WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Mobile
Dog Heart Health Tour is heading to West Palm Beach for an
afternoon of free heart health examinations at Dreher Dog Park.
From 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 29, certified veterinary
cardiologists will perform on-site heart screenings in a soundproof
medical unit, as well as educate owners about canine heart
disease.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110127/CG37759)
Since early 2009, veterinarians on the Mobile Dog Heart Health
Tour have checked the hearts of more than 5,000 dogs around the
country and found a previously undetected heart murmur in
approximately 20 percent of them. In addition to providing free
heart health exams, veterinarians teach dog owners about heart
disease – a common ailment that is about as prevalent in dogs
as it is in humans.
About 11 percent of the nearly 75 million dogs in the United
States have heart disease, and that figure increases to as many as
60 percent among aged dogs and certain predisposed breeds. Yet, a
national survey shows that more than half of dog owners are unaware
that their dogs may be at risk of heart failure.
“Early diagnosis and treatment of heart disease can
significantly prolong and improve the quality of a dog’s life,”
said Tacy Rupp, a West Palm Beach area veterinary cardiologist with
the Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour. “We look forward to educating
local dog owners about heart disease in dogs and the treatment
options. By emphasizing the importance of annual veterinary
examinations and early diagnosis of heart disease, we hope to help
more dogs live longer and better lives.”
Veterinary specialists will provide free dog heart screenings
from 1 to 5 p.m. on January 29 at Dreher Dog Park, 1100 Southern
Boulevard in West Palm Beach. Certified veterinary cardiologists on
the Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour use a stethoscope to list
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