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Nate Estes, Founder of Mighty Hearts Project explains how the organization was created. He also talks about his dogs two mitral valve repair surgeries.
I wanted to share the actual second mitral valve repair surgery of my brave daughter Zoey Marie Estes.
I had the absolute pleasure of Interviewing Cindy Dunston Quirk (Owner) of Scout & Zoe’s to discuss some of the amazing pet treats she makes. Cindy explains the importance of sourcing quality treats for your companion animals.
In this interview we discussed the importance of proper pet nutrition, supplementation in regards to heart disease and heart disease specifically related to mitral valve disease (MVD). We also briefly covered the controversial DCM issue.
While traveling to Japan for my surgery I used a wonderful pet taxi service called Yako doghouse that specializes in picking up pets and families from local airports (Haneda and Narita)
I had the privilege of being interviewed by Dr. Karen Becker to discuss mitral valve disease.
The Mighty Hearts Team traveled to the Jasmine clinic in Yokohama Japan to interview Dr. Masami Uechi.
PASMO Cards
The simplest and easiest way to navigate the public and private transportation systems is to sign up for a PASMO Card.
If you have decided to have your dog evaluated for surgery with Dr. Masami Uechi at the Jasmine Clinic in Japan, to see if he or she is a candidate please read on…
Navigating the Japan train systems for the first time can be stressful. This guide was put this together to help others.
Virginia Tech and Auburn University are enrolling dogs in studies to further research in the area of Mitral Valve Disease. If you are opting not to have surgery to correct the mitral valve defect, these could be options for your dog and would help further research in this very important area for our community!
Today is a special day for me and my family. One year ago today we received a devastating news as our friend had mitral valve disease (MVD) at a very advanced stage (5/6 murmur, dilated atrium and ruptured chords). How it could be possible? He went from nothing to probably one year left. Our cardiologist was, as I was, aware of the surgery. When I asked about it she did not agree and finally added 'It depends on the size of your pocket'. This was the last time we went to see her.
Zoey’s one year checkup was done October 28th 2017. Zoey’s cardiologist (Dr. Hodge) was a bit worried Zoey’s left ventricle and left atrium (LV/LA) numbers were increasing after each checkup. According to Dr. Hodge, Zoey’s pressure and her regurgitation were shown to be the same since having her surgery a year ago. Naturally We were concerned about the increasing values and sent the records off to Dr. Sabine and Dr. Uechi to review them.
Remember that you have made an incredible journey by choosing open-heart surgery for your beloved dog, so please take care of the repaired valve as best as you can so that you can enjoy a lifetime with it!
Fred, an 11 month old purebred Standard Schnauzer, has large Atrial Septal Defect (sinus venosus), not amendable to trans catheteral closure with Amplatzer device. Fred already developed moderate pulmonic stenosis and right side heart hypertrophy. Without an open heart surgery to patch the defect he will develop congestive heart failure (CHF).
The biggest unexpected surprise for our family came in July of 2016, when we took Levi in for a routine physical exam prior to having his teeth cleaned. Dogs have to go under anesthesia to have their teeth cleaned, and Levi has traditionally had some issues related to anesthesia and we wanted to be safe. His last checkup was in April 2016; he went in for an ear infection and at that time, he was in perfect health (except for the ear infection, of course). So it came as quite a shock when the vet announced that he heard a heart murmur level 4/5 for the first time in Levi's life...
This is a study being performed with the collaboration of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, where Dr. Borgarelli does his research, and one of the largest veterinary cardiology practices in the United States, CVCA. The purpose of the study is to assess the natural history of mitral valve disease (MVD) in a large referred population of dogs, assess the prevalence and effects of co-morbidities on the natural history of the disease, and to identify risk factors for progression and death.
This is our big story of one small cute girl and the big love between us forever.
We have had Bellissima (Belisa) from the very first day she was born because we also were parents to her mummy. She has three siblings which were all given to our friends so that they would be in good hands. We also had new parents for Belisa, but we felt that we belonged to each other so we kept her.
One of the most frequent questions asked when considering a surgery as risky as cardio-pulmonary bypass, is what are the chances my dog will survive the surgery and what is the long term prognosis post-surgery. The answer is always "it depends". Each dog is different, and each circumstance is unique. Below are some guidelines to help you determine the best course of action for your dog based on aggregate data. For more specific recommendations regarding surgery for your dog, please contact Clinique Veterinary Bozon or JASMINE Veterinary Medical Center directly. Additional mitral valve repair statistics may be found in an abstract published by Dr. Masami Uechi from October 2016.
Whether your dog has undergone Mitral Valve Repair surgery, or any number of other surgeries that require a period of activity restriction in order to recover, it can be difficult to control their energy level and normal habitual activities. Here are some strategies for success.
Traveling by air internationally with your dog can be a stressful event. If you home cook for them, preparing fresh meals can also be difficult. Some accommodations may not have full kitchens and finding the same ingredients that you typically use can also be challenging in a foreign country. This article will help you bring your dog’s prepared frozen food with you as a carry on while still complying with the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) security checkpoint rules.
Zoey was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) in July of 2016.
We were told it was a disease of the heart where the valve degenerates causing a regurgitation of blood back into the heart, ultimately leading to congestive heart failure and death. They said nothing surgically could be done to fix this, only medication to delay its onset.
As you can imagine we were devastated, left without any hope. Zoey was only given a year left to live...
Last year we were honored to attend a webinar Dr. Sayaka Takeuchi, Dr. Masami Uechi and other vital staff at the Jasmine Clinic hosted. They were gracious enough to host and recorded the seminar to educate our Mighty Hearts families on what is canine mitral valve disease (MVD) and repair (MVR).