Newton Chorin

Newton's doing extremely well one year + post-surgery. By the time we arrived in Japan, he was in very bad shape, after having gone into CHF briefly the month before. I had kicked myself for not starting the Japanese quarantine process as soon as he was diagnosed with mitral valve disease, as the disease initially seemed to be moving slowly. But it progressed rapidly in between two checkups, one of which I delayed. The regurgitation after his surgery was virtually nil, but within a few days it had reappeared, albeit at a much lower level than pre-surgery, which caused concern. Jasmine thought it was because of over-exertion after surgery - but certainly there were no dramatic incidents. Tranquilizers are contra-indicated but there are herbal supplements that help Newton (my holistic vet has a tincture that works very well), and it would have been super helpful to have those with him (along with a large crate) during my travels.

Keeping Newton calm at Jasmine was difficult from an excitement point of view. Within a few months, however, the trend towards heart chamber shrinkage resumed, and continued through his recent one-year post-op exam. On the recommendation of his holistic vet I have been giving him low sodium and fresh-frozen foods, along with Omega 3 / fish oil and Standard Process Cardiac Supplement. I'm convinced these supplements help, and he's done super well on this food, particularly after surgery. I am so grateful for the care of Jasmine, and have absolutely no regrets about going through the procedure, which I knew was no guarantee. The people I met through Mighty Hearts Project provided an invaluable support. There are many, and increasing options for treatment of MVD, and the effectiveness varies greatly.

Do your research on different programs' success rates and costs, and plan early. I really believe (and this seems to be supported by the literature) that a fresh diet can greatly slow the progression of the disease in some cases. Most dry food is downright bad for your dog's health. As with everything medical, the more research you do, the better. Another bit of advice, when traveling with an MVD dog and/or one with a partially collapsed trachea, it REALLY helps, where possible, to fly on a plane like the 787 which is pressurized to a considerably lower altitude, and has an air system that is humidifying. He had no problems getting to Japan, but did have coughing problems on short flights prior, on older planes. Mighty Hearts Project does a great service. I'm happy to reply to anyone with questions: chorined@gmail.com

Breed: Age: 12 Diagnosis: Stage C Surgery Date: August 7, 2018 Hometown: Northern California Owner: Ethan Chorin Primary Vet: Dr. Anne Reed, All Paws Holistic Veterinary Clinic Cardiologist: Dr. Catherine Gunther-Harrington, UC Davis Small Animal Clinic Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Milo

Milo was diagnosed with MVD July 2016. I was told he didn’t need any medication; this was just part of the aging process and his heart was just reflective of his age of 10 plus years. I was told to bring him back in a year. Milo returned to Blue Pearl in August 2017 and the previous Dr. had retired and Milo was assigned to Dr. Mark Harmon. After reviewing his Eco, I was told Milo had advanced stage B2 MVD and probably had  6 to 12 months to live without medication. Even with medicine, the prognosis was death in 2 years or less. My only instructions to Dr. Harmon was to fix it. He said he couldn’t, but he knew who could. Milo was given Enalapril and Pimobendan. Dr. Harmon gave me the information to Jasmine and I started researching.

 I came across the Mighty Hearts Project website and connected to the Facebook MVD support group. I poured through the resources on how to start the process. My first hurdle was getting a vet to do the health certificate. After calling what felt like every clinic in WA, Redmond-Fall City Animal Hospital agreed to take him as a new patient and help me in September 2017 get him into Japan. Next was getting the appointment with Jasmine. Dr. Sayaka scheduled Milo for March 31st 2018. With the date set, then began the waiting and the stressing out. I was stressing out over keeping him alive and affording everything. I simply prayed and acted like it was going to be ok rather than think negatively.

Shortly after Milo experienced his first of 2 episodes of congestive heart failure in November of 2017. His medicines were increased to include Furosemide and Spironolactone. In addition to that, he was on numerous Chinese herbs from Ancient Arts and supplements for heart health. Milo experienced his second episode of CHF early March 2018. By then I’d figured out how to get enough money out my 401k and within 48 hours of payment due, I got the check and wired the deposit to Japan. March 28th 2018 we took off after a mild panic were Mighty Hearts Project once again, provided me support to keep going.

 After arriving in Japan, Milo was evaluated and determined to be stage C. Milo ultimately needed all seven cords in his heart replaced during surgery. After surgery, he then began experiencing a hematoma on the left side of his heart. After release from Jasmine, he also experienced a fever which sent him back to the hospital. Thankfully with much support from MHP, I had people to hold my hand as I occasionally freaked out about how to care for him after surgery. Returning home to Seattle, Milo’s left side enlargement seemed to stabilize and then began increasing throughout the year. At his last checkup on April 9th  2019, the left side had finally stop enlarging. Today he is still on Pimobendan, Amlodipine, Sildenafil and Clopidogrel.

I have had Milo since 2007 and while I’m crazy enough to think he’ll live forever, I know in reality he won’t. Yet without this surgery and the compassionate doctors at Blue Pearl, RFCAH, Ancient Arts and Jasmine as well as everyone at MHP, I wouldn’t have been blessed with another year of his presence. Milo is a whole new boy. It’s all I can due to contain him. At 12 he’s been more energetic then he was at 6 months old when I got him. From climbing the furniture, jumping out of his play yard, leaping onto counter tops to get at the roasting pan in the sink, tearing up garbage, endless braking, attempting to take on fire trucks, dogs and humans alike, he thinks he is invincible. In some ways he is. I’m just praying he slows down so his heart lasts. So we’re going back to puppy class! I literally have no choice. And I’m grateful to get to start all over with my sweet boy.

