Mighty Hearts Project

02/26/2026

Yesterday we interviewed Cardiologist Dr. Emily Chapel who is the founder of Pure Animal Cardiology. Dr. Chapel was my Zoey’s cardiologist and has helped many of you here.

Her clinic is amazing, you are allowed to go in with your dog to assist in the echocardiogram process. This provides a calmer environment for you and your dog.

In this interview we discussed the following topics,

How here clinic works and why owner involvement matters

Understanding canine mitral valve disease: the big picture

ACVIM stages explained: A through D

B1: When not to start medical therapy
B2: Starting pimobendan and the rationale
Ruptured chordae tendineae: recognition and implications
Entresto, what it is and how it fits in, ways to get it at a cheaper price
Stage C and D: heart failure, diuretics, and balancing the kidneys
When to consider surgery, and practical preparation
Practical tips for owners: lifestyle, supplements, and travel
Monitoring the condition, mobile cardiology, and building a relationship with your cardiologist
Communication and clinical judgment

She will be doing more of these educational interviews in the near future so please feel free to add more things you would like her to discuss in the comment section.

It’s also on our website, broken down really well thanks Boris Sapozhnikov

https://mightyheartsproject.org/event/interview-with-dr-emily-chapel-founder-of-pure-animal-cardiology/

Today we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Emily Chapel, founder and head cardiologist at Pure Animal Cardiology.We discussed the various stages of Canine...

02/25/2026

We love your surgery anniversary updates, Posie’s mom says

One Year Surgery Anniversary!

Hey guys, just a short post to celebrate Posie’s one year post-op after MVR surgery at Jasmine Clinic in Japan one year ago!

As many of you recall, it was a difficult surgery and recovery in our case with many ups and downs…but I am happy to report that Posie is absolutely thriving today!

We have her IBD issues well-controlled and her heart has been beautifully stable ever since discharge a year ago. She continues to take Vetmedin twice per day to support remodeling, but regurgitation remains very mild and this is key!

She has her next round of cardio tests in a few months to prepare for a dental under anesthesia, but for now, we are just giving thanks for every stress-free day of life this surgery has given us. Thank you forever to Dr. Sayaka Takeuchi, Dr. Masami Uechi, their amazing team, and of course Mighty Hearts Project!

We never would have made it this far without you, especially Michelle Lawson-Fairfield and Nate Estes.

For those struggling with this disease, THERE IS HOPE. We are all here for you.

02/05/2026

Thought I would share this update I got today from Maddox’s dad Joe Kocovsky. Maddox’s heart is still doing great at 16 years, 7 months old, no heart changes since surgery at the Jasmine clinic in 2017, that’s eight years and four months ago.

Poor baby did have 17 teeth removed today though. She did well and is recovering comfortably at home. Maddox, you’re an inspiration and give so much hope for those waiting for repair surgery under bypass.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us at Mighty Hearts Project 🎄🎁🐶

12/13/2025

Hello Mighy Hearts Family,

We are very excited and pleased to announce the launch of our new updated website. It’s an educational website designed to assist owners of dogs with canine mitral valve disease. This portal provides clear, compassionate guidance, educational resources, and general information to help you better understand your dog’s condition and care options.

For details about the programs, including success rates, booking appointments, or learning more about available treatments, please contact the hospitals or clinics directly where the programs are offered. While the website offers helpful information, it does not replace veterinary care or direct program guidance.

We hope this resource empowers you with knowledge and support as you navigate your dog’s heart health journey.

Most noteworthy, we have added a University of Florida section after attending the ACVS conference in Seattle in October. We spoke directly with the heart surgeons and gained much more clarity about their program.

Thank you.

We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude for
Boris Sapozhnikov, for helping us design and implement this beautiful new educational website. We look forward to the continued projects you are helping us with in order to create a better navigational experience for our families to easily find the information they need to help their animals.

Mighty Hearts Project earned the 2025 Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid showcasing its dedication to openness in mission and impact. We believe that every

11/23/2025

Hey Everyone,

Michelle Lawson-Fairfield and I are excited to report out all the great information from the ACVS Surgery Summit we attended in October. Here is a video where we summarize our experience and what was discussed by the heart doctors attending the conference.

Michelle and I attended the 2025 ACVS conference in Seattle this year where all of the Mitral Valve Repair bypass doctors got together to discuss their progr...

10/23/2025

Hello Mighty Hearts, Michelle Lawson-Fairfield and I are participating in the ACVS 2025 conference, with presentations by Dr. Masami, Dr. Brockman, and Dr. Matsuura. Stay tuned for additional updates from the conference. 🐶 💪 ❤️

07/05/2025

Happy 4th of July Everyone, be safe out there.

🎆 🎊 🇺🇸

05/14/2025

The amazing Dr. Katie Kangas. We are looking forward to our talk on dental and heart dogs. Integrative Veterinary Care

05/14/2025

What a beautiful Expo we attended with our beautiful holistic family

05/06/2025

Myself and Michelle Lawson-Fairfield will be attending Dr. Judy Morgan's Naturally Healthy Pets International Health Experience conference in Orlando Florida May 13-14th. We would love to meet our members in the Orlando/Florida area.

Here are the details to the conference. We will post about the many beautiful holistic products being offered by the amazing vendors. Lots of great education and resources to come.

https://live.drjudymorgan.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6u4vOcP7veEXvx_0IF959_mecdJ0Pm3PnU5h1MVEluuuRmL_Ler0wjqey9dw_aem_xEsBMBrqZCezrfE7q4gnHg

America’s best known natural pet advocate, holistic veterinarian of over 40 years, and owner of Naturally Healthy Pets invites you to a 2-dayimmersive experience to learn thelatest in the very best holisticcare for your pets.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 Let’s see those beautiful Christmas pictures with your pups and your families.

We want to thank you all for the amazing support you provide to each other during such difficult times in our lives. It truly means the world knowing you're not alone in this disease and repair process. We wish you all a very blessed holiday season.

Special thank you to all of our admin and moderators and especially the surgical teams at each clinic involved with the mitral valve repair surgery. We are forever thankful for your dedication in saving our precious babies' lives ❤️🐶

The Mighty Hearts Team