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

Sophie

Sophie is a 9 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from Washington Crossing, PA.  Sophie was diagnosed with MVD in June 2012. It was only a grade 2 murmur and did not require any medication at that time. She was rechecked in March 2013 and the MVD had progressed. There was some regurgitation with minimal heart enlargement so she was put on 25 mg Enalapril 2 x per day. Slowly over the following years her heart continued to enlarge and the murmur became more pronounced. In 2016 she was put on Vetmedin and at the time of her pre-op testing her heart had actually reduced in size but the regurgitation had gotten much worse over the five year period and she was getting close to Stage C right before her surgery.

Sophie had surgery at the Bozon Clinic on November 27, 2017.  Her surgery went well but had a very challenging post-op recovery. One day after surgery she started to bleed internally from the anticoagulation medication.  Dr. Sabine Bozon quickly managed the bleeding by adjusting the dosage. Two days after surgery she developed a dangerous urinary tract infection and was immediately put on IV antibiotics. Five days after surgery three blood clots formed in her heart, one dangerously close to her Aorta. Dr. Bozon and my little fighter never gave up and on day fifteen post-op she was discharged from the Bozon Clinic. Today Sophie is a healthy, happy and energetic bundle of love. Her regurgitation has been reduced by 80% and her heart size is almost back to normal. She is not on any heart medications post surgery.

Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Age: 9 years old
Diagnosis: Stage B2
Hometown: Washington Crossing, PA
Owner: Jeanne Navratil
Instagram: @jnavratil2
Cardiologist: VSEC, Maribeth J. Bossbaly
Primary Care Vet: WCAH, Dr. Jennifer Chabot
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Maddox

Maddox is an 8 year old Shih-Poo from Chicago, IL.   Maddox was asymptomatic with severe Mitral regurgitation and moderate Tricuspid regurgitation. Six months prior to MVD diagnosis, Maddox had no heart murmur before suddenly having grade 5/6. She was prescribed Pimobendan and remained stable until surgery at JASMINE Veterinary Cardiovascular Medical Center. Her heart showed progressive enlargement during each follow-up echocardiogram leading up to surgery which later confirmed Mitral valve prolapse and ruptured chordae tendineae.  Maddox had mitral repair surgery on October 17, 2017 at the JASMINE clinic in Japan.

4 months post-surgery, Maddox has significant improvement including reduced heart size, extremely mild Mitral regurgitation, and no Tricuspid regurgitation. “Diagnostic Impressions: The evaluation demonstrates degenerative mitral valve disease with an excellent result from valve repair surgery. The disease is extremely well compensated at this time and medical therapy is not warranted.”

Breed: Shih-Poo
Age: 8 years old
Diagnosis: Stage B2
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Owner: Joseph K.
Cardiologist: Dr. Michael Luethy
Primary Veterinarian: MedVet Chicago
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Zoey Jordan

Zoey is a 10 year old Maltese from Orlando, FL.  Zoey's vet diagnosed her with a heart murmur when she was approximately four years old.  Her owner was told that it wasn’t a big deal because they would monitor it and she didn’t think anything of it because Zoey's sister had a heart murmur and lived to be 17 years old without any problems or medication.

In July 2016, Zoey was gasping for air and coughing was taken to the vet.  On suspicion that it was her heart, Zoey was referred to an internist since Orlando does not have Vet Cardiologist.  The internist Zoey was referred to did several tests and misdiagnosed her with pneumonia. She was prescribed antibiotics and a nebulizer.  Zoey’s sickness continued to progress. She was then taken her back to the internist where they did more tests and once again Zoey was misdiagnosed, this time with a mass in her lung and the doctor wanted to perform surgery to remove the mass. Her owner knew she wouldn't survive the surgery, and it was decided that Zoey be taken to an ER Vet where she had previously been a patient.  It turned out to be the best decision.

The vet from the ER knew it was her heart and put her on Lasix and in an oxygen chamber immediately.  They referred Zoey to a cardiologist at University of Florida in Gainesville and loaned the oxygen cage to transport her.  UF saved Zoey's life.  Unfortunately,  during the month of being misdiagnosed, Zoey went into heart failure and ruptured a cord. The Cardiologist at University of Florida told me Zoey had two months to two years to live.

That answer was not acceptable, so an appointment with Dr. Simon Swift, the Medical Director and Clinical Cardiologist at UF was scheduled and he reviewed all of Zoey’s records.  He suggested that Zoey was a good candidate for mitral valve repair surgery and she was referred to Dr. Sabine in France.

Zoey is currently stable and on four medications in the morning and three at night. She gets acupuncture treatments twice a month and is on multiple supplements.. Zoey is still under the supervision of Dr. Swift and she is scheduled for surgery in France on September 22, 2017.

Breed: Maltese
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Hometown: Orlando, FL
Owner: Janette Jordan
Cardiologist : Dr. Simon Swift, UFL
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Easy Kamoun

Easy is an 8 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from Sevres, France.  In March 2016, Easy was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Disease. She had an enlarged heart which stabilized with drug therapies. In August 2017, she suffered from pulmonary edema and progressed to stage D. After finding out about the surgery, Easy's parents met with Sabine Bozon urgently. She said that Easy had only a few days left to live and agreed to make the surgery urgently after having treated the edema. The day before the operation, she discovered 2 blood clots and hospitalized her. Then the surgery on September 20th went well but Easy had 2 more clots one week after leaving the clinic that she evacuated with drugs.   Currently, Easy is recovering at home and doing very well!

Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Age: 8 years old
Diagnosis: Stage D
Hometown: Sevres, France Owner: Sophie Kamoun
Cardiologist : Dr. Sabine Bozon, Clinique Veterinaire Bozon
MVR Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Sachie

Sachie is a 7 year old Chihuahua from Albany, NY.  She was diagnosed with a heart murmur in April 2017.  Then, in June 2017 she was confirmed to be in MVD Stage B2 with a murmur of 4/5.  Between June and her surgery on September 20, 2017, Sachie progressed to Stage C but remained stable.  Her surgery at the Bozon clinic in France was a success and Sachie seems to be doing very well. Her energy level has increased and she looks great.

Breed: Chihuahua
Age: 7 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Hometown: Albany, NY Owner: Marisa & Everett Teller
Cardiologist : Dr. A Kent, Upstate Veterinary Specialty
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Snoopy Osterloh

Snoopy is a 10 year old Chorkie (chihuahua yorkie mix) from London, UK.  He went to the vet to be diagnosed with MVD only two months prior to surgery. He was in heart failure with a 6 out of 6 heart murmur.  Prior to surgery he was in late stage C, almost D.  After a successful mitral valve repair on September 19th at the Bozon clinic in France, Snoopy is now at Stage B1 and doing very well.  Dr. Bozon said that his heart is almost perfect. His regurgitation has significantly reduced but he still suffers from a cough.

Breed: Chihuahua/Yorkie Mix
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage C
Hometown: London, UK
Owner: Dolly-Ann Osterloh
Instagram: @snoopysbigheart
Surgical Team: France, Drs. Masami Uechi, Sabine & Jean Hugues Bozon

Mong Lee

Mong is an 11 year old Maltese from Pyeongtaek, South Korea.  In November 2016, Mong was hospitalized with pulmonary edema and diagnosed with a chordae tendineae rupture and Mitral valve disease.  Last summer, Mong's brother passed away so his parents want to save him more than anything.  In Korea, there was no information on the valve operation but research on overseas sites revealed that the operation was available in Japan. Mong's owners immediately began the Japan quarantine process and during the waiting period, his heart condition has gotten worse causing arrhythmia and syncope.  Mong is scheduled for surgery at JASMINE in Japan on August 7, 2017.  He currently is in stage B2/C and we wish Mong a stable condition until his surgery.

Breed: Maltese
Age: 11 years old
Diagnosis: Stage B2/C
Hometown: Pyeongtaek, South Korea
Owner: Yuri Choi Instagram: @yurikhyuri
Cardiologist : Seung-gon Lee, Seoul animal heart hospital
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center

Bailey Martinez

Bailey is a 10 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from Long Island, NY.  He was diagnosed in October 2013 with Mitral Valve Disease Stage B2.  Bailey was taken to the cardiologist after his owner detected his murmur (Madeline is a PA with ER and cardiology experience).  He was completely asymptomatic but his echo showed "severe, chronic MVD" in October 2013.  He was started on Enalapril 3.25mg qd.

On Valentine's Day 2015, Bailey went into mild CHF after vomiting the day before from something he ate.  On February 16, 2015, Bailey was started on Vetmedin 1.25mg bid by Dr. Kramer.  No furosemide was given.  In 2016, Bailey had several readings of pulmonary hypertension, the highest being 68 mm/hg.  Surgery is scheduled in Japan with Dr. Uechi for July 25, 2017.  Bailey will be 11 years old at the time of his procedure.

He is currently on herbal diuretics and tiny dose of furosemide 1/2 of 6.25 mg/day.  According to Dr. Uechi, he is Stage C (Dr. Kramer says B2/C).  Bailey's health is otherwise excellent except for occasional environmental allergies, which can put him into respiratory distress (Last CXR 3 wks. ago showed no pulmonary edema).  He is not currently symptomatic unless he runs and plays with his sibling and has gotten winded more easily in the past month.  Bailey gets regular acupuncture laser treatments and is on multiple supplements, including herbal therapy.

Breed: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage B2/C
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Owners: Madeline Martinez
Cardiologist: Dr. Kramer, Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists, Bohemia, NY
Primary Vet: Dr. R. Fredericks, North Shore Animal Hospital, Northport NY
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi

Paco Young

Paco is a 10 year old Chihuahua/Pekingese/Pomeranian mix from the San Francisco, CA.  Paco was diagnosed at Stage B2 in October 2016.  He is currently on pimobendan and enalapril, but no diuretics.  Non-active at baseline, visits the dog park 1-2x/day, and takes short walks around the neighborhood or at the beach.  Currently, he has no outward symptoms, other than a loud murmur.  Paco is scheduled for surgery at the JASMINE clinic in Japan on July 24, 2017.  We hope that Paco continues to be symptom free while he waits patiently for his big adventure.

Breed: Chihuahua/Pekingese/Pomeranian
Age: 10 years old
Diagnosis: Stage B2
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Owner: Carol Young
Cardiologist: Dr. Catherine Belanger, UC Davis
Primary Vet: Dr. Blythe Jurewicz, UC Davis
Surgical Team: Dr. Masami Uechi & Team at, Jasmine Cardiovascular Medical Center