Dodo is estimated to be 5 years old. She was adopted just six months ago, with very little medical history available. During a routine visit to a local veterinarian, a heart murmur was detected. Recognising that this required further investigation, the attending veterinarian promptly referred her to us for advanced cardiac evaluation.
Timely referral plays a crucial role in cases like this. Early referral allows for proper diagnosis, appropriate counselling of owners, and intervention before irreversible cardiac changes occur.
On 30th January 2026, Dodo travelled all the way from Johor Bahru to our clinic in Kota Damansara — a 3–4 hour car journey. Further assessment confirmed that the murmur was caused by a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a congenital heart defect that, if left untreated, can eventually lead to heart enlargement, heart failure, or pulmonary hypertension.
We discussed the available treatment options with her owners, including open-chest surgical ligation and a minimally invasive transcatheter occlusion procedure. The risks, benefits, and costs were explained in detail. A few hours after leaving the clinic, we received a WhatsApp message confirming their decision to proceed with the minimally invasive surgery.
It was one of the quickest confirmations we have ever received — a testament to their commitment.
The procedure was scheduled for 8th February 2026. As with every interventional case, our team — anaesthetists, sonographer, assistant surgeon, OT assistant, and myself — held an online pre-surgical discussion to review the case and plan each step carefully. We may not meet regularly, but whenever we gather for a procedure, everyone understands their role and responsibility.
The surgery lasted approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. A small incision was made in Dodo’s right groin area, and her right femoral artery was catheterised.
Transoesophageal echocardiography showed a minimal ductal diameter of 1.8 mm and an ampulla measuring 5.5 mm. An 8 mm Amplatzer Vascular Plug 4 device was successfully deployed to occlude the PDA.
The procedure went smoothly. Dodo recovered from general anaesthesia within about an hour and was closely monitored by our anaesthetist and nursing team until her vital signs were stable. She was discharged the following day.
I truly appreciate the trust that Dodo’s owners placed in us. Having adopted her only six months ago, they did not hesitate to commit to definitive treatment. That level of responsibility and love is deeply admirable.
I am also grateful to the referring veterinarian. Good outcomes in cases like this begin with attentive primary care and timely referral. Collaboration between primary practitioners and referral centres is what ultimately gives patients like Dodo the best possible chance.
Case like this reminds us why teamwork in veterinary medicine truly matters.
