FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Heart Pacemaker Implanted in Dog

At 14 years old, Nicky is no spring chicken. And so it was not surprising that the Australian shepherd was having heart problems.

On Wednesday night, however, Nicky’s heart became particularly agitated and her owner, William Hipp, took Nicky to a Garden Grove animal emergency hospital. There, the veterinarian on duty thought the dog should be seen by a specialist.

After conducting a series of ultrasound tests, the specialist determined that Nicky needed a pacemaker if she was to survive. In less than 24 hours, Nicky was on an operating table having a human pacemaker surgically placed in her chest.

Dr. Robert Rooks, who, along with Dr. Gaylon Teslaa, performed the hourlong operation Thursday afternoon at the All-Care Animal Referral Center, said Nicky’s chances for survival are 80% to 90%.

Although pacemakers are expensive, ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, Nicky and her owner were fortunate that Minneapolis-based MedTronics, which manufactures the instruments, donated the pacemaker to the Animal Heart Foundation in Pico Rivera, which stockpiles them for just such emergencies.

Considering the dog’s age, Rooks said Nicky’s overall good health was a factor in the operation’s success.

“This dog definitely had some mileage on her. But I have no reason to believe that she can’t live a perfectly normal life after this operation,” he said.

Though these operations are still uncommon, veterinarians are doing them increasingly, Rooks said. In Orange County, one of these operations takes place each year, he said.

Statewide, pacemakers are implanted in 10 to 15 dogs a year, with 175 used throughout the nation.

Though the practice has been a success with dogs, Rooks said the pacemaker’s size prohibits their use on cats. But Richard Mackey, staff veterinarian who will monitor Nicky during her two-day recovery stay, said MedTronics has indicated it plans to make a cat-size pacemaker.

As for Nicky, Mackey said he’s confident the dog will be back on her paws in no time.