Service dog receives life-saving cardiological care

Samantha Eisner, DVM, and Everett Lowenstein, a fourth-year veterinary student, perform a final exam on Sissy prior to her release from the hospital.

Photo: Ryleigh Rejcek, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Cardiologists at the Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) successfully treated a dog for a third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block using a donated pacemaker. The diagnosis indicated that electrical signals were unable to carry throughout the heart, a process required for a proper heartbeat. Dogs with third-degree AV are left with abnormally slow heart rates, which can cause episodes of collapse, as well as death, if they are not treated promptly and properly. In this case, the dog’s heart rate had dropped from the usual 120 beats per minute (bpm) down to just 35 bpm.¹

“The pacemaker is a life saver for animals like [this],” Samantha Eisner, DVM, a second-year cardiology resident in the SATH, who led the life-saving effort, said in a university release.¹ “The reason the top and bottom chambers of her heart are losing the ability to communicate is because she has a damaged node, which means that it can’t press along the electrical signals that cause the heart to beat. The pacemaker bypasses the damaged node and stimulates contractions from inside the heart.”

An x-ray of Sissy after having her pacemaker placed.

Photo courtesy of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Dogs with third-degree AV block will have heart rates between 20-40 bpm.² An electrocardiogram (EKG) is required to confirm a diagnosis of third-degree AV block.² The EKG will evaluate electrical activity of the heart and confirm whether there’s a lack of electrical conduction from the atria to the ventricles. It is then recommended to conduct an atropine response test, which involves a subcutaneous atropine injection.²

• If there is no reaction to atropine injection: This would imply that the third-degree AV block is the result of primary disease of the AV node. In this case, surgical implementation of a permanent pacemaker is the only available treatment method. The pacemaker will stimulate the ventricles to beat at 80-140 bpm, which should restore a normal quality of life and lifespan for the patient.²
• If the heart rate does increase following atropine injection: A reaction to atropine would indicate that there may be a treatable, secondary cause of the disease. For further evaluation of potential secondary causes, an echocardiogram, chest x-rays, and blood work are recommended.²

Sissy, a border collie, is a service dog from Louisville, Kentucky. She was initially trained to assist her owner, Robert “Bobby” Harrod, with diabetes management, and had recently begun to assist Harrod with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he suffers from his days working emergency medical services (EMS).¹

Ahead of a planned trip abroad, Sissy underwent a routine checkup for her health certificate, which is required to fly overseas. During the evaluation, the veterinarian noticed that her heart rate was significantly lower than it should’ve been. Despite the veterinarian’s initial doubt that the heart rate was an indication of further complications, he conducted an EKG as a precaution and ended up diagnosing Sissy with a third-degree AV block. Harrod acted quickly, researching next steps, and quickly determined that Texas A&M had the best veterinary cardiology program. After a quick email and phone call, Harrod and Sissy set off for help, and arrived at SATH 17 hours after she was diagnosed.

“We try to address cardiology problems as quickly as possible, especially things like third-degree AV block,” Eisner said.¹ “If a third-degree AV block is not treated, it can cause the patient to develop collapse episodes or, in the worst-case scenarios, they can die from it because their heart is not able to pump properly to deliver oxygen to the vital organs of the body. So, when an owner like Bobby is willing to pursue treatment, we try to move quickly.”

Following the procedure, and ahead of his reunion with Sissy, Eisner and Everett Lowenstein, a fourth-year veterinary student at Texas A&M, met with Harrod to discuss the procedure and recovery process. They were also able to share that, in addition to Sissy’s pacemaker being donated, Harrod’s 31 years of service with EMS qualified him for financial assistance with Sissy’s bill, as part of the Veterinary Valor Program.¹ The program, established in 2019, supports active military, veterans, and first responders in caring for their pets at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH).³ The team was also able to inform Harrod that Sissy received additional support from donations made to Heart Trust—a program intended to support the cardiovascular health of companion animals, while promoting and establishing clinical trials for the advancement of veterinary cardiovascular medicine.¹

Samantha Eisner, DVM, Robert "Bobby" Harrod, and Sissy in the Texas A&M SATH.

Photo: Jason Nitsch, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

“I am very thankful… it also meant a lot to know that there are people who are willing to support retired first-responders like me and dogs who suddenly need a cardiologist like Sissy,” Harrod said.¹ “I’m on a fixed income, which means unexpected expenses are more challenging now. When I talked to Dr Eisner on Tuesday, she said, ‘We’ll make it happen. Just get here.’ I couldn’t have done it without the financial support.”

Eisner echoed those thoughts, expressing gratitude to the Veterinary Valor Program and the Heart Trust funds. “I’m so grateful to everyone who contributes to these funds,” she said.¹ “When we hear about a service animal in a life-or-death situation, we know there are actually 2 lives at stake. To be able to help Bobby and Sissy is incredible. He’s helped save countless lives, so it’s really meaningful to have the donor support that empowered us to help Sissy.”

Harrod, a lifelong fan of the University of Kentucky’s Wildcats, says that, as a result of Texas A&M’s life-saving efforts for his beloved Sissy, his loyalties will now be divided when the Wildcats face off against the Texas A&M Aggies.

References

1. Hearts united in a house divided. News release. Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. October 2, 2024. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/sissy-dog-pacemaker/
2. Third Degree Atrioventricular Block. Veterinary Cardiac Referrals. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.vetcardioreferrals.com/third-degree-atrioventricular-block
3. Veterinary Valor Program. Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/giving/opportunities/veterinary-valor/