Historical review, epidemiology and natural history of degenerative mitral valve disease

Abstract

Chronic mitral valve disease due to myxomatous degeneration (MMVD) is the most common cardiovascular disease in dogs and has been known to cause congestive heart failure for more than 100 years. This article presents an historical perspective of the disease and reviews the most updated data on epidemiology and natural history of MMVD in dogs.