-Ashley

Breed: Dachshund/Bichon Frise
Age: 11
Diagnosis Stage C
Surgery Date: March 31st, 2018
Hometown: Seattle WA
Owner: Ashley
Primary Vet: Dr. Darla Rewers, Ancient Arts Holistic Veterinary Services
Cardiologist: Dr. Mark Harmon Blue Pearl
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Tiger Sinensky

Tiger was diagnosed in March 2018 with a grade IV heart murmur, MVD stage C and severe Pulmonary Hypertension. She was nine years and a half years old. Her only symptom at the time was a persistent cough. She was a very happy and active dog.  Our primary Veterinarian, Dr. Wallach informed us in December of 2017 that Tiger probably had a year to live with medication. In the interest of full disclosure he informed us that there was a surgical option and referred us to a cardiologist and to the Mighty Hearts site. We are so thankful that he was aware of the surgery.

Tiger was basically symptom free- what we believe was her first episode of CHF was a quick incidence of being disoriented in June of 2017. We took Tiger to Dr. Joshua Morgenstern a Cardiologist at VMCLI in Long Island, NY.   Dr.  Morgenstern put Tiger on a mix of Lasix, Vetmedin, Enalapril and Sidenafil. In May of 2018 we were given a surgical date at the RVC for Jan of 2019. While it was a long way off we had mixed feelings – we were happy to have Tiger with us for a long while before the surgery as the surgery had its risks which we had to weigh vs the risk of Tiger going into CHF. Labor Day weekend 2018 Tiger had trouble breathing and she had a terrible hacking cough. Luckily VMCLI is also a 24 hour emergency clinic and they were able to confer with Tiger’s cardiologist and had copies of all her scans for comparison. The ER vet diagnosed her with CHF and she needed to be hospitalized for 3 days. That episode scared us and we were able to move Tiger’s surgery date up to Dec 2018. Tiger’s medications were continuously monitored and we prepared for our trip to London praying that Tiger would remain stable to make the trip. Tiger remained a happy, active dog with no real outward signs of her condition for a long time. As our vet indicated she “didn’t read the book” and she had no idea how sick she was. 

Preparing for the surgery was very stressful- all the paperwork with the USDA forms, testing, and ESA documentation and approvals. The Mighty Hearts site was a wonderful resource as were so many other parents who gave so willingly of their time to help us navigate the logistics and help with any concerns we had. The love and support we received was amazing. On the Wednesday prior to her surgery we took the overnight flight to London and Tiger did great. We had made a pre-op appointment for the next morning as Tiger had high Pulmonary Hypertension so we wanted her checked out to insure the flight did not affect her.Tiger was not herself the first night and we thought maybe it was the flight and new surroundings. Unfortunately when Tiger went to her pre-op appointment the RVC heard crackling in her lungs and decided to keep her overnight for observation. Tiger rapidly deteriorated into full CHF. She was up and down and they had trouble controlling her breathing. Nothing was working. We were on an emotional roller coaster. The RVC gave Tiger better odds of surviving the surgery then making it to surgery. The cardiac team was amazing- they kept Tiger alive to make it surgery as that was her only chance to survive. She was in the ICU oxygen chamber and as the picture shows she had an oxygen tube stitched to her nose to help her breathe.

Tiger’s odds were much lower going into surgery than they were the week before due to her critical condition.  Dr. Dan Brockman and Dr. Poppy Bristow conferred with their staff at the RVC to put together a surgical plan (including using a ventilator pre-surgery and a bit longer afterwards) to try and give her a fighting chance.  We were on pins and needles the day of the surgery having cried our eyes out the weekend before. Tiger was so sick we could not see her pre-surgery as the Doctors were afraid any excitement might upset the delicate balance. The surgery was successful and Tiger made it through all the hurdles the first few days. She did develop 2 small blood clots and had to remain at the RVC additional time. Tiger was at the RVC for a total of 16 days.

The entire RVC team was wonderful- everyone was warm, caring and compassionate.  Tiger loved the entire team and we are forever grateful to them all for saving Tiger. Without their skills and expertise Tiger would not be with us today. We thank her Surgeons (Dan and Poppy), Nurses (Sarah and Allison), Cardiologists (Virginia and Inma), Perfusionists (Nigel and Tom), Anesthetists (Carolina and Thaleia), and the dog blood donors (Oscar, Basil and Jesse) as well as the entire staff at the RVC who gave her such excellent care and attention.

Tiger is now 4 months post-surgery and doing well. While her heart is still enlarged and she has moderate regurgitation the repair locks the valve in place to prevent further deterioration. Tiger will most likely remain on the Vetmedin but does not need any other medications and most importantly is off all diuretics. We are grateful for everyday with her- she is our little miracle and we love her with all our heart.

