The goal of this program is to empower veterinary technicians with the knowledge and skills to educate pet owners about myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 2 conditions that can lead to congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs. MMVD alone accounts for a majority of canine heart disease cases in the United States. However, intervention during the preclinical phase of MMVD can delay the onset of CHF in dogs. Veterinary technicians will acquire communication tools and strategies to initiate conversations and articulate the benefits of early identification of MMVD to engage dog owners in proactive screening and diagnostic testing.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs.
• Learn communication skills to initiate conversations about heart disease with owners of at-risk dog breeds during routine clinic visits.
• Develop effective educational strategies to explain the progression of heart disease associated with MMVD and emphasize the benefit of engaging in proactive screening and diagnostics.
• Examine available treatment options for congestive heart failure caused by MMVD or DCM, and learn the monitoring procedures for dogs diagnosed with these heart conditions.

Presented by Beckie Mossor, RVT

Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

LIVE session is RACE-Approved for 1 hour of CE