About
Mission
Meet The Team
Frequently Asked Questions
Donate
Resources
Travel Information
Traveling To Jasmine
Before Surgery
After Surgery
Education
What is Mitral Valve Disease
Mitral Valve Repair Surgery
Blog
Webinars
Surgery
Jasmine Animal Referral Hospital
MVR Success Stories
Community
Contact
DONATE NOW

Surgery Centers

JASMINE Animal Referral Hospital Information

About JASMINE Animal Referral Hospital

1-8-37 Nakagawa Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 224-0001
TEL: +045-910-1210
FAX: +045-910-1220
Hours 9AM-5:30PM
E-mail: jasmine.cardiology@gmail.com
Website: https://jasmine-vet.co.jp/English.html

— 
Located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, JASMINE Animal Referral Hospital (formerly JASMINE Veterinary Cardiovascular Medical Center) is a world renowned and the leading center in Japan dedicated to providing advanced, compassionate care for dogs, specializing in Mitral Valve Disease and the Mitral Valve Repair surgery under bypass led by Dr. Masami Uechi.

Established in September 2014 by Dr. Masami Uechi, they built our reputation on excellence in cardiovascular medicine especially in mitral valve repair surgery and have since expanded their expertise to offer a broad spectrum of specialized internal medicine and surgical services.

Dr. Masami Uechi

About Dr. Masami Uechi

Dr. Uechi is the Director of the world renown JASMINE Animal Specialty Medical Institute. In September 2014, Dr Uechi established JASMINE (JASMINE Animal Specialty Medical Institute) with the desire to heal animals suffering with cardiovascular diseases and his genuine curiosity about cardiovascular disease.

His main goal was to return the smiles of animals suffering from cardiovascular disease to ultimately improve their quality of life and extend the dogs life spans.

Over the years with the collaboration of his team and many family veterinarians, his team is growing steadily, including the success rates, specifically related to heart disease surgery centered on mitral regurgitation.

As of 2023 his current success rates after a three-month post op are in the 97 percentiles. In addition, Dr. Uechi and his team have accumulated a track record of performing surgeries overseas, mainly in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

In May of 2020 JASMINE, further expanded its clinical services to help improve the quality of specialized medical care for heart disease in animals, they now offer specialized areas such as respiratory, renal and urological, gastrointestinal, and oncology to provide more advanced comprehensive medical care.

Dr. Uechi’s goal was to aim to create a specialized medical system that can provide a wider range of services, In addition to the JASMINE Animal Cardiovascular Center mitral valve repair surgical program.

JASMINE Mitral Valve Repair Program

JASMINE Mitral Valve Repair Surgery Overview

Traveling to Japan with a dog can be daunting due to strict import requirements.  The biggest concern we hear about is the 180 day quarantine process.  It is important to note that this waiting period can be done in your own home without any restrictions.

This page is intended to provide you with a high-level overview of the import process and highlight important guides and required paperwork for travel.  It is our hope that we can demystify the import process and provide a road map for owners who choose to take their dog to Japan for mitral valve repair surgery.

Your entire stay in Japan for surgery typically is three weeks. Your dog should arrive in Japan a few days before your surgery for a pre-op appointment. Your pup will undergo tests to ensure conditions for surgery are optimal.

Your pup will stay a week at the Jasmine clinic to ensure no complications arise after surgery. If everything goes as planned your pup will be released and Jasmine will give you medications and require a checkup a few days later to ensure your pup is safe to fly home.

From that point your cardiologist in your home country will work with the Jasmine clinic ensuring everything is going smoothly.

Key documents to help guide you through this process:

Meet the JASMINE Team

Dr. Masami Uechi

CEO, Chief Surgeon

Dr. Sayaka Takeuchi

Cardiologist

Masami Mizuno

Cardiologist

Kentaro Kurogochi

Cardiologist
Steps For Scheduling Open Heart Surgery with the Jasmine Clinic

To help guide you through the process, please use our step-by-step instruction guide on the Japan Pet Import Process page.

STEP 1: YOUR VETERINARIAN

Once you receive your dog’s MVD diagnosis, you will get a referral to see a board-certified veterinary cardiologist.

