La Tribu des Airaudes · Vendée, France
Understanding the mitral valve and MMVD
A plain-English introduction to the mitral valve, leakage and cardiac follow-up in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
How the valve works
The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and left ventricle. It opens to allow filling and closes during contraction. When the valve no longer seals properly, some blood flows backwards: this is mitral regurgitation.
What monitoring tells us
A murmur is a finding on auscultation. Ultrasound helps assess leakage and its consequences for the heart. A dog can have structural disease without clinical signs. Interpretation and follow-up depend on the whole examination and changes over time.
Our published records include veterinary findings where available. Clinical stages, echo measurements and breeding-club grades are different systems and should not be treated as interchangeable.