Diagnosing Mitral Valve Disease for GP Vets

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common acquired heart disease in dogs, yet staging and management decisions in general practice can still be tricky — especially knowing when to treat, when to refer, and how to counsel owners on prognosis. This session walks through a practical, GP-friendly approach to diagnosing MMVD: recognizing early auscultation findings, knowing which diagnostic tests actually change management, and applying current ACVIM staging guidelines to real-world caseload. Attendees will leave with a clear diagnostic algorithm they can use Monday morning.

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify early clinical signs of mitral valve disease on physical exam, including murmur grading and characteristics that warrant further workup.
• Apply ACVIM consensus staging (Stages A–D) to classify canine MMVD patients and guide next steps.
• Select appropriate diagnostic tests (radiographs, biomarkers like NT-proBNP, echocardiography) based on clinical presentation and practice resources.
• Interpret key echocardiographic and radiographic findings — including vertebral heart score and left atrial enlargement — to assess disease severity.
• Determine when to initiate treatment versus when to refer to a cardiologist, based on current evidence-based guidelines.