It is in the area of cancer detection that owners can be especially effective as an active health care partner. I recommend periodic palpation of pets, massaging the pet all over its body on a regular weekly basis. At the first sign of a lump, take the pet to the veterinarian. Treatment is most effective when started early. Newer diagnostic tools, like an ultrasound machine, have improved diagnosis of heart disease.
Veterinarians take an echo-cardiogram, which is a sonogram of the heart.
These action shots help them visualize exactly how the heart is pumping and valves are functioning. These increase the strength of the contractions of the heart and decrease the amount of work the heart has to do to pump the same amount of blood. We used to use digitalis, a drug we rarely use anymore. With it, there was a fine line between poisoning the dog and its therapeutic value. Even today, we are not curing the problem, just controlling it so the pet has a higher quality of life for a longer period of time.