Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common
heart disease in small-breed
dogs. Mitral repair, which comprise artificial chorda tendineae implantation and
mitral annuloplasty, has become the mainstay of
treatment in the
veterinary field. We
report on two small
dogs who underwent mitral repair
surgery for MR. A Hegar dilator was used during
mitral annuloplasty for accurate and reproducible
surgery. In both cases, mitral regurgitant flow almost disappeared after
surgery, and clinical signs improved. The
treatment regimen was terminated 3 months after the
surgery. We concluded that using a Hegar dilator may facilitate
mitral valve repair
surgery.