Breed: Cock-A-Poo
Age: 10
Diagnosis Stage at Surgery: D
Surgery Date: December 10th, 2018
Hometown: East Meadow, NY
Owner: Amy & Rich Sinensky
Primary Vet: Dr. Marc Wallach, University Animal Hospital
Cardiologist: Dr. Joshua Morgenstern, VMCLI
Surgical Team: RVC, Drs. Dan Brockman & Poppy Bristow

Samson Ward

Samson was diagnosed with MVD at stage B2 in late July 2018. He had a heart murmur that had escalated from a grade 1/2 murmur to a 4/5 during the first half of 2018. He had been on a low dose of Enalapril to help his blood pressure ever since the mild murmur had started one year prior. He was prescribed Vetmedin by Dr. Dugan and I requested a referral to cardiology. We were told there was a 5 month wait for an appointment with cardiology. After Samson began the Vetmedin I saw improvement in his energy and demeanor.

At the end of August, Samson had a mild episode of congestive heart failure. I rushed him to the emergency vet clinic, where they confirmed my fears of CHF and he stayed overnight receiving furosemide and being closely monitored. I contacted the cardiologist and expressed how his condition had escalated. Fortunately, they had a cancellation and were able to see us 2 days later. They added furosemide to Samson's daily regimen. We had to closely monitor his kidney values due to being on 3 prescriptions. I was told Samson had 10-12 months to live.

By this point, I had already researched surgical options and was considering MVR surgery for Samson. Both my primary care vets and my cardiologist supported me in my decision to take Samson to London for the MVR surgery, despite the fact they did not have much first-hand experience with MVR surgery patients. Dr. Dan Brockman was incredible, as was Poppy Bristow and the entire team at the Royal Veterinary College. We were originally offered a surgery date in February, but a cancellation opened up a December 3rd date which I accepted. Samson was technically at stage 3 when he went for surgery because he had the isolated episode of CHF.

Jessica Ward with Samson and Dr. Dan Brockman

Samson's health was always great before the heart murmur. He is a very active dog that goes everywhere with me. He loves to travel and loves to fly (I'm a pilot). Samson recovered very quickly after surgery. He did not have any torn chords, according to Poppy, only stretched ones. Both Dan and Poppy were impressed with his results. By the time we were ready to leave the UK to return home Samson's heart murmur was inaudible and his heart had completely shrunk back down to its normal size.

Samson’s one month follow up with our cardiologist revealed more great news. They were barely able to detect a trace of regurgitation on the echo and all his numbers were perfect. I could not be happier. I am so thankful I found the Mighty Hearts Project website and was able to save my baby. 

Breed: Long Hair Chihuahua
Age: 12
Diagnosis: Stage C
Surgery Date: December 3rd, 2018
Hometown: Wilmington, NC
Owner: Jessica Ward
Primary Vet: Dr. Peter Dugan, Coastal Carolina Animal Hospital
Cardiologist: Anna McManamey, DVM, North Carolina State University Veterinary Hospital
Surgical Team: RVC, Drs. Dan Brockman & Poppy Bristow

Chloe Sober

In late October of 2017 I brought Chloe for her yearly checkup and they detected a slight heart murmur, they said it was about a grade 2 and that it wasn't a huge concern at that time and would keep an eye on it every 6 months. Shortly after her checkup and vaccinations Chloe started coughing, they treated her for possible kennel cough. A few weeks later I noticed extreme labored breathing, rates in the 60s and took her straight to the animal hospital where they said everything checked out normal. After about 2 weeks I noticed she was coughing but it was a different cough then before, this is when she fainted. I rushed her to the vet and this is when they told me Chloe had severe heart disease and was in heart failure.  I was told she had a grade 5 heart murmur.

We went from finding out Chloe had a slight heart murmur with no symptoms to a grade 5 murmur, MVD and in Heart Failure within a month. It is terrifying how fast this disease can progress. It was gut wrenching finding out that she only had 12-16 months to live. I immediately started looking things up and found the Mighty Hearts website and Facebook group. It gave me hope that this wasn't it for Chloe. It was a very stressful and emotional time leading up to surgery, hoping that she would make it to surgery. I will never forget this entire process, all the people I connected with and my experience in Japan. Chloe is doing amazing. She went from a Grade 5 heart murmur to no detectable heart murmur. Her Regurgitation went from Severe to Very mild and her heart has returned to a normal size. She went from taking 3 medications every 12 hours to no medication.  I will be forever grateful for Mighty Hearts and Dr. Uechi, Sayaka and the entire Japanese Team. 

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Surgery Date: August 14th, 2018
Hometown: Albany, NY
Owner: Whitney and Chris Sober
Cardiologist: Upstate Veterinary Specialties , Dr. Cassidy D. Sedacca
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Sophie Grant

Sophie had to be rushed to the ER Vet four times between April 2018 and September 2018.  The fourth time (September of 2018), Sophie collapsed at home and had to be revived using CPR before being rushed to the ER Vet Hospital.  Sophie was scheduled for surgery in Japan January of 2019.  We were very worried that she wouldn’t make it, so our Cardiologist contacted The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in London and they were able to schedule Sophie for her mitral valve repair surgery October 15th 2018. 

Sophie is now back home healing and doing very well.  She is being treated for an infection, Endocarditis, which after many tests has not been confirmed, but blood work does show an infection and since she recently had her surgery, we are erring on the side of caution.  Her latest blood work was excellent.  Her neutropenia and anemia have resolved.  Her murmur is barely detectable and her heart continues to get smaller.  She no longer coughs when she drinks water or gets excited. We are absolutely thrilled and thank everyone involved that played a part in saving our Sophie.

