Boehringer Ingelheim, Eko Health ink pact to improve heart murmur detection in dogs
Ingelheim: Boehringer Ingelheim and Eko Health have entered a strategic collaboration agreement to improve heart murmur detection in dogs.
This collaboration brings together Boehringer’s depth in canine cardiology with Eko Health’s powerful AI algorithms and digital stethoscopes.
As per the release, leveraging their combined expertise, along with Boehringer’s proprietary algorithm developed with support from veterinary cardiologists worldwide, the partnership aims to enhance the early detection and diagnosis of heart disease in dogs. A canine-specific detection algorithm will be made available to veterinarians through a purpose-built Eko mobile app launching in 2026.
A heart murmur in dogs is an audible sound resulting from turbulent blood flow when cardiac valves fail to close properly, similar to the condition observed in humans. Heart murmurs are a very typical finding in canine myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), a chronic and common heart condition that is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs and affects approximately 10 to 15% of dogs in their lifetime.
“As a longtime leader in canine cardiology, we know that early diagnosis of MMVD and consideration of early appropriate treatment are key to helping affected dogs live better and longer lives; explained Dr. Erich Schött, Head of Pet Therapeutics and Pet Vaccines at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By collaborating with Eko Health, we look forward to simplifying and improving canine heart murmur detection so that more dogs and pet owners can have additional years of life to love. The innovative tool will give veterinarians the ability to hear, see and document the sounds of heart murmurs and to share it with the dog owners.”
Regular veterinary check-ups are vital for maintaining optimal health in dogs, yet many dogs are not evaluated for potential heart murmurs. In a typical clinic visit, veterinarians rely on an analog stethoscope to detect murmurs—often in noisy environments and during time-constrained exams. This traditional method can miss subtle or early-stage murmurs, especially those that fall outside the range of human hearing. Through this partnership, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eko are equipping veterinarians with a simple, powerful tool to detect heart murmurs earlier and with greater confidence.
“We’re proud to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim to deliver AI-powered tools that meaningfully improve how veterinarians detect heart disease,” said Connor Landgraf, CEO and co-founder of Eko Health. “By combining Boehringer’s global leadership in animal health with Eko’s unique ability to deliver advanced detection algorithms to the point of care, we can help millions of pets—and the families who love them—receive the life-extending care they deserve.”
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