For Pet Owners

To schedule an appointment for your pet to be seen, please contact Endeavour Veterinary Group in West Columbia or Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Augusta Georgia (see below). You pet’s primary veterinarian can also submit a referral to either of these hospitals. Following your pet’s appointment, Palmetto Veterinary Cardiology updates your primary veterinarian to develop a comprehensive treatment plan for your beloved family member. Medication prescriptions, diagnostic monitoring (i.e. blood testing or X-rays) and some communications will continue to be handled by your primary veterinarian so that you and your pet benefit from excellent continuity of care. For pets with chronic heart conditions, follow up evaluations by Dr. Hall help provide the best ongoing management since chronic heart conditions usually evolve over time, and medication changes are often necessary. For pets requiring 24 hour intensive care or more advanced interventional treatments, referral to a 24 hour emergency or specialty hospital may be necessary.

Palmetto Veterinary Cardiology Office Days:

Endeavour Veterinary Group (Columbia, SC) - EVERY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY

Blue Pearl Pet Hospital (Augusta, GA) - EVERY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

What to expect on the day of and leading up to your pet’s cardiology consultation.

IF YOU HAVE AN ANXIOUS PET: We strongly recommend considering calming medications such as trazodone or gabapentin (sometimes both are best) to help evaluate your pet when they are less stressed. Stress raises heart rate and blood pressure, and may affect the pumping function as well as rhythm of the heart. Not only may stress be risky for a pet with heart disease, but it can make diagnosis of certain heart conditions more difficult. Please ask your primary veterinarian if they think your pet may be a good candidate for calming medication - these are often given the night before and morning of a cardiology consult. If we have not seen your pet before, we cannot prescribe these medications. You may also email us at info@pvcardio.com with additional questions about this.

For referrals submitted through your veterinarian’s office, you will be contacted by the referral hospital to book an appointment date and time. If you contact Endeavour or Blue Pearl to request the appointment, we may ask that you request your primary veterinarian to submit an official referral or send all medical records, Xrays, etc.

Your pet does NOT have to be fasted prior to drop off, and you should NOT skip any cardiac medications the morning of the appointment, unless specifically instructed by our team.

*Please fill out this patient status form on the day of your pet’s consult. This helps us arrive at the best treatment recommendations or adjustments needed for your pet, based on how they are doing at the time we evaluate their heart.

*Please be sure to administer all of your pet’s cardiac medications, and bring all current medications, supplements and vitamins you are giving the morning of the consultation, unless directed otherwise by your veterinarian. It is preferable to evaluate cardiac function with all regular medications on board.

Please bring any blood work results, copies of X-rays or other imaging, and pertinent medical records along for Dr. Hall’s review if these have not already been sent to Dr. Hall by your primary veterinarian.