Breed: Maltese
Age: 9 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C Surgery Date: October 15th, 2018
Hometown: Newmarket, Ontario Canada Owner: Candice Grant/Peter Maier Cardiologist: Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital, Dr. Jonathan. Lichtenberger Surgical Team: RVC, Drs. Dan Brockman & Poppy Bristow

ToTo Satori

ToTo is a 10 year old Yorkshire Terrier from New York, NY.  ToTo had a totally clean bill of health until a low grade murmur was detected in July of 2016. X-rays and echocardiogram at the time did not conclude treatment, just a follow up one year later. During pre-check for teeth cleaning three weeks ago, March 2017, blood work came back with slightly elevated enzymes in the liver; and x-ray showed a much more enlarged heart than last summer. The vet was not comfortable with putting him under until another echo was done, which concluded he had progressed to a grade 4. The vet prescribed Denosyl to protect his liver as well as Enalapril. Three days later ToTo’s heart rate increased to 180/min and resting breaths were 60/min. He was rushed to the emergency vet. X-rays showed fluid in lungs and ToTo was put on Lasix. The next morning, he went back to the emergency vet after a difficult overnight with many side effects. The vet confirmed a murmur of not just a level 4, but a level 6. At that point, the vet recommended seeing a cardiologist. Dr. Karmer saw ToTo and suggested adding Vetmedin to the daily meds. Currently, he is on Vetmedin, Enalapril, and Lasix.   Toto had a successful surgery at the Bozon Clinic in France on January 29, 2018 and is resting and recovering at home in NYC.

Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Surgery Date: January 29, 2018
Hometown: New York, NY
Owner: LiLi L
Cardiologist: Dr. George Kramer, ACVS
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Koda Murray

Koda’s symptoms came on suddenly and rapidly. He had his yearly check up with his primary care veterinarian in April 2017 with no noticeable murmur whatsoever. Yet in late October 2017 he began coughing consistently, so I took him to be seen by his primary care veterinarian and was referred to a cardiologist immediately. His cardiologist diagnosed him with CHF, MVD, at a grade 5/6 murmur. No one could explain why he went from no murmur to a grade 6 in a matter of months.

With medications his symptoms were well controlled for a couple months, but dosages needed to be constantly increased and new medications added. In April 2018 he had his first hospitalization from CHF and was on a rapid decline. He was hospitalized on two more occasions in May before his surgery date at the Jasmine clinic in July. After surgery, we were told that nearly all his cords had been torn, which would explain his rapid and sudden decline. 

Koda had surgery on July 25th 2018, with no complications. He did have to be released after only 3 days because he was too stressed without me, but this didn’t effect his healing. His heart has dramatically decreased in size and he is now only taking a low dose of Vetmedin. He does still have a grade 4 murmur but there is no significant regurgitation.  He has his crazy Aussie energy back, and acts like a puppy again. We are forever grateful to Dr. Uechi and his amazing team, and everyone who helped us make this trip possible.

Breed: Miniature Australian Shepherd
Age: 11 years old
Diagnosis: Stage D Surgery Date: July 25th, 2018
Hometown: Portland, OR Owner: Stefani Murray Instagram: @kodawoof
Cardiologist: Dr. Gary Wood at Cardiology Northwest
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Dutch Schmidt

Dutch is a 12 year old rescued mini schnauzer mix from Tampa, FL.  In July 2014 a level 2 murmur was detected during a routine visit at UF prior to his third dental cleaning and an echocardiogram confirmed Mitral Valve Disease.  Dutch has always been a high energy dog. Even at age 11 with CHF he wanted to play and fetch his favorite tennis ball.  Unfortunately, his murmur progressed and in September 2017 he developed an exercise intolerance.  He was taken to his primary care vet and and an x-ray confirmed the worst - congestive heart failure. Dutch went on Lasix for the fluid in his lungs, enalapril and pimobendan. His murmur was staged at 5 and was taken to the best cardiologist in Florida, Dr. Simon Swift. After an extensive exam and Echo, he confirmed not just the heart failure but that he had maybe 8-9 months to live and recommended MVR surgery with Dr. Uechi.  Dutch had mitral valve repair surgery at Clinique Veterinaire Bozon on February 1, 2018.

Dutch is currently off all meds except Vetmedin to keep the heart beating strong as the disease enlarged and twisted it prior to surgery. Heart has already decreased in size and the murmur down to grade 2 and very mild regurgitation.

Breed: Mini Schnauzer mix
Age: 12 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C Surgery Date: February 1, 2018
Hometown: Tampa, FL Owner: Julieanne & Bill Schmidt
Cardiologist: Dr. Simon Swift, UFL Primary Vet: Hyde Park Veterinary Clinic
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Simba Nam

In January of 2017 I took Simba in for his annual health check-up and the vet noticed a slightly enlarged heart.  I was advised to take him to the cardiologist where I was told everything was fine and that he didn’t need to be on medication at the time.  Approximately 1 month after his second cardiologist visit on August 11, 2017, Simba went into congestive heart failure (CHF).  A month later, he had another episode and I cried every night reading about this terrible disease.  My cardiologist was also not being very supportive so I had to switch doctors. During this time I found an article that led me to find Dr. Masami Uechi, who was performing mitral valve repair surgery in Japan with very high success rates. 

