Free Dog Heart Checks at McAllister Park

The Mobile Dog Heart Health Unit to Perform Free Heart Examinations at McAllister Dog Park on September 17

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour is heading south to San Antonio, Texas, for an afternoon of free heart health examinations in San Antonio's McAllister Dog Park. From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on September 17, certified veterinary cardiologists will be performing on site heart screenings in a soundproof medical unit, as well as educating owners about canine heart disease.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100911/CG63271 )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100911/CG63271 )

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 screenings, veterinarians help to educate dog owners about heart disease – a common ailment that is almost 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(1), and that figure increases to as many as 60 percent among aged dogs and certain predisposed breeds(2). Yet, a national survey shows that more than half of dog owners are unaware that their dog 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," says Dr. Katie Meier a veterinarian 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 perform the free dog heart screenings from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m at McAllister Park, located at 13102 Jones Maltsberger Road. The certified veterinary cardiologists use a stethoscope to listen for heart murmurs and other irregular sounds as well as generally assess whether or not the dogs show any signs of heart disease. Veterinarians will also educate dog owners about the most common symptoms of heart disease: reduced willingness to walk or exercise, difficulty breathing, coughing, loss of appetite and weight loss. Dog owners can learn more at www.YourDogsHeart.com.

Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour stop at McAllister Park

About Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs

The Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour is designed to educate people about congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs.

While there is no cure for CHF, clinical study results have shown that dogs with the condition live nearly twice as long and enjoy a higher quality of life when diagnosed and treated during the early stages of heart failure.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 142 affiliates in 50 countries and more than 41,500 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

In 2009, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of US $17.7 billion (12.7 billion euro) while spending 21% of net sales in its largest business segment, Prescription Medicines, on research and development. For more information, please visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com.

References:

(1.) Buchanan JW. Causes and prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Curr Vet Ther. 1992;XI:646.

(2.) Rush JE. Chronic Valvular Heart Disease in Dogs. Proceedings of the 26th Annual Waltham Diets/OSU Symposium: Small Animal Cardiology, 2002.

SOURCE YourDogsHeart.com