Veterinary Cardiologist and Primary Care Veterinarian Save Life of Dog with Congenital Heart Failure

When Beth Nagy first adopted Nina, a wheaten terrier and poodle mix, she was only three months old and had an abundance of energy. Describing Nina as a spirited puppy who loved to bounce around their home, at first Beth had no suspicion that Nina was anything but healthy. However, she soon began noticing that Nina would frequently stop in the middle of playing to rest and catch her breath, as if she was overheating. Thinking that this was odd for such a young dog, Beth scheduled a checkup with their primary care veterinarian, Dr. Sabrina Stone at Arvada Flats Veterinary Hospital, to have her evaluated.

After checking her vitals and listening to her heart, Dr. Stone revealed that Nina, in fact, had a very pronounced heart murmur. While discussing the severity of Nina’s condition with Dr. Stone, Beth was advised to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lake-Baakar, a Veterinary Cardiologist, at Evolution Veterinary Hospital to go over the various possibilities that may be causing Nina's murmur.

"We listened to Nina's heart, took x-rays and did an echo cardiogram," said Dr. Lake-Bakaar. "Upon examination, we immediately noticed that she had a very enlarged heart and an excessive amount of fluid in her lungs."

After analyzing these findings, Dr. Lake-Bakaar diagnosed Nina with congenital heart failure, a condition caused during birth that blocks the heart from pumping adequate blood to the body, and congenital Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart.

The ductus arteriosus is a vessel that connects the pulmonary artery and aorta. The pulmonary artery and aorta are the two largest vessels in the body that carry blood out of your heart. Normally, the ductus arteriosus closes once the animal is born after birth, however, when this blood vessel does not close properly, Patent Ductus Arteriosus is formed. With PDA, the left side of the heart is not able to compensate for the extra blood flow and signs of Congenital Heart Failure can result. Symptoms can include weakness, lethargy and difficulty breathing.

Due to the life-threatening nature of these two conditions, Dr. Lake-Bakaar recommended two options for swiftly treating Nina's congenital heart failure for Beth to consider; a Thoracotomy, a form of open-heart surgery, or Amplatz Canine Duct Occluder (ACDO), a non-invasive catheter based procedure.

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"It is amazing to see how Nina went from critical condition because of her congenital heart failure, to now having an abundance of energy," said Dr. Lake-Bakaar. "Having all the care she needed from the referring vet and myself is the reason that Nina is here today."

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In order to better explain the diagnosis and options to Nina's family, Dr. Lake-Bakaar worked with Dr. Stone to break down the pros and cons of each treatment. This extra step of communication, otherwise known as the Triad of Care, is vital to help the pet owner fully comprehend the impact of various treatments and allows them to make an educated decision.

"I chose to go with less invasive procedure because Dr. Lake-Bakaar was very positive about that procedure,” said Beth. "The ACDO would be done at her office, and it allowed Nina to come home afterwards, with orders to rest and to not get too rowdy."

Amplatz Canine Duct Occluders (ACDOs) were developed specifically for the purpose of treating PDA, in the most minimally invasive way possible. With ACDO, a small incision is made on the inside of the leg over the femoral (thigh) artery. A catheter is then placed inside of this artery, and it is guided by an x-ray throughout the blood vessels and into the PDA to completely clog the blood flow through this extra vessel.

Thankfully, Nina's ACDO treatment was successful and Dr. Lake-Bakaar was able to close her PDA, which allowed her condition to stabilize and her heart to significantly reduced in size.

Nina continues to take a high-blood pressure medicine and come in annually for an echocardiogram, but Dr. Lake-Bakaar says that she should have a normal life-expectancy and quickly regain her quality of life.

"It is amazing to see how Nina went from critical condition because of her congenital heart failure, to now having an abundance of energy," said Dr. Lake-Bakaar. "Having all the care she needed from the referring vet and myself is the reason that Nina is here today."