Dr. Emily Suess-Radford, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) is a board-certified veterinary cardiologist dedicated to delivering exceptional cardiovascular care through advanced diagnostics, collaborative case management, and education. As a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology), she is committed to helping veterinarians navigate complex cardiac cases with confidence while improving outcomes for patients and their families.
Dr. Suess-Radford earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating on the Small Animal Medicine Track and receiving the ACVIM Certificate of Clinical Excellence. She completed a rotating internship at VCA SouthPaws in Fairfax, Virginia, before pursuing a three-year cardiology residency with CVCA Cardiac Care for Pets, where she received extensive training in advanced echocardiography, electrocardiography, and the diagnosis and management of congenital and acquired heart disease.
She currently practices as a cardiologist with CVCA Cardiac Care for Pets, providing comprehensive cardiac evaluations, advanced imaging, and telemedicine consultations across multiple referral hospitals in Virginia and Maryland. Her clinical approach emphasizes evidence-based medicine, clear communication, and close collaboration with referring veterinarians to ensure patients receive timely, individualized care.
Alongside her clinical practice, Dr. Suess-Radford has contributed to research focused on cardiovascular genetics and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), including studies investigating ACE gene polymorphisms in Irish Wolfhounds and their implications for cardiac disease management. Earlier in her career, her research interests spanned parasitology, muscle regeneration, and genetics, resulting in multiple scientific publications and presentations.
As a SonoPath Cardiology Educational Telemedicine® Specialist, Dr. Suess-Radford combines advanced cardiac imaging expertise with a practical, educational approach, supporting veterinarians through accurate echocardiographic interpretation, thoughtful clinical recommendations, and collaborative consultation that enhances patient care.
Research
Manuscript submitted: “The 9:11507816:G>A ACE polymorphism is common and does not impact RAAS fingerprint response to benazepril in normal Irish Wolfhounds.” April 2026
“The angiotensin-converting enzyme polymorphism in the North American Irish Wolfhound:
variant-positive prevalence and clinical implications” June 2024
- Abstract presentation at ACVIM 2024 and full manuscript pending
“Serosurveillance of Heartworm Antibodies in Presenting Feline Respiratory Cases” June 2021
- Presentation made by me for the Intern Research Program at VCA Southpaws
“Larval Development Assays: Haemonchus c.” with Dr. Anne Zajac Summer 2017 – Fall 2019 Veterinary Student Researcher
- This project involves recovering and raising eggs from Haemonchus contortus, or the barber-pole worm, and applying the use of a novel drug as a possible anthelmintic.
“Muscle Satellite Cells” with Dr. Hao Shi Fall 2015 – Summer 2016 Research Assistant and Review/Report Writer
- This project involved dissection and isolation of mouse muscles, growing them in culture, and analyzing satellite cell activity. Once satellite cells were isolated, various compounds were used to differentiate satellite cells into specific tissue. A concurrentstudy was focused on the pathophysiology of muscle regeneration in poultry.
Publications: “Satellite Cell-mediated Breast Muscle Regeneration Decreases with Broiler Size “.
Poultry Science. September 2017. Author.
“Chicken Pigmentation Genetics” with Dr. Paul Siegel Spring 2013 – Winter 2014 Research Assistant
- This project involved discovering mechanisms behind feather pigmentation in various breeds of chickens through methods such as acquiring blood samples from a flock of over 200 birds, DNA extraction, PCR, electrophoresis, and new DNA identificationtechnologies such as the KASP system. For my undergraduate Senior Symposium project in 2016, where I identified a pigmentation gene hidden beneath the white phenotype of Dr. Siegel’s broiler hens.