Diagnóstico e aspectos terapêuticos da degeneração mixomatosa da válva mitral em cães: revisão de literatura.

Abstract

Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD) is the main cardiac condition that affects dogs, mostly middle-aged to elderly, small to medium-sized animals. It is a chronic progressive disease that has no cure, however, the treatments provide quality of life and increase the survival of affected animals. The changes that occur in this disease make the mitral valve surfaces increasingly thickened and irregular, causing poor coaptation of the free borders, consequently, mitral valve regurgitation, progressive cardiac remodeling can result in heart failure. Echocardiography is considered the most recommended non-invasive complementary test in the diagnosis and staging of MMVD, in which important information about the cardiovascular system is obtained. The aim of this paper is to review the information available in the literature on MMVD, as well as highlight new classifications and treatment options for the disease.