Having lost our Irish Wolfhound, Wolfie, to a heart condition, we are, as you would expect, sensitive to this issue.

Heart disease is not something we see in the Barbet breed, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. Most health conditions are only discovered when a dog presents with symptoms. And whilst it is not sensible or right to put our dogs through every test imaginable, it is sensible to do tests that are non-evasive and rule out complications or a risk to life even if they are not on the list for breed screening of our breed. It also puts our minds at ease. Pregnancy takes a toll on the body and any undetected condition can be a risk to life.

Heart testing is non-invasive, relatively quick, and ensures Willow is in top condition for breeding. And if we choose to heart test Willow, then we should also include Remy.

So, we made an appointment and took Remy and Willow to the vets for heart testing. The practice was in a rural area and was a large building with a lovely big garden to walk in. Remy and Willow are always happy to visit our local vets and although this was a new place, they were just as enthusiastic to get inside and say Hi to everyone. They we both relaxed when the tests were done, and the vets commented on how good their temperaments were.

The results were clear. Both of them have strong hearts with no issues. The vet also commented that at 6 and a half years old, she would expect to see some deterioration in Remy’s heart function, but instead she found it was in perfect working order.