When Every Heartbeat Counts,
We’re Here
Advanced heart procedures that restore energy and improve quality of life for pets with heart disease.
Cutting Edge Care
Minimal Discomfort
Maximum Solutions
More than a medical issue
When your pet is diagnosed with a heart condition, it’s more than just a medical issue—it’s an emotional journey. The uncertainty, the concern, the desire to do what’s best for them can feel overwhelming. At Olympic Veterinary Cardiology, we understand how much your pet means to you, and we’re here to walk this path with you every step of the way.
Our team combines world-class expertise with compassionate care. We offer cutting-edge, minimally invasive heart procedures that give pets the best chance at a longer, healthier life.
Whether your pet needs a pacemaker, transcatheter valve repair, a valve opened up, anomalous vessel closed, or advanced cardiac imaging, you can trust us to provide the highest level of care.
Our Procedures
Below, you’ll find an overview of our specialized heart procedures. Each one is designed to restore heart function, enhance quality of life, and, in many cases, help pets live longer, healthier lives.
Left Atrial Decompression (LAD) Procedure
What It Treats: Severe mitral valve disease and congestive heart failure
How It Works: This minimally invasive procedure creates a small communication between the heart’s chambers to relieve pressure caused by mitral valve disease. It reduces symptoms of heart failure and can decrease reliance on medication for patients with kidney disease or diuretic intolerance.
Why Choose LAD?
- Immediate symptom relief
- Minimally invasive (no open-heart surgery required)
- Short recovery time (often outpatient or next-day discharge)
- Can be repeated if necessary
Risks: While LAD is generally regarded as a low-risk and effective procedure, there are always risks with any kind of heart surgery. Potential risks include arrhythmias, fluid overload, spontaneous closure of the created connection, and general anesthesia complications.
Is Your Pet a Candidate? LAD is ideal for pets with advanced mitral valve disease (and a handful of other less common diseases) who aren’t responding well to medication, who have progressive renal dysfunction and diuretic intolerance, or need a bridge to future surgery.
Transvenous Pacemaker Therapy
What It Treats: Severe bradyarrhythmia (dangerously slow heart rate), including:
- 2nd and 3rd Degree Atrioventricular (AV) Block
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
How It Works: A pacemaker is implanted through a small incision in the neck, with a lead placed in the heart to regulate the heartbeat. This prevents fainting episodes, extreme fatigue, and the risk of sudden cardiac death. It can also prevent the development of congestive heart failure.
Why Choose Pacemaker Therapy?
- Restores a normal heart rate
- Immediate improvement in energy and activity level
- Long-term solution for pets with conduction disorders
- Minimal downtime and a smooth recovery
Risks: Complications may include device dislodgement, fluid pocket around the device, infection, or clot formation. Pacemaker programming can be done with minor adjustments at any future visit. This is done with the patient standing or gently restrained on their side, using a contactless antenna (no needles!)
Is Your Pet a Candidate? Pacemaker therapy is recommended for pets with severe bradyarrhythmia who experience fainting, weakness, bradycardia-induced congestive heart failure, or are at risk of sudden cardiac death.
Unique Post-Surgery Care: Pets with pacemakers must use a harness instead of a collar. All future blood draws will need to avoid the neck. Pacemaker follow-ups need to be with us or at a facility with Medtronic equipment.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Occlusion
What It Treats: A congenital heart defect where a blood vessel (ductus arteriosus) remains open after birth. This causes fluid overload in the heart which will lead to heart failure if left untreated.
How It Works: A small closure device is placed via a catheter in the blood vessel to permanently seal it. This minimally invasive procedure eliminates abnormal blood flow and prevents heart failure.
Why Choose PDA Occlusion?
- Life-saving correction with a high success rate
- Minimally invasive (small incision, fast recovery)
- Improves life expectancy to near-normal levels (if caught early enough)
- Reduces the risk of heart failure
Risks: Possible complications include vascular hemorrhage, device dislodgement, allergic reactions, and infection, though they are rare.
