a lot of work, I'm sure, but extremely useful and well-received!

We just had a heart clinic through our Lab club here in Arizona with our FIRST certified Cardiologist in the state. I set it up for our club and he was very reasonable - $150. It was for ECG with color doppler. He spent a lot of time with each dog, auscultating first and then the ECG/doppler.
A friend of mine spent well over $500 two years ago with an IM for the same diagnostics.
If you can talk to a cardiologist in your area, many of them will work with you to set up a clinic. We had ours IN the Cardiology department at the Specialty clinic.
Good luck!

If I remember correctly I paid around $300-$325 (not a clinic)

Go to www.infodog.com and do a search for upcoming clinics in your area.

Also health clinics are listed on the OFA home page. www.offa.org Check there and infodog and your local lab clubs/dog shows

"The cost per dog was $160 and was for ECG w/color doppler--the only true means of accurately diagnosing TVD."

While I'm certainly not attacking this statement because the use of ECD will tell you if your dog is "affected"...it's not necessarily the whole truth either. In the interest of educating others who read this forum, I felt compelled to post on this topic.

This is a truly devastating gray area of our breed that warrants immediate attention. Yes, ECD is a good thing when used in a diagnostic capacity. But at the end of the day it isn’t the end all be all it’s made out to be. If you have the unfortunate luck of owning an affected dog, TVD has quite clearly been in the line stewing for some time. And going one step further, chances are also pretty darn good that the majority of affected offspring come from parents who have the most lovely and well functioning tricuspid valves ever seen by highly qualified cardiologists.

So, the answer is quite simple. We need to band together, as dedicated breeders, in getting AS MANY samples sent in for the current research being conducted to find the genetic marker that causes TVD. We already know that it is dominant trait with incomplete penetrance. In its very essence, it is a generational disaster lurking in virtually every pedigree.....just waiting to happen.

Having gone through an experience with TVD myself, and from what I thought was a very clean line; it brings to light the cold hard facts. As hard as we try, as much as we know, with clearances for everything that can be cleared, and as prepared as we *think* we are- Mother Nature and genetics will always reign supreme. A blood test to rule out TVD is the only way we will truly be able to diagnose with complete confidence.

This should make all of us think twice about how important the longevity and health of our breed is to us. I respectfully ask that we all contribute towards the research in whatever capacity we can. Thanks for listening.

$300, Nothern East Coast