Pet Dog Gets Pacemaker In a Milestone Surgery

Rohney’s heart rate had fallen dramatically, and he’d recently had surgery to have a pacemaker implanted, according to the Tiwari family of Lower Parel. Such a procedure, which has given him a new lease on life, is unusual for dogs in India, according to veterinarians.

The Miniature Pinscher, who is 12 years old, is doing well at home. Prath Tiwari (30), a football business professional, said he’s “on the way to getting better.” Rohney’s family discovered him weak and sluggish last week and took him to the veterinarian. The ECG revealed a cardiac block following a series of testing.

Dr. Sangeeta Vengsarkar Shah, a veterinarian, said his heart rate had dropped “alarmingly low.” “On the day of the surgery, it dropped to 30 while the normal in small-breed canines is between 120 and 150 — twice that of humans.”

Rohney’s heart did not beat past the point where it was supposed to due to the block. Such patients need a pacemaker to make the heartbeat normally again,” Dr. Vengsarkar explained. 

The Tiwari family decided to have their pet fitted with a pacemaker. Rohney’s health was precarious on Sunday, a day before the operation, according to Dr. Vengsarkar. He passed out three times and had to be revived. It was necessary to drain fluid from the lungs and chest. He had to be put on intravenous drips the day of the procedure. Dr. Larry TIlley, a cardiologist, advised the team on key aspects of the procedure.

In general, providing anesthesia is risky, but given Rohney’s slow cardiac rate, it was much more difficult for Dr. Sanjana Karve. On Monday, surgeons performed surgery to implant a single-chamber pacemaker. Dr. Ashish Nabar, a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist, oversaw the pacemaker implantation, which was performed by veterinarian Dr. Noopur Desai.

“It was a challenge as the infrastructure available was basic,” said Dr. Nabar ” But the trained team of vets helped with the procedure.” The procedure represents a “milestone,” according to Dr. Makrand Chavan, honorary secretary of the Mumbai Pet Practitioners Association.

Prath is now waiting for his Rohney to recover. Prath, being a teenager, had a fear of dogs when his late father brought Rohney home as a puppy. “Not anymore,” he says. “Rohney is now close to my heart”.