Electrocardiogram

An electrocardiogram, also referred to as an “EKG”or “ECG”, is an interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over time captured and externally recorded by skin electrodes. The ECG works by detecting and amplifying the tiny electrical changes that are caused when the heart muscle "depolarizes" during each heart beat. Each heart muscle cell has a charge across its outer wall. That charge changes as the heart muscle contracts and relaxes. During each heartbeat a healthy heart will have an orderly progression of a wave of charges that are detected as tiny rises and falls in the voltage between two electrodes placed either side of the heart. This is displayed as a wavy line either on a screen or on paper and indicates the overall rhythm of the heart and any weaknesses in different parts of the heart muscle. Your pet’s doctor may recommend an ECG if an irregular heart rhythm is detected on physical examination, or if your pet seems weak or out of breath.