Glad to hear Jen is doing ok now.
Our Yorkie Precious had a 3rd degree AV block. We learned more than I ever knew about pacemakers in canines with her. Including that the vast majority of pacemakers in dogs come from the Companion Animal Pacemaker Repository which gets them for free after they sit on the shelf too long for human use. In addition there are two ways to place a pacemaker, either under the skin near the neck with the leads for the pacer going through an artery into the heart (this procedure isn't too invasive). Or placing the pacer in the abdomen and connecting the lead to the outside of the heart (this procedure is more invasive).
I would encourage you to really discuss the details of the procedure with your vet Corrinne and make sure they have adequate pacemakers and leads that they know will work together, and that they are familiar with.
In addition the small stature of a yorkie can make it hard to fish the lead down the artery near the neck and get it into the proper place in the heart. I would make sure and ask them what size the smallest dog they have done this procedure on is.
Since Jen's situation is not an emergency you have the luxury to take time in arranging the surgery. I know who I would go to here in Colorado, I'm happy to share his name and other info if you want to PM me. Either way our thoughts are with you and Jen and let us know how things go! |