After receiving a diagnosis of a heart murmur, it is typical for your veterinarian to perform thoracic (chest) X-rays to determine your dog’s heart size. Having chest X-rays is critical in this process. 

Please have your veterinarian send those X-rays to your cardiologist before your first appointment. 

STEP 2: SEEING YOUR CARDIOLOGIST

Your cardiologist will perform an echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound). You will need to obtain your echocardiogram images, videos, and echocardiogram report. 

Echocardiogram images and videos must be in DICOM or AVI. Views must include:

  • Right parasternal long-axis 4 chamber view (with and without color Doppler)

  • Right parasternal short-axis view, papillary muscle level (M mode)

  • Right parasternal short-axis view, mitral level

  • Apical 4 and 5 chamber view (with and without color Doppler)

For the Jasmine Clinic to review candidacy:

The following below needs to be sent to jasmine.cardiology@gmail.com

Feel free to have your cardiologist cc: your veterinarian and yourself.
All documents should be emailed and always use the same e-mail thread for all future communications.  THIS IS CRUCIAL!

Please have your cardiologist include the following:  

  1. Name of pet 

  2. Age of dog

  3. Sex

  4. Weight

  5. Breed

  6. Stage of mitral valve disease  

  7. Thoracic radiographs from your regular veterinarian

  8. All information above obtained from the veterinary cardiologist can be attached using Dropbox, WeTransfer or Google Drive.

    This should include: echocardiogram written report and cardiac ultrasounds with all images and moving videos (AVI/DICOM format). MOVING VIDEOS ARE CRUCIAL for the Jasmine team to determine if your dog is appropriate for surgery.

Please make sure your dog does NOT have:

            – Previous left thoracotomy

            – Previous blood transfusion

            – Previous tick-borne infection such as Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia

STEP 3: DETERMINATION OF CANDIDACY (this could take up to 8 weeks)

After All documents are submitted, Dr. Sayaka Takeuchi will review for candidacy.

A consultation fee is collected via PayPal to the Jasmine Clinic.

The consultation fee is currently $50,000 JPY = $338 USD

If your dog is a surgical candidate, additional tests are required. 

PLEASE NOTE: The Japanese quarantine (AQS) requires your dog to be microchipped, vaccinated twice against rabies at least 31 days apart, and then tested for rabies antibody titers (FAVN test). If the titer level is sufficient (equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml), you can enter Japan after the 180 day waiting period. 

The microchip should be ISO compliant with a 15-digit code.  Your vet can scan your dog to help you determine this.  If your dog is currently microchipped, but is not ISO compliant, please reach out to the airport quarantine office to see if the older microchip is acceptable for entry.  THEY DECIDE THIS. (You need to do this before your last rabies vaccination and FAVN titer blood draw).

Please understand that you will be required to wait 180 days to enter Japan. Count out the 180 days on a calendar to determine your entry date. Start day 1, the day after the FAVN blood test is drawn. Dr. Takeuchi will need this date, in addition, the airport animal quarantine officers at Animal Quarantine Services will need this as well.  

PLEASE HAVE FAVN rabies titer test sent to Kansas State University. This is the lab that is approved by Japan. (USA residents). Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ksvdl.org)

All other countries- please use the following link. https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/lab.html to find an approved AQS recognized center.

Please note:

If you are unsure of anything regarding Titer and Rabies, Please contact Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) at, 1 (844) 820-2234. (They are available M-F 9AM to 5PM EST).

Aphis can be reached via email at:  APHIS.CustomerSupport@usda.gov

STEP 4: TO RECEIVE A SURGERY DATE, COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TESTS AFTER CANDIDACY CONFIRMATION

  • FAVN test/rabies titer testing: Here is a link to an accredited veterinarian on APHIS’s website Find Accredited Veterinarians

  • Abdominal ultrasound (used to rule out potential surgical risks). Your veterinarian can perform this. Dr. Takeuchi needs the report itself, not the images/videos.

  • Blood typing (DEA 1.1 antigen)

    • Blood typing DEA 1.1 antigen – Needed to prepare donor blood for surgical patients 1 to 2 months prior. The common blood-typing test for dogs is DEA 1.1 antigen (+) or (-). Negative type blood donors are not common in Japan and require advanced planning to coordinate.

