Boehringer Ingelheim launches AI tool for canine heart murmurs

Boehringer Ingelheim has introduced Eko Vet+ with CANINEBEAT AI in Italy, an artificial intelligence solution designed to assist veterinarians in detecting, visualizing, and classifying heart murmurs in dogs.

Developed in collaboration with Eko Health, the system utilizes the Eko CORE Digital Attachment, which connects to standard stethoscopes to digitize and amplify heart sounds by up to 40 times while filtering out ambient noise. The accompanying Eko Vet+ app allows clinicians to record sounds, view graphical representations, and share reports with pet owners.

The CANINEBEAT AI algorithm analyzes five-second recordings to classify murmur intensity into three levels—mild, moderate, or strong—using a simplified version of the Levine scale. The technology is intended to support, rather than replace, professional veterinary judgment by providing objective data that might otherwise be missed during traditional auscultation.