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.
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