Patient Stories
Real stories of how Sonus Health helped detect hidden cardiac conditions — giving vets and families the chance to act before it was too late.
Catching the Whisper
English Cocker Spaniel · 3 years old
Luna has that whole-body wiggle that makes you feel like you're the best part of her day. At three years old, she's cheerful and quiet about discomfort — which proved problematic when her family noticed subtle changes: slightly lower energy and heavier breathing after walks.
Her veterinarian performed a thorough examination and initial assessment that seemed reassuring. However, recognising the breed's susceptibility to mitral valve disease and knowing that early intervention significantly improves outcomes, the vet decided to use the Sonus Health app for additional screening.
The app recording revealed initially normal findings: standard heart rate, elevated heart rate variability, and steady rhythm. Days later, the full report identified something the stethoscope had missed — a very soft sound, tucked just after the first heartbeat sound, suggesting possible early mitral valve insufficiency.
Catching MMVD at this earliest stage, before obvious symptoms emerge, allows for intervention that can add years of good life.
This subtle detection prompted further investigation through echocardiogram, confirming the need for early monitoring and treatment. Dogs beginning treatment during the earliest detectable stage of mitral valve disease typically experience longer lifespans, delayed symptom onset, avoidance of emergency deterioration, and maintained activity levels throughout their lives.
Outcome
Early-stage MMVD confirmed by echocardiogram. Luna started preventive treatment — years before symptoms would have emerged.
Want to catch what a stethoscope might miss? Register your clinic or learn how to scan.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Deerhound · 4 years old
Andy, an exceptionally sweet, gentle and affectionate four-year-old Deerhound, had already been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy — a serious heart condition — as well as an irregular rhythm that caused his heart to beat out of sync. Aside from his weight being slightly below normal, there weren't any signs of anything else being amiss.
As he was taking medication to control his arrhythmia, everything appeared stable. Andy himself was showing zero signs of distress or discomfort.
During a routine check using the Sonus Health app, however, things changed. The scan revealed Andy's heart was beating far too quickly in its irregular pattern. Our AI recognised this immediately: in dogs with Andy's condition, a consistently high heart rate accelerates heart failure and can become fatal if not corrected.
For a dog with Andy's condition, if the heart rate stays too high, the heart wears itself out much faster and the disease progresses much more quickly, ultimately leading to premature death.
Pedro et al., 2023
Because the app flagged that his current medication wasn't working as intended, Andy's vet, Dr Laurent Locquet, was able to adjust the treatment plan straight away. The quick response prevented further strain on Andy's heart and avoided long-term damage.
This simple scan from a phone gave Andy's family the promise of many more happy years with him, not just a few stressful, heartbreaking months. His story is a powerful reminder that heart disease in dogs often changes without any visible signs, and our pets can't tell us when something feels wrong. Deerhounds especially are exceptionally stoic breeds. Sonus Health, however, helps uncover those hidden changes, giving families and vets a chance to intervene earlier and preserve more of a dog's healthy years.
Outcome
Medication adjusted immediately. Andy's heart rate stabilised, preventing further cardiac damage and buying his family years of healthy life.
Monitoring patients on cardiac medication? Register your clinic or learn how to scan.
The Scan That Saved Saffron
Persian Cat · At-home monitoring
Saffron is a handsome Persian cat who experienced congestive heart failure, characterised by open-mouthed panting and sudden collapse. After his pet parents rushed Saffron to the vet, he was diagnosed with a thickened heart muscle that makes it harder for his heart to pump normally, along with a small flap inside his heart that gets pulled into the wrong place when it beats (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, complicated by systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, or SAM).
This combination makes the heart work dangerously hard. However there was good news: his parents could administer a medicine (a beta-blocker called atenolol) that could slow Saffron's heart enough to reduce stress on the damaged valve, helping him live a full life without future episodes. Saffron's vet used the Sonus Health app in-clinic, where his heart rate was still dangerously high. But atenolol would soon take care of that. So Saffron and his parents were sent home confident that the medication would bring down his heart rate and prevent another heart failure episode.
The hidden danger at home
A few days later, Saffron was back on his favourite chair, purring and seemingly normal. His owners were relieved to see him back in his element. The story might have ended there, but something dangerous was happening beneath the surface: even while Saffron was calm, resting and purring, and his heart rate had indeed dropped due to the beta-blockers, it was still hovering around 190 bpm. That may sound like progress, but for a resting cat that is still far too fast — high enough to eventually cause another life-threatening congestive heart failure episode.
Cats on atenolol treatment benefit massively from daily at-home monitoring. Something currently only possible via the Sonus Health app.
Thankfully, Saffron's vet had recommended to his owners that they download the app and use it for daily home monitoring. When another scan detected that Saffron's heart rate remained concerningly high despite appearing calm and relaxed, the app rang the alarm bell.
The atenolol was not doing its job — the dosage simply wasn't enough. Upon receiving the Sonus Health report, the vet immediately increased Saffron's atenolol. That simple act — an at-home scan — may well have prevented another life-threatening episode of heart failure. Instead of waiting for the next emergency, Saffron's vet could act early, guided by real data.
Outcome
Atenolol dosage increased based on at-home scan data. A second life-threatening heart failure episode was prevented.
Enable at-home cardiac monitoring for your patients. Register your clinic or learn how to scan.
Names and pictures in these stories have been changed for patient privacy. The Sonus Health App does not provide medical diagnosis, treatment or formal medical advice. The app is not intended to replace clinical evaluation, medical testing, or consultation with a licensed veterinary professional. The information and insights provided by the app are for informational use only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns about your animal's heart health, you should immediately seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
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