Mitral valve disease in dogs – signs and care

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Mitral valve disease is a heart problem caused by a faulty heart valve.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet today if you think your dog may have this.
Contact your vet immediately if your dog is struggling to breathe.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show your vet.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm and keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Mitral valve disease is a heart problem caused by a faulty heart valve.^[1] It is the most common type of heart disease in dogs and is particularly common in smaller breeds such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.^[1]

Signs

A heart murmur detected by your vet
Coughing, especially after lying down or sleeping, often worse at night
Low energy and slowing down on walks
Breathing more quickly than usual
Breathlessness or panting more than usual
Weight loss
Collapse or fainting

Causes and risk factors

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Dachshund
Poodle
Chihuahua

How a vet finds out

Blood tests
X-rays
Ultrasound scan
ECG
Blood pressure measurement

How vets treat it

Surgery
Medication
For mild MVD, monitoring at home and regular vet checks may be needed; medication may not be needed to begin with

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

What the experts say

“Overview. Mitral valve disease (MVD) is a heart problem caused by a faulty heart valve. It’s the most common type of heart disease in dogs and is particularly common in smaller breeds such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What is mitral valve disease in dogs?

It is a heart problem caused by a faulty heart valve.^[1]

What signs can mitral valve disease cause?

Signs can include a heart murmur detected by a vet, coughing, low energy, slowing down on walks, faster breathing, breathlessness, panting more than usual, weight loss, collapse or fainting.^[1]

When should I seek urgent veterinary help?

If your dog is struggling to breathe, contact your vet immediately for an emergency appointment.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages