When Lila, a Cavalier/Beagle mix, first came to Sawgrass Veterinary Cardiology, her family was carrying heavy worry. They had been told her mitral valve might be too large for the TEER procedure. On a standard echocardiogram, the measurements seemed to confirm it. As her owner later shared, “We arrived expecting to have to turn around, having done all we could.”
But with a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), Dr. Carpenter found something different: the valve wasn’t too large after all — it was angled in a way that made it appear 4mm bigger than it was. That single discovery meant Lila could have the procedure that might change her future.
When she arrived, Lila’s regurgitation rate was 70%. By the time she was discharged, it had fallen to 20%. Her owner described the transformation vividly: “Within 36 hours post-op our Cavalier/Beagle mix had a heart performing like never before, and her breathing is significantly better.”
For our team, the procedure is only part of the story. What matters just as much is how families feel throughout the process. From the first call, Lila’s owner said, “They are patient, kind, and what I find to be so refreshing, candid. You are given factual, up-front information on what you can expect, and the associated risks.”
Dr. Carpenter personally spoke with them, ensuring they never felt rushed or pressured into a decision. And when logistics piled up, our office manager, Toks, became their steady voice of reassurance.
Looking back, her owner summed it up in words that mean the world to us:
“An amazing team made up of amazing humans, they saved my little lady’s life. I wish I could give them five million stars.”