A nine-year-old Havanese named Buddy from Dubai is "full of bounce and life" after undergoing open-heart surgery for dogs in the UAE — a procedure once only available to pet owners willing to travel to the United States or Europe at great expense.
Earlier this year, Buddy was diagnosed with mitral valve disease, a progressive heart condition that can drastically shorten a dog's life. His owners feared the worst. But thanks to a landmark cardiac programme at the British Veterinary Centre in Abu Dhabi, Buddy is now thriving alongside his brother Dash — and the surgery cost less than half of what it would in the US.
MENA's First Canine Open-Heart Surgery Programme
The British Veterinary Centre became the first facility in the Middle East and North Africa to successfully perform canine mitral valve repair surgeries in 2024. Buddy was one of only three dogs to undergo the procedure, with all three referred by other regional veterinary practices, including Umm Suqeim Veterinary Centre in Dubai.
The operations were carried out by Dr Katsuhiro Matsuura, a clinical assistant professor in open-heart surgery at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, who travelled to Abu Dhabi with his team specifically to perform the surgeries.
What Is Mitral Valve Disease in Dogs?
Mitral valve disease is the most common heart disease in dogs and occurs mainly in toy breeds. It involves the progressive degeneration of the valve separating the left atrium from the left ventricle of the heart. Over time, this leads to heart failure, with symptoms including fatigue and breathing difficulties.
Dr Martin Wyness, founder and director of the British Veterinary Centre, explained that while medication can manage the condition, it cannot reverse it.
"The mucosal disease will progress," said Dr Wyness. "The surgery is what actually remedies the situation. After being treated this way, dogs may not necessarily need much in the way of medicine in future."
A Complex, Four-Hour Procedure
Open-heart surgery for dogs with mitral valve disease is a highly specialised undertaking. The operation takes at least four hours and involves stopping the dog's heartbeat, then tightening and replacing the chords that attach the valve to the heart wall. It requires a skilled surgical team, specialised instruments, and intensive post-operative care.
The British Veterinary Centre's successful partnership with the Small Animal Blood Bank in Dubai, run by Dr Dorian Gaeta, was essential to the procedures' success.
In the UAE, the surgery costs approximately Dh75,000 ($20,420) — less than half the $45,000–$50,000 price tag in the United States, making the UAE an attractive destination even for international pet owners seeking this treatment.
Pet Owners No Longer Need to Travel Abroad
For Buddy's family and other UAE-based pet owners, the arrival of open-heart surgery for dogs in the UAE is a profound relief. Previously, access to this level of veterinary cardiac care required flying to the US or Europe — a stressful and expensive undertaking.
All three dogs that underwent surgery at the British Veterinary Centre had excellent outcomes. One had been given less than a month to live before the procedure; within days of surgery, its condition had markedly improved.
Buddy has returned to playing with his brother Dash. His family says witnessing the two dogs together again — knowing how close they came to losing him — has been overwhelming.
The British Veterinary Centre says the programme marks a new era for veterinary medicine in the region, and more procedures are expected as awareness grows.
