How serious is a leaking mitral valve?
Approximately 10% of all small breed dogs will develop mitral valve insufficiency (MVI). This is often described as a “heart murmur”. MVI is initially asymptomatic, or having no obvious signs. As time goes on, the leak becomes more severe and as more blood leaks back into the atrium this results in reduced pumping efficiency. Eventually congestive heart failure occurs. This can be months or years from the time when the murmur was first detected. When I took my little dog for his annual booster the veterinarian told me he had a mitral murmur but said he was not going to treat it at this stage. Is this correct? Veterinary cardiologists differ in when they recommend medical intervention for asymptomatic heart murmurs. We will carefully evaluate your pet’s condition and lifestyle and make the best recommendation to preserve health and vitality. How will I know if heart failure is present? The most common clinical sign of congestive heart failure is coughing or difficulty breathing. This is
