University of Florida Launches First Open-Heart Surgery Program for Dogs in US

Veterinarians Michael Aherne (L), Darcy Adin (2nd L), who is holding Louise, and veterinary surgeon Katsuhiro Matsuura (R) pose for a photo with Kimberly David (2nd R), holding UF's first patient to receive mitral valve repair, her dog George, at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine before George's discharge on Aug. 28, 2023. Courtesy of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine

The University of Florida (UF) has launched the country’s first open-heart surgery program for dogs to repair a poorly functioning mitral valve.

Mitral valve degeneration is the most common heart disease seen by veterinary cardiologists, according to a report by program director Dr. Darcy Adin.

So, veterinarians at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, are especially excited to now offer the procedure to fix the problem.

Dr. Katsuhiro Matsuura joined UF in July after performing more than 100 successful mitral valve repairs in dogs in Japan. The success rate of surgeries performed by the team he managed was more than 90 percent, according to UF.

Now, under his leadership, the veterinary college expects to perform three to four of the surgeries each month, according to UF.

“Our program is unique among academic veterinary colleges in the United States in having a faculty member solely dedicated to providing this life-saving procedure to dogs in need of it,” Sarah Carey, UF College of Veterinary Medicine public relations director, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

University veterinarians had been working toward the goal of offering the surgery for several years, Ms. Carey wrote.

“Our cardiology team is excited to be able to learn from Dr. Matsuura as we build our program and begin to share our knowledge and experience with others in the veterinary community.”

People bring out their dogs, cats, and other pets to be blessed during an annual ceremony honoring the memory of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, at the Washington National Cathedral on Oct. 3, 2021. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Mitral valve degeneration results in leaking heart valves, a condition known as mitral regurgitation.

While all dog breeds are susceptible to mitral valve degeneration, especially smaller dog breeds, such as the poodle, Maltese, dachshund, chihuahua, and Cavalier King Charles spaniel, according to UF veterinarians. 

“As dogs grow older, it becomes more likely that they have some degree of this disease, although not every dog with mitral valve disease will suffer clinical signs or symptoms because of it,” Dr. Adin wrote in her report on the topic.

The condition enlarges the heart as it escalates and causes congestive heart failure in 25 percent to 30 percent of dogs that it affects, she explained. The result is breathing difficulty and coughing.

While certain medications can relieve some fluid retention, the degenerative valve usually continues to deteriorate, often leading to death, according to the UF report. Other dogs succumb to medication complications within a year of a heart failure diagnosis, the report said.

During surgery to repair the valve, a surgeon uses an advanced device known as a cardiopulmonary bypass to tighten the mitral valve. The surgery repairs the chordae tendineae—“heart strings”—that support the valve.

A successful operation reduces the amount of mitral regurgitation through the valve, allowing most dogs to stop taking medications for the problem.

Before the UF program began offering the surgery, it was unavailable in the United States.

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The estimated price of $45,000–$50,000 will put heart surgery out of reach for most dog owners.

But the expenses Americans are willing to incur for their furry friends have increased in recent years, research shows.

About 66 percent of U.S. households own a pet, a 56 percent increase from 1988, according to a report from the American Pet Products Association.

A decked-out pooch strolls along during Dog Day festivities ahead of a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 13, 2023. Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Dogs are the most popular American pet, with 65.1 million households owning one, the report showed. Cats are in second place at 46.5 million households.

But dog ownership can be pricey.

Owners said they spend an average of $339 a year on food alone, research shows.

Of 5,000 U.S. dog owners surveyed by Forbes Advisor, 41 percent reported spending between $500 and $1,000 yearly on their dogs. Eight percent reported spending at least $2,000 every year.

Forty-two percent of pet owners can’t afford an unexpected vet bill of up to $999, another Forbes Advisor survey found. A bill of up to $499 would cause financial woes for 28 percent of pet owners.

Dog owners face more costs for veterinary care than cat owners, racking up an average of $367 a year, according to the 2022 Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Thirty-six percent of dog owners said they’re willing to spend $4,000 or more for “life-saving medical care” for their dogs, the Forbes Advisor survey found.

Laura Ippolito's dog, Rococo. Courtesy of Laura Ippolito

A little more than 39 percent of dog owners told researchers they live on a tighter budget because of their dog, according to the Forbes Advisor survey.

Laura Ippolito, a dog groomer in Gainesville, Florida, knows the pain of facing the financial and emotional burden of a pet’s unexpected health crisis. But her dogs are worth it, she told The Epoch Times.

Rococo is an 11-year-old hound mix that’s so much more than a pet, Ms. Ippolito said. To her, she’s family.

Ms. Ippolito took Rococo and her 9-year-old herding dog, James, to the vet for dental exams and cleanings recently. Afterward, Rococo wasn’t herself. She was lethargic, had an upset stomach, and had a heart arrhythmia.

After other veterinary treatments didn’t help, an ultrasound of Rococo’s abdomen showed two masses on her liver and one on her spleen. The news was crushing.

A standard biopsy was inconclusive. To get more information, her veterinarian has recommended a $4,000 laparoscopic procedure.

The decision has been a painful one, but the procedure, on top of all the other recent veterinary expenses, is just too costly, Ms. Ippolito said. So, she’s going to take a wait-and-see approach.

Laura Ippolito's dogs Rococo (L) and James. Courtesy of Laura Ippolito

Ms. Ippolito has had James and Rococo since she was 20. They’ve made her “a better person,” she said.

“She kind of helped me develop responsibility because I had to save money” to care for her, Ms. Ippolito said of Rococo, who has shown signs of feeling much better lately.

“I had to learn how to wake up early to walk a dog. Even just basic life responsibility—it gave me a reason to do those things.”

The thought of losing Rococo is almost too much to bear after the hardships they have endured together, Ms. Ippolito said.

“She has always been there,” Ms. Ippolito said, grateful for her dog’s recent improvements and for more time with her.

“She’s been this consistent kind of partner that also gives you accountability. She’s a member of the family—you just become so in tune with them. It’s such a complex relationship—the one you have with your pets versus the ones that you have with people.”

For now, she said she’s hoping for the best and intends to continue to do all she can for her beloved dog, who accompanies her to work each day.

Rococo, she said, is worth the sacrifice.