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Open-heart surgery to address the most common cardiorespiratory disease in dogs has been performed for the first time in Australia, at the University of Sydney鈥檚 Veterinary Teaching Hospital.听

Every year mitral valve disease (MVD) kills thousands of dogs in Australia, and millions worldwide. There is no cure and death usually occurs within a year after symptoms of heart failure being diagnosed.

The only exception to this is a surgical procedure developed by Dr Masami Uechi, Director of in Japan, which has added years to the lives of dogs affected by the condition.

Dr Uechi, accompanied by five of his surgical team, flew to Australia to perform the open-heart surgery last week with specialists.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited and grateful that Dr Uechi and his team could perform this surgery at our clinic. It is an unparalleled opportunity for us to assist with the surgery,鈥� said who took part in the operation.

鈥淚t means that on Australian dogs and hopefully prolong many of their lives.鈥�

Dr Beijerink invited Dr Uechi, who he has known for many years, to come to Australia.

The six-hour operation was performed on Prince, a 10-year-old male Cavalier King Charles spaniel who was diagnosed with severe heart failure due to MVD earlier this year.听

The operation was a success and promises to extend Prince鈥檚 life by many years.

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鈥淒ue to the fact that this was a first-of-its-kind operation, the emotional and financial cost was high but we hope that these early first steps will eventually mean Dr Uechi鈥檚 procedure will be more accessible for dog owners in Australia who were previously left without hope if their dog was diagnosed with MVD.鈥澨�

鈥淲e would like to thank Dr Uechi and his team, Dr Beijerink and the staff at Sydney University for saving Prince.鈥�

鈥淲e are especially grateful that the owner of Jackson, another dog with this condition who sadly died shortly before he could be operated on alongside Prince, contributed to the costs for Prince鈥檚 surgery.鈥�

Dr Uechi said, 鈥淭his technique of mitral valve repair has been developed over 15 years. It began with open heart surgery on cats before applying it to dogs. I have now performed over 900 operations on dogs with MVD with a 94 percent success rate.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 very happy to have had the opportunity to share my knowledge with my University of Sydney colleagues and begin to teach them this technique, which will prolong the lives of many dogs in the future.鈥�

Dr Uechi鈥檚 team will continue to liaise with the University of Sydney鈥檚 veterinary surgeons, and to visit the University in 2018.听

The University of Sydney to support the costs associated with training their staff to develop a centre for mitral valve repair in the upcoming years.

Mitral valve disease (MVD) is caused by the wearing out of the valve that prevents blood from going backwards from the heart鈥檚 left ventricle (pumping chamber) to the left atrium (upper chamber), ultimately resulting in trouble breathing due to heart failure.

MVD is most common in middle-aged to older small to medium size breed dogs such as dachshunds, poodles and chihuahuas.听听