A SOLIHULL vets is claiming to have set a UK record for the number of life-saving heart operations in one day.
Top cardiology and heart specialists at Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, in Solihull repaired five heart defects on five different puppies in a day – and all five pups are said to be thriving.
Willows’ head of cardiology Chris Linney and fellow heart specialist Brigite Pedro masterminded the five-in-a-day feat.
Snuggles, a French Bulldog, Basil, a Norfolk Terrier, and crossbreeds Betty, Lola and Luna, are the living proof of that, as Willows marked National Heart Month in February.
Snuggles was first on the operating table, having surgery to repair a pulmonic stenosis, a malformation of the heart’s pulmonic valve, which obstructs the flow of blood from the heart into the lungs.
Betty, Basil, Lola were next in line during an intensive morning of surgeries, with Luna the fifth and final patient to be treated in the afternoon.
All four pups were treated for a condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus, a common birth defect which can cause heart failure if not treated and repaired quickly.
Brigite said: “Without surgery, these puppies were destined to lead much shorter lives but we were able to treat them successfully which means they should all now lead perfectly healthy lives.
“So, the most important message from all of this is that a heart murmur in a young animal is not an automatic death sentence.
“It may be possible to correct it, so my best advice to owners is to talk to your vet about an ultrasound scan to find out more about your pet’s problem and what treatments and surgeries are available.”
