The Latest on Veterinary Cardiology
How the advances in veterinary cardiology and canine medicine improve heart health for the lives of patients.
Veterinary medicine has come a long way in recent years, especially in veterinary cardiology, where a large volume of research is underway.
Researchers and specialists are making strides in interventional cardiology, which uses advanced procedures and imaging techniques to perform minimally invasive therapy with certain cardiac diseases. It can be used to correct abnormal rhythms or close openings in the heart.
An example of the latter is called patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA. The condition results from failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after birth, resulting in an irregular flow of blood from the aorta to the main pulmonary artery.
One minimally invasive treatment option utilizes the Amplatz Canine Duct Occulder, a device delivered via the vasculature by a catheter to the site of the PDA.
Thaibinh Nguyenba, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (cardiology), of MedVet Medical and Cancer Centers for Pets in Columbus, Ohio, was one of the technique’s lead researchers. He calls the Amplatz Canine Duct Occulder, or ACDO, a significant advancement in veterinary interventional cardiology.
“[It] infuses novel biotechnology into a cardiovascular device designed specifically for dogs,” Dr. Nguyenba said. “With this device and procedure, patent ductus arteriosus occlusion success rates in dogs match those seen in similar procedures for people with the same disease.
“Within a decade of its development, this minimally invasive procedure has become the treatment of choice for correcting patent ductus arteriosus in dogs,” he added.