Is Your Pet a Candidate? PDA occlusion is ideal for puppies and young dogs diagnosed with PDA, preferably before heart failure symptoms develop. However, even older pets can benefit from intervention. If the disease is left untreated or is particularly severe, there is a chance life-long medications may still be required – but surgery can still provide massive benefit for these patients.
Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) – V-Clamp Procedure
A groundbreaking alternative to open-heart surgery, available at only a handful of veterinary centers worldwide.
What It Treats: Severe mitral valve disease
How It Works: This cutting-edge procedure repairs a leaking mitral valve by clipping the valve leaflets together with a clamp device via a catheter, reducing blood backflow and improving heart function. Open heart surgery and cardiac bypass are not required for this procedure.
Why Choose TEER?
- Restores a more normal valve function without open-heart surgery
- Effective alternative for pets who cannot undergo open-heart surgery
- Minimally invasive with a faster recovery time
- Immediate improvement in heart function
Risks: Risks include arrhythmias, valve dysfunction, infection, or device-related complications, but the procedure has a high success rate with minimal adverse effects.
Is Your Pet a Candidate? TEER is recommended for patients with severe mitral valve disease (advanced ACVIM stage B2 or stage C) who are not candidates for open-heart procedures. It’s suitable for small dogs, generally those weighing 4-15kg and those with favorable mitral valve anatomy.
Pulmonic Stenosis- Balloon Valvuloplasty & Stent Angioplasty
What It Treats: A congenital condition where the heart valve did not form correctly. The narrowing (stenosis) of the valve restricts blood flow and causes thickening (hypertrophy) of the right ventricle.
How It Works: A catheter is inserted into the narrowed valve, and a balloon is inflated (with or without stent ) to widen the opening, improving blood flow and reducing strain on the heart.
Why Choose Balloon Valvuloplasty & Stent Angioplasty?
- Minimally invasive alternative to surgery
- Immediate improvement in blood flow
- Can prevent heart failure progression
Risks: While complications are rare, they can include vascular hemorrhage, device dislodgement (if a stent is utilized), allergic reactions to contrast, and infection of the incision site. Even with advanced technology, there is a chance the diseased valve may re-stenose and a second procedure may be required in the future.
Is Your Pet a Candidate? Balloon valvuloplasty and stent angioplasty is ideal for pets diagnosed with pulmonic stenosis, particularly if the narrowing is causing symptoms or affecting heart function. Uniquely, French Bulldogs appear to be some of the most challenging and complex patients impacted with this disease and current research indicates immediate stent implantation (assuming the patient is fully grown) is superior to standard techniques in this particular breed.
Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
What It Is: A specialized ultrasound imaging technique that provides a clear, unobstructed view of the heart from inside the esophagus
How It Works: Under anesthesia, a probe is passed through the esophagus to obtain high-resolution images of essential heart structures, positioning it directly over the left atrium and looking in the classic ‘surgeon’s view’ (what would be seen in an open heart surgical procedure!
Why Choose TEE
- Provides superior heart imaging with no interference from the lungs
- Essential for evaluating complex heart conditions and guiding procedures
- Allows for advanced 3D/4D imaging and real-time assessment
- Quick recovery, with pets typically discharged the same day
Risks: Risks include mild esophagitis, temporary loss of appetite, anesthesia complications, and rare esophageal perforation.
Is Your Pet a Candidate? TEE is recommended for pets needing detailed heart evaluations, particularly before complex surgeries or interventions.
OVC is proud to offer both adult and pediatric probes, meaning even the smallest of dogs can undergo this imaging procedure with the correct size equipment for them!
Why Choose Olympic Veterinary Cardiology?
- Expertise You Can Trust: Our board-certified veterinary cardiologists are pioneers in minimally invasive heart procedures and are trusted experts world-wide in performing and educating surgical techniques
- State-of-the-Art Facility: We use the latest technology, including real-time imaging and advanced catheter-based techniques.
- Compassionate, Personalized Care: We understand how much your pet means to you, and we tailor every treatment plan to their unique needs.
Take the Next Step- Schedule a Consultation
If your pet has been diagnosed with a heart condition, don’t wait. Early intervention can make all the difference. Our team is here to guide you through every step of the process.
