Small Breed Dog Owner? You Need to Know About Mitral Valve Disease (MVD)
Approximately 1 in 7 American dogs will get MVD. Early detection is important.
Please Note: this post provides information potentially helpful in caring for a dog with heart disease. I not a veterinarian; my suggestions are based on personal experience, and what I have found helpful. You should always consult a professional vet before taking any action that might affect the health of your dog.
Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) is the most common form of canine heart disease, affecting roughly 7% of all American dogs (in 2018, that’s about 6 million dogs). The prognosis varies according to when if clinical signs are detected, and the treatment regime. This post covers some basics of the disease itself; why those wishing to adopt a small dog, in particular, should be aware of MVD; the importance of proper nutrition in managing the disease; expanded surgical options; and the ethics of treatment. For any corrections and additional links, please see this post on the Substack App.
echocardiogram image of mitral valve turbulence/ regurgitation (colored area)
What is MVD?
Mitral Valve Disease, which also occurs in humans, is the progressive deterioration and deformation of the valve that prevents ‘regurgitation’ of oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium of the heart, back into the left ventricle. This causes the heart to work harder to keep circulation going, and often leads to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs or chest cavity, which then often leads to heart failure.
For owners, it’s a often a shocking diagnosis, typically prompted by the discovery of a heart murmur (which can be a tell-tale sign of regurgitation, confirmed with an echocardiogram). The diagnosis is all the more upsetting as the standard answer to ‘what can be done’, until recently, has been ‘nothing’ — other than the euphemistic ‘management with medication.’
Thankfully, that’s changing.
In fact there is much that CAN be done, regardless of the owner’s time and financial resources. But, as with most health issues, awareness and education is key.
Here are some things that can be done even before a diagnosis is received, and are great practices for overall health maintenance:
Before you adopt a rescue or purchase a dog from a breeder, if possible, look into the susceptibility of the breed to MVD. Several breeds are more highly likely to get MVD than others — and smaller, older dogs are more at risk than larger and younger dogs. Asking pointedly about the health history of previous generations is also a good idea.
Consider pet health insurance. If your dog breed is known to be susceptible to MVD (and even if not), get a good health insurance plan. What “good” means these days is open to interpretation, as pet insurance is like human insurance — many things aren’t covered, and the last I checked, MVD was still considered by these companies as “experimental surgery.” Before getting a plan, and ask what the policies are for specific illnesses like MVD, and what exactly is covered. Even if surgery isn’t covered, medications for MVD are expensive, and often covered to a high degree — albeit with increasing premiums.
Feed your dog nutritious, low sodium food*, not big-brand kibble. Most dog food is, frankly, awful, made with fillers and byproducts that have little nutritional value.
Studies done with several breeds suggest -- as one would expect -- that dogs that eat solid, nutritional food live significantly longer, happier lives. As with insurance, the number of options for dog food is growing. But just because dog foods are “high end” (or high priced) does not mean they’re healthy.
More on Nutrition:
For MVD sufferers, one wants to be sure to keep sodium levels low, as sodium causes more water to be absorbed into the blood, and puts further pressure on the heart. The difference between how an MVD dog does on a low sodium vs. high sodium diet is often very noticeable.
Pet food companies in general are horrible at divulging nutritional information — for a reason: most dog food is equivalent to human fast-food - or worse.
A rule of thumb provided by top veterinary cardiologists is to limit sodium intake in food to less than .35% by dry matter (note the ‘.’ This means 35/100th of 1 percent). If the label doesn’t include sodium levels, see if you can find that information on the company’s website.
Responsible companies will include a full breakdown of ingredients and nutritional information, highlighting Sodium content. If the company doesn’t seem to know for sure, or gives you a range, or you don’t trust the chat-bot answer on their website, beware.
There are very few dog foods that meet this high standard. I will write a post soon that looks at some of the best options (my favorite is Evermore dog food).
Low-sodium (again, check the values), no-added sugar treats available on-line from a variety of providers. Here too, one should be skeptical of foods that do not list full ingredients on labels, or where the nutritional information is hidden.
Supplements:
I’m not big on most supplements, but those I gave to my MVD dog religiously were Omega-3 Fish Oil (Nordic Naturals, e.g.), and Standard Process Cardiac Support, both of which were recommended by a UC Davis-trained vet.
Practical Advice, Continued:
Take your dog for regular checkups. Early detection of MVD offers a better outcome, as progression of the disease is linked to changes in physiology and blood-flow, which are not easily reversed.
The Mighty Hearts Project, a non-profit offers information and a lively chat group to owners of MVD dogs. The organization has advocated for high-success surgical options, which for years were effectively limited to the Jasmine Clinic in Yokohama, founded by Dr. Masami Uechi. Dr. Uechi created the technique considered the gold standard for MVD surgeries.
A New US Surgical Option:
A new surgical program has been set up in the United States at The University of Florida, apparently with support from the Jasmine Clinic.*** that hopefully will make the surgery available to a much larger number of American dogs. For assessments of the available surgical options, see again Mighty Hearts.
**According to the UF website, applications have been (temporarily) suspended due to high demand. Check back for more info.
Personal Experience:
In 2016 my loving, grumbly, eccentric, black & white Havanese, Newton, was diagnosed with MVD at the age of 10, and given a poor prognosis. Amazingly, with the Jasmine surgery, and I believe, proper nutrition, He lived to 17 and a few months. This site is a platform for a forthcoming memoir of our life together.