I was determined to make it to Japan and made sure Simba took all his medications on time (Furosemide, Pimobendan, Benazepril and Spironolactone).  To provide better support for his kidney and liver functions I added a few more supplements. Simba was also on a kidney nutritional diet regimen since he was on such high doses of meds.  I was careful to always keep him calm, cool and only took short walks.  The goal was to keep him as healthy as possible for 6 months until we could travel to Japan for surgery. 

When we arrived in Japan, Simba was diagnosed at stage D with a grade 5/6 murmur. Simba had his mitral valve repair surgery and was such a fighter.  His heart has now shrunk to almost normal range with minimal regurgitation and he is now at a grade one murmur and currently on absolutely NO MEDS!!  During surgery I was told, Simba had two major ruptured chords which was what caused him to go into CHF overnight.  It is truly amazing and a blessing to see the differences with Simba after surgery.  He has a new lease on life.  He is full of personality which I never knew he had!!

Breed: Maltese
Age: 8
Diagnosis: Stage D
Surgery Date: April 16, 2018
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Owner: Sandy Nam Cardiologist : Dr. Timothy Hodge, UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Bailey Ambrose

Bailey is a rescue dog that we adopted in Virginia in 2012.  We fell in love with him the second we saw him.  His diagnosis with MVD was devastating to us and we wanted to do anything we could to help him.  During his annual checkup in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart murmur.  Our vet said it was nothing to be concerned with at that time.  He was fine until April of 2017 when we found out he had Mitral Valve Disease and his murmur was upgraded to Stage B2.  We took him to a cardiologist and he was started on heart medication to try and slow down the disease.  Our cardiologist told us about the MVD surgery to repair the valve but it was only done in Japan and France at that time.  We decided France was the best option for us and contacted Dr. Sabine Bozon at her clinic in Versailles to see if he was a candidate for surgery.  Bailey was scheduled for surgery March of 2018.  He was doing really well on the medication but his heart was very enlarged and he was tired most of the time.  In December he started coughing so we took him to the vet for an X-ray to see if he had fluid in his lungs but they couldn’t find anything.  A few weeks later he woke up in the middle of the night coughing really badly and he was lethargic.  We rushed him to the cardiologist and he was in CHF.  After a lot of Lasix and being put in an oxygen chamber for about 4 hours he was better and able to come home.  He did well on the medication and didn’t have another episode of congestive heart failure.

In January we found out that his surgery was canceled but they were able to schedule him for the July session.  We were very worried about the delay but his condition remained the same until surgery.  Bailey had his surgery on June 30th 2018 and he is doing really well.  We were in France for 3 weeks and it was an emotional but wonderful experience.  To see his scans before and after surgery was amazing.  His heart was huge before and a day later it was almost normal size.  Dr. Sabine and the staff at the clinic were so caring and kind.  Everyone just wanted the best for our Bailey.  We are back home now and he just had his 30 day post op checkup and his heart is normal size and he has very mild regurgitation.  Baily has a lot of energy now and is always hungry and is just a happy little guy! We are so grateful to Dr. Uechi and Dr. Sabine & JH Bozon for saving our sweet boy!  Thanks to them he has a chance to live a normal life.  We are also so grateful to Mighty Hearts for all the support and guidance and also all the wonderful people we met on this journey.

Breed: Shih Tzu
Age: 7
Diagnosis Stage: C
Surgery Date: June 30th, 2018
Hometown: Milford, NH
Owner: Nat and Sandy Ambrose
Primary Veterinarian: Dr. Cheryl Donnell, Milford Veterinary Hospital
Cardiologist: Dr. Ivan Sosa Samper, Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Keisha

Keisha is an 8 year old Chinese Crested from Australia.  Keisha first presented a stage 2 murmur in April 2017. No treatment was recommended at the time. On 17th December 2017 she was given diagnosis of MVD with CHF and placed on furosemide and spironolactone. Her ultrasound showed very enlarged heart (size of a Doberman) and damaged mitral valve, ruptured chords. After several CHF episodes, surgical options were researched and Jasmine vets in Japan referred Keisha to Niek Beijerink at University of Sydney. Keisha had surgery at University of Sydney with Dr. Uechi on April 19, 2018. She had a complication with a blood clot in her forelimb on day 6 after surgery and some hard swelling at surgery site but otherwise recovered well. Currently Keisha’s blood clot has resolved although still limping, her surgery site is improving daily and she is still on Vetmedin and blood thinners. On May 4 her ultrasound showed decrease in heart size, and her parents are waiting to see whether medication can be reduced/eliminated.

Breed: Chinese Crested Hairless
Age: 8 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Surgery Date: April 19, 2018
Hometown: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Owner: Anonymous
Instagram @keishakess
Cardiologist: Niek Beijerink, Richard Woolley
Primary Vet: Advanced VetCare
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Dot Lim

In early December 2017 Dot went into congestive heart failure after 3 years of a mild heart murmur. I found out because he started lifting his nose in the air and refused to lay down. My family and I were all devastated and immediately went to UC Davis's cardiology hospital. We heard about the mitral valve repair surgery for dogs but weren't sure if it was reliable. We were so lucky because we met Dr. Nishimura who knew Dr. Uechi and guided us through the process and introduced me to the Mighty Hearts Project. Dot was at stage C and was doing fairly well on his medications up till his surgery.  

After lots of roadblocks and worrisome nights it was a relief that he made it to his surgery. He was discharged just 4 days after surgery and quickly recovered a lot faster at home. Dot developed pneumonia 3 weeks after surgery due to him eating a bag of pill pockets and throwing it up. His one-month post-op showed that his murmur went from a grade 4 to a grade 3 and although his heart is still enlarged, it’s slowly shrinking in size and we are hopeful that it will continue to shrink. Dot is currently a white fur ball of uncontrollable energy. We are all so grateful for the opportunity to save Dot's little big heart and are thankful for Dr. Masami Uechi and all of the support that was given to us. 

-Kate Lim

Breed: Maltese
Age: 9
Diagnosis Stage: C
Surgery Date: July 23rd, 2018
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Owner: Kate Lim
Primary Veterinarian: Dr. Shannon Leggieri, Claremont Veterinary Hospital
Cardiologist: Dr. Satoko Nishimura & Dr. Kate Woodruff
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Pedey Ballard

During a weekend in September 2017 I noticed Pedey was coughing more and seemed lethargic.  I took him to the vet the next day.  They performed a chest x-ray and found his heart to be severely enlarged.  I thought it looked like a football, it was so big.  I was able to get him to a cardiologist the following day where he was diagnosed with mitral valve disease and was already in congestive heart failure.  He had a grade 4-5/6 left apical systolic murmur and his left atrium and ventricle were both severely enlarged.  This came as a surprise because he had a dental in June 2017 and no murmur was detected at that time.  It seems as though the disease progression can be quite rapid in certain cases.  Pedey was immediately started on Furosemide, Enalapril and Vetmedin, he responded extremely well.  His heart, the left ventricle in particular, decreased in size to the high end of normal.  At the time of Pedey’s diagnosis his cardiologist estimated he would have 1 ½ to 2 years left with medical therapy. 

I adopted Pedey in December 2014.  At the time of his diagnosis he hadn’t yet lived with us for even three years.  I couldn’t stand the thought of having him in our lives for such a short time so I did what most people do.  I got on the internet and read everything I could about mvd and congestive heart failure in dogs. I came across a website that referenced a journal article from 2012 that mentioned some veterinarians at Nihon University perfecting a procedure to repair the mitral valve in dogs.  I didn’t know about the Jasmine Clinic at that time and couldn’t imagine this would even be an option for Pedey.  After more late night internet searches I found the Mighty Hearts Project website.  After reading other people’s stories I realized this life-saving surgery was within our reach.  We began the quarantine process in November, started the required testing and had a surgery date at the beginning of February.  The hardest part was the waiting and hoping Pedey would make it to Japan in June.  Pedey’s pre-op appointment showed that his heart was becoming enlarged again so the timing of surgery was crucial.  After surgery Dr. Uechi informed me that all of Pedey’s chordae tendinae were stretched and one had ruptured.

At one month post-op Pedey has a 1/6 left apical systolic murmur, which I don’t think is unexpected with the addition of artificial chordae tendinae.   All chambers of his heart are now normal in size; he has barely detectable regurgitation and doesn’t need any medications.  I could not have wished for a better outcome. 

Thank you to all of the dedicated people that put together and contributed to the Mighty Hearts Project website.  Sharing experiences and answering questions through the site allowed me to believe the impossible possible.  Thank you to Dr. Uechi, Dr. Sayaka and all the staff at Jasmine Clinic for their expertise and dedication to saving our furry family members.

Breed: American Eskimo
Age: 8 Diagnosis
Stage: C
Surgery Date: June 4th, 2018
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Owner: Sarah Ballard
Primary Veterinarian: Dr. Alison Capitan, College Village Animal Clinic
Cardiologist: Dr. Dawn Webber, Arctic Echoes Veterinary Cardiology
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Tiara Nakayama

Tiara is a 12-year-old Chihuahua. She was diagnosed with MVD on Nov. 2016. Our primary care vet prescribed Apinac 12.5mg for the first half year. In May of 2017, Tiara’s murmur started to get worse, so Dr. Fujisawa added Vetmedin for her. But just after 2 months, she started to cough, and was having difficulties breathing. We brought her to the hospital and they did all the cardiology examinations. The results were Tiara’s heart size was increasing, and the blood of her heart was re-fluxed. The doctor increased the amount of Vetmedin to double the rate and explained the medicine will not let Tiara recover for much longer, but only delay the deterioration. After that, we brought Tiara to the hospital once every 2~3 weeks, to take X-rays and blood test.

 In 2018, Tiara’s condition didn’t change from last year, I felt her MVD was under control. In April she started to pant very hard and was nonstop coughing. We did a cardiac ultrasound and the x-ray showed no abnormalities, but I know something was wrong with her, so I planned to get a second opinion. On the 25th of May, Tiara started to cough again late in the night. I brought her to the emergency animal hospital and the doctor checked her thoroughly and said, her tongue was turning purple, she was in a very fragile state and we probably would lose her anytime now. I couldn’t believe what I’ve just heard. They put her inside the ICU and gave her the critical care she needed. The x-ray showed she’s was having pulmonary edema, and couldn’t breathe. After 10 hours of emergency treatment, we brought her back to the primary care vet hospital. She was hospitalized for 6 days, and they added Furosemide to her medicines. At that time I asked the doctor if there was any surgeries available for MVD? And the answer was go to the Jasmine clinic. The doctor said there are many places in Japan currently offering the MVR surgery, only the best was at the Jasmine clinic. It’s not only the best in Japan, but the best in the world. I asked my doctor to make the reservation for Tiara, and the appointment at Jasmine was scheduled for 6/8 for the preoperative examination.

Jasmine’s Cardiologist is Dr. Arane Takahashi, very nice and friendly doctor. She explained every single detail of the surgery and was very professional. We planned the surgery date for 7/18/18. Between that time Tiara had one more Pulmonary edema. I wanted to spend all my time with her and was counting the days for surgery. Finally we arrived for Tiara’s surgery day and It was successful. Tiara was discharged after 6 days. I really want to thank to Dr. Masami Uechi and his team and of course my primary care doctor Dr. Yoshiro Fujisawa. Without Jasmine, my Tiara would still be suffering now from advanced MVD symptoms. I also met so many MVD families and pets at the Jasmine clinic, they shared their stories and encouraged me during my time at the clinic. Now Tiara is recovering very well, thanks to everyone who has helped me. I hope every dog suffering with MVD can get good treatment at the Jasmine clinic and recover soon.

Breed: Long coat Chihuahua
Age: 12
Diagnosis Stage: C/D
Surgery Date: July 7th, 2018
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
Owner: Angélique Nakayama
Cardiologist: Dr. Yoshiro Fujisawa, Hyogo Pet Medical Center
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Charlie Wentz

When first learning of Charlie’s diagnosis in July of 2017 I was absolutely devastated. He has been my best friend and constant companion these last 9 years and we have grown inseparable. After many sleepless nights I had stumbled upon the Mighty Hearts page and just like that everything changed! For the first time, since Charlie’s diagnosis, I experienced HOPE! Never could I imagine just a year later we would be on a journey half way across the world to see Dr.Uechi and his dream team in Japan. 

Since Charlie’s surgery he’s been on the road to recovery and our future is looking brighter than ever! Our most recent echo cardiogram conducted at Jasmine clinic revealed significant regurgitation reduction as well as measurable signs of his heart shrinking, just days after surgery! We have so much to look forward to and I’m forever grateful for the Mighty Hearts Project for providing us with the knowledge, care and support we needed at such a critical time in our lives. Our hearts are filled with so much joy and gratitude as we are blessed to have this amazing opportunity to mend Charlie’s heart. 

♥️Danielle & Charlie Wentz 

#teamcharlie

Breed: Cavalier/Bichon mix
Age: 10
Diagnosis: Stage B2+ Surgery Date: July 16th, 2018
Hometown: Voorhees, NJ Owner: Danielle Wentz Primary Care Vet: Dr. Justin Praslicka, Cedarbrooke Animal Hospital Cardiologist : Dr. Megan Poad, UPenn Ryan’s Animal Hospital Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Charlie Allen

In March 2017 we discovered that Charlie had a heart murmur when we went to our vets for his annual vaccination and checkup. Following heart scans shortly after we were given the distressing news that Charlie had MVD and that other than managing the disease there was nothing that could be done and we would lose him within 18 months or so. After much research I discovered that surgery may be a possibility and learned about the amazing work of Dr. Masami Uechi. I also discovered that Dr. Dan Brockman at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in the UK had also started the technique, so I immediately asked for a referral to the cardiology team there to find out if Charlie would be a candidate for surgery. Whilst we were told about the risks the team advised us that Charlie could be considered for mitral valve repair, which gave us hope that we may be able to save him.

Charlie remained stable for most of 2017, but then started to deteriorate towards the end of the year. Early in 2018 we were offered a place for surgery with Dr. Dan Brockman and the team in February. Two weeks before surgery Charlie progressed into heart failure so we were rather fortunate with the timing as he seemed to be getting worse day by day. He had his MVR surgery on 26 February 2018 with no complications and has made an amazing recovery. Charlie no longer has a heart murmur, only has a very minor regurgitation and his heart continues to reduce in size but will remain on Vetmedin for the time being. He is basically just back to his normal self again and is behaving like a very happy and healthy dog with a whole new lease of life.

Breed: Standard long haired dachshund
Age: 6
Diagnosis: Stage B2
Surgery Date: February 26, 2018
Hometown: Chiddingstone, UK
Owner: Mark Allen & Ryan Sinnott
Primary Care Vet: Dr Penny Barnard-Brown, Sevenoaks Veterinary Surgery
Cardiologist : Dr llaria Spalla, Royal Veterinary College Cardiology
MVR Surgical Team: RVC, Dr. Dan Brockman

Riggs Brown

Riggs was diagnosed at the age of 5 with the common early onset heart murmur seen in many cavaliers.  He was maintained on only Enalapril for 3 years and had echos done every 6 months.  He had slowly been having an increase in his heart size but nothing dramatic or that warranted further medication.  At the age of 8, Riggs started coughing and having increased respiratory rates. It took several attempts and different veterinarians and specialists to find the right medication combination at that time to help him because he was not responding to oral medications. It was discovered that due to his sensitive intestinal track and possible irritable bowel disease, he wasn't absorbing the oral diuretic called Furosemide. After a switch to injectable Furosemide, he became a new dog but still struggled with the need of frequent medication changes to keep him stable. Riggs was on a multitude of medications at overdose levels right before surgery and was eating an extremely low amount of food the month prior to surgery.  We don't believe he had much more time to live. We didn't have room to increase his medications so it was dire for him to have surgery at the time he did. 

Current Health:  Riggs went through surgery and recovery with flying colors.  He did not have ONE complication post op and is now doing incredible! He still has coughing most days but is off of many medications. He has too much energy and his mom has a hard time keeping him from running and jumping!  He is eating ravenously again like when he was younger too! His favorite things before heart failure are definitely back! We are beyond pleased with his surgery results.

Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Age: 9
Diagnosis: Stage D
Surgery Date: March 12, 2018
Hometown: Rogers, Arkansas
Owner: Cory and Ashley Brown
Primary Vet: Leeth Harper, DVM, Village Pet Hospital
Cardiologist : Ryan Baumwart, DVM, DACVIM-Cardiology
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Stella Briskin

Stella was first diagnosed in November 2016 with a heart murmur by her vet during a routine check up. It was recommended that I take her for an echo just in case.  After the echo she was diagnosed with chronic valve disease, so I took her to a cardiologist.  At that time she had no symptoms and was not in need of medication.  I was told to bring her back every 6 months for re-evaluation. Fortunately, when my cardiologist explained what the disease was and I asked if there was a surgical option, she had heard about the Dr. Uechi and said she would investigate what their protocols where and see if they would look at Stella’s records.  At that time she was not a candidate for the surgery.  

When I took Stella for her follow up appointment in December 2017, Dr. Roland said her disease had progressed and she was going to update Jasmine and see what they thought. I had started the quarantine in September just in case.  Jasmine said she was now a candidate for surgery, her current state was B2.  Stella's heart had enlarged a significant amount by that time and she was put on Vetmedin.  When I went for Stella’s pre-op with Sayaka she said her heart was extremely large and was starting to obstruct her airway (it was very apparent on the x-ray).  

Stella had her surgery on 5/29/18 at the Jasmine clinic in Japan.  Thank goodness she did not have any significant post op complications and her left atrium is now normal in size.  She’s still healing.  We have her first follow up 7/3,  she seems great.  Stella is no longer coughing, off her medications and she's happy and energetic. I’m very grateful that her cardiologist told me about the surgery and that I found the Mighty Hearts group. The amount of information and help has been invaluable.

Breed: Corgi/Chihuahua mix
Age: 9
Diagnosis: Stage B2
Surgery Date: May 29, 2018
Hometown: NYC
Owner: Marnie Briskin
Cardiologist : Dr. Risa Roland, Metropolitan Veterinary Associates
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Rusty

Rusty was first diagnosed with heart murmur grade 3/6 in August of 2016 while traveling and seeing a vet for an unrelated health issue. We were told at the time that heart murmurs are common and that it was unlikely it would progress to anything more serious. In January 2018, Rusty suddenly and with no warning whatsoever started coughing repeatedly. After a quick visit to the ER, he was misdiagnosed with kennel cough and given antibiotics. 

Two days later with his cough getting much worse, he finally got imaged and was diagnosed with MVD Stage B2 and CHF. We were (once again) traveling at the time and were advised that he may not even survive the flight back home. He was immediately put on pimobendan and Lasix which made the cough go away. Once we did get back home, we were seen by a cardiologist who performed an echocardiogram and confirmed the heart murmur was a grade of 5/6 and he had severe regurgitation. Rusty was given only 9 to 12 months to live.

Initially, we were devastated by the news but then quickly learned about the mitral valve repair surgical options, first in Japan and then at the RVC as well. Upon contacting both locations, we were given a surgery date for late March at the RVC and we then spent the next 2 months preparing for the trip and desperately trying to manage Rusty's disease.

Rusty quickly spiraled downhill; he lost his appetite and would repeatedly refuse to take his medications. Within 6 weeks he went from 30 lbs. to 26 lbs. was very lethargic and went into severe CHF twice, the second time ending up hospitalized in an oxygen chamber. He was eventually diagnosed with Stage D heart failure and was upgraded from Lasix to Torsemide. In late March 2018, Dr. Dan Brockman and Dr. Poppy Bristow performed the mitral valve repair surgery successfully which dramatically lowered the level of regurgitation. Rusty also had no audible murmur anymore after surgery.

His recovery was quite dramatic; his appetite was suddenly ravenous and he regained the lost weight within a week. His first checkup with his cardiologist showed dramatic decrease in heart size and all chambers were at pre-disease state. His activity level has increased beyond even the level prior to his CHF episode. These days Rusty is incredibly energetic, playful and full of life and free of any heart medications.

Breed: Miniature Labradoodle
Age: 8 years old
Diagnosis: Stage D
Surgery Date: March 26, 2018
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Owner: Anonymous
Cardiologist : Dr. Ivan Sosa-Samper
Primary Vet: Porter Square Vet, Adam Parker
Surgical Team: RVC, Dr. Dan Brockman