After candidacy, the Jasmine clinic will give your cardiologist a further list of tests that will need to be done prior to departing to Japan for surgery.

*** Jasmine will not be able to respond to any new requests or schedule a surgery date until they have all this information due to the high demand ***

As every case can be different, please consult with the JASMINE Clinic directly to confirm the specific tests required for your dog and when they are required to be performed.

Again, please send all the completed information to, jasmine.cardiology@gmail.com

Possible Mitral Valve Repair Surgical Risks: Per Jasmine’s handout form, here is a list of factors to consider when looking into the surgery. Each client will receive this information by Jasmine via email and will also be informed at your pre-op appointment in Japan before surgery. You will be required to acknowledge the risks by signing the document during that appointment, please ask them all the questions you would like, come prepared with notes.


Important Pre-Planning & Logistics Information

Notify Japanese Animal Quarantine: You are required to notify the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service office, (JAQS) 40 days or more before arriving into Japan. You can find the entire step by step details by clicking on our page link here, (During Your 180 Days Waiting Page). This is just a friendly reminder not to miss this critical step in the planning process. You can also email them all your documents during your 180 day wait to give you piece of mind everything is correct before you arrive. Make sure you receive the Approval of Import Inspection of Animals form back by them after notifying AQS.

Airline Reservation:  Buy your flight tickets if you have not done so already and inform your airline that you will be traveling with a dog. Please follow the guidelines on our General Travel Page. Upon arriving in Japan, your dog must be put in an enclosed carrier as there are strict rules about transporting your dog from the airport and to each inspection point. Most people use pet strollers or carrying bags checked at airplane.

Hotel Reservation:  This is challenging because hotels in Japan are not known to be pet friendly.  Contact us for recommendations made by previous owners who have gone to Japan for surgery.  Most owners have used Airbnb’s as a preferred method to stay.

Airport Transportation: We highly recommend the following pet taxi service: Goal Int. Ltd.

Travel Items:  Buy a pet carrier such as a bag or stroller if you don’t have one.  Even if your pet is a service dog or ESA, the Japanese airport officials and all train stations require that your dog is placed in an enclosed carrier at all times when moving throughout the airport and stations.

The packing list linked is our attempt at helping you think of all the things to bring on your trip that you may have forgotten, and a little guidance on what you can check through vs. what you need to bring with you on board the plane.


On the Day of Travel

  • Gather and take the following paperwork:

    • Rabies Titer Certificate (FAVN) original, no copies

    • Certificates of Vaccination (Rabies)

    • Microchip Certification (includes number and date of implanting)

    • Completed Japan Pet Import Notification Form

    • Approval of Import Inspection of Animals, given to you after you notified Japan 40 days or more before travel

    • Modification on Notification of Import Animals (If any changes were made)

    • Completed Health Certificate (Form AC)

  • In preparation for the flight, speak to your vet on how to handle restricted meals and water when traveling. Remember if your dog is on diuretics water is important to keep your dog properly hydrated during the flight.

  • Check out this website, Pet Friendly Travel for the latest listing of animal relief areas at US airports.

  • Take your dog to a relief area as close to boarding time as possible.

Did you know: JASMINE Animal Referral Hospital is the world’s leading medical center in canine mitral valve repair surgery under bypass. Dr. Masami Uechi world-renowned surgeon has performed over 1,000 surgeries spanning over the last decade.

Arrival and Inspection in Japan

Upon arrival in Japan, your dog must be put in an enclosed carrier.  There are strict rules with transporting your dog from the airport and from each inspection point.  Pick up your luggage in baggage claim, and go directly to the Quarantine Office at your arrival airport in Japan. Have your paperwork handy, including Health Certificate (form AC), FAVN titer Report, 40-day Notification, Approval Notification, and a personal microchip scanner (if applicable).

 

Map to Haneda Airport Animal Quarantine Office (click to enlarge)

Map to Haneda Airport Animal Quarantine Office

Map to Narita Airport (Terminal 1) Animal Quarantine Office (click to enlarge)

 

Map to Narita Airport (Terminal 1) Animal Quarantine Office

 

Map to Narita Airport (Terminal 2) Animal Quarantine Service (click to enlarge)

 

Map to Narita Airport (Terminal 2) Animal Quarantine Service

The Quarantine Veterinarian will verify the paperwork you present to them, compare it to the copies they had received from you prior to your arrival, and make copies of everything. You will go through the information together line-by-line to verify accuracy, then you will both sign off. He/she will perform a quick exam on your dog by taking you all to an exam room, Basically placing your dog on the exam table checking the mouth for rabies foam and scanning your dogs microchip.

If all goes well, you will be provided with a tag to attach to your dogs carrier in which your dog will be contained in while in the airport and at the customs department (examples below). 

Sample tags provided by Quarantine Services to be attached to pet carrier to indicate Quarantine Approval while in the airport and at Customs.

 

Provided by Haneda Quarantine Service


Provided by Haneda Quarantine Service

 

Provided by Narita Quarantine Service


Provided by Narita Quarantine Service

 

In addition to the pet carrier tag, an “Import Quarantine Certificate” embossed with an official stamp (Example below, left) will also be provided. If you have not yet completed or submitted an Export Application for your dog, you will be provided one at this time as well (Example below, right).

Keep this paperwork safe, as you will need to present it to Quarantine again (along with the other documentation you provided previously), prior to departure. With your luggage in tow and your dog stowed safely in his/her carrier, move on through Customs and leave the airport.

Sample “Import Quarantine Certificate for Dog”

 

Sample “Import Quarantine Certificate for Dog”

 

Sample Export Application provided by Quarantine Office after inspection to be submitted at least 7-days prior to departure from Japan.

 

Sample Export Application provided by Quarantine Office after inspection to be submitted at least 7-days prior to departure from Japan.

 


Departure from Japan

When first arriving in Japan at the pet quarantine office, they will want to schedule an exit appointment with them prior to your departure from Japan. Make your appointment time at least three hours prior to your flight’s departure. They will give you the export form to fill out and bring back then. To speed thing up upon your arrival and your exit, “You can fill out the export form ahead of time in the US before your arrival into Japan”.

Here is the “Application For Export Inspection Of Dog” form to fill out in advance. A picture example is noted above this section, just be sure to only sign and date it when at the exit appoint in front of them to see.

Hint: The information is nearly identical to the Import certificate they provided you while you were preparing for your quarantine process in the US, therefore it would be safest to copy the majority of the information from the Import certificate to the export application.

The office is open daily only between the hours of 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, If you are going to the quarantine office the same day as your departure be sure you head to the quarantine appointment first immediately upon arrival to the airport, even before checking in with the airline, because the airline personnel will need the proper paperwork the quarantine office will provide to you during your appointment. The quarantine office will provide a tag to you that you will attach to your dog’s pet carrier.

The appointment is estimated to take less than 15-20 minutes provided the export form is properly filled out ahead of time and turned into the quarantine office when first arriving in Japan.

The appointment is like your arriving experience. They scan your dog’s microchip to ensure that is who is departing the country and if all checks out they stamp the paperwork and you are on your way.

If your flight is very early in the morning or very late at night before the office is open, you can schedule your appointment a few days prior to your departure that way when returning to the airport the following day or two, you can head directly to the departure gates.

For those nervous pups, this option makes it less stressful for them. You can go back to your hotel and rest a day or two before the departure. In addition to your quarantine documentation, keep your airline service animal documentation handy, just to be on the safe side should they not understand the process.

Now you should be all set to check-in with your airline as you normally would any other flight. Have a safe flight home and congratulations on completing your milestone journey in mending your dog’s heart.

#MIGHTYHEARTS
Join our mission to help save dogs with Mitral Valve Disease.
DONATE NOW
About us

Mighty Hearts Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports dogs with Mitral Valve Disease through surgical intervention.

 
Donate now
Get Started
Additional Links
Sign Up For Updates
Instagram

Disclaimer: The information provided on the website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for advice from a trained veterinarian or any other medical professional. Please do your own research and contact each clinic performing MVR surgery for the most up to date information.



© Copyright 2025. Mighty Hearts Project. All Rights Reserved. Built with ❤️ by